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The Health Benefits of Martial Arts
In addition to their physical fitness benefits, the martial arts provide the value-added punch of psychological and spiritual development.
If you think the martial arts are designed for brawlers who want a winning edge when picking fights, think again. Even though the disciplines were conceived in the context of hand to hand combat, masters have zero tolerance for students who would use their skills aggressively. Created in ancient Asian cultures, Martial Arts develop character and heighten spirituality. Because of their holistic approach, any of the martial arts can make an excellent contribution to your personal fitness program. The beauty of these techniques is that, more so than other types of physical exercise, they cultivate the mind and soul as much as the body.
Physical Benefits
On their own, martial arts do not offer the total scope of exercise needed to achieve top physical fitness. They should be augmented with conventional cardio and strength training. Nevertheless, martial arts do improve strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, stamina, and posture.
A large part of the physical discipline in the martial arts involves rigorous conditioning through the extended repetition of “katas,” or choreographed routines. Some methods, called the “hard” styles, incorporate aerobic and cardio-vascular workouts. The “soft” styles are less intense but focus on balance, flexibility and control.
Psychological and Spiritual Benefits
The martial arts have few rivals in the catalogue of sports and exercises when it comes to psychological and spiritual nurture. As already mentioned, they are not designed to bolster aggression or violence. Quite the opposite, people who train in the martial arts tend to quietly avoid conflict and demonstrate no need to confront. In general, studies show that there is an inverse relationship between the length of time students of the martial arts have trained and their involvement in violent encounters.
In 1999, Brad Binder, Ph.D., conducted a thorough and often-cited review of research on the psychological benefits of the martial arts: "Psychosocial Benefits of the Martial Arts: Myth or Reality?" (in the Journal of the International Ryuku Karate Research Society, reprinted in 2007). Binder discovered, for example, that Judo has led to more easy going attitudes and decreased rates of violence in adolescents. Tai Chi has proven to decrease anger, insomnia, and nightmares, while developing a more positive outlook on life. Military Hapkido training has proven to strengthen group moral and self-confidence more than other physical team training.
Some of the psychological and spiritual benefits of the martial arts are:
* Improved concentration and discipline for better work and study habits
* Stress reduction and the ability to relax
* Self-esteem
* Self- confidence
* Respect for others
What is more, the martial arts have even been used effectively in treatment programs for women recovering from psycho-sexual abuse, eating disorders, substance abuse and family dysfunction. One of the most cited studies in this area was conducted by Chad Trulson of the University of North Texas (“Martial Arts Training: A Novel ‘Cure’ for Juvenile Delinquency,” Human Relations 39: 1131-1140, 1986).
In this study, adolescent juvenile delinquents were assigned to one of three groups. The first group received traditional tae kwon do training (involving meditation, warm-up exercises, brief lecture about Tae Kwon Do, and the physical techniques of tae kwon do); the second group received modern tae kwon do training (only the physical techniques were taught); and the third received a program of increased physical activity not involving the martial arts. All groups were taught by the same instructor for the same amount of time and in the same room.
At the end of six months, the students in the traditional Tae Kwon Do group showed a decrease in aggressiveness and anxiety and an increase in self-esteem. In contrast, the modern Tae Kwon Do group showed an increased tendency towards delinquency and an increase in aggressiveness. Students in the exercise group showed an increase in self-esteem, but no other significant changes.
Value-Added Exercise
Asian martial arts augment character development in a way that competitive Western sports typically do not. More than simply tools for self-defence, these systems offer personal growth in mind, soul and body. If you are looking for a regime that will strengthen not only your body but your attitude, why not consider the workouts that the martial arts offer? There is sure to be a type that suits you. See the accompanying description of some of the more popular styles.
Types of Martial Arts
While there are literally hundreds of styles, in general all martial fall into one of three categories: striking, grappling, and weaponry. Here is a list of some of the more popular striking and grappling styles:
1. Ju Jitsu - uses the opponents strength and force of attack as a weapon against him, thus enabling a stronger or bigger attacker to be subdued. One of the most complete martial arts, Ju Jitsu incorporates unarmed strikes, joint locks, chokes and throws.
2. Judo - means the "gentle way," Judo is a grappling style that teaches how to wrestle and throw opponents.
3. Karate – the term ”Karate” means “empty hand.” This style originated in Okinawa and stresses striking techniques through kicks, punches and blocks. It is highly dynamic and makes balanced use of a large number of body muscles, it provides excellent all-around exercise and develops coordination and agility. The four major styles are Shotokan, Shito Ryu, Goju Ryu, and Wado Ryu.
4. Kung Fu - an extremely disciplined, powerful martial art, Kung Fu is another striking style where strength is built in low stances and powerful blocks.
5. Muay Thai - also referred to as Thai Boxing, Muay Thai is the oldest known form of kickboxing. Besides a focus on kicking, the sport has evolved to discourage the use of knees and upper body in its strikes.
6. Tai Chi – a Chinese martial art, Tai Chi is characterized by its slow, graceful, flowing movements. It promotes an inner calm and an enhanced self-awareness. The body weight or center of gravity of the practitioner sinks into the abdomen and trunk of the body, thus allowing more relaxed and deep breathing and overall balance.
7. Tae Kwon Do – the world's most widely practiced martial art, Tae Kwon Do is a Korean fighting art that looks very similar to Japanese karate. The techniques are characterized by graceful and powerful movements.
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