The discipline known as Martial Arts has spread at an incredible speed in the West since its introduction in the 20^th century from its historic roots in East Asia. Martial Arts can be classified as either armed combat (including Fencing and Archery) or unarmed combat (such as Hapkido, Taekwondo, Aikido, Judo and Karate). Awareness, strength and skill make a student in  training exceptional in the discipline.

Adults who study Martial Arts at any level experience a wealth of benefits that transform both their physical health and mental clarity. Men and women can train in a wide variety of Martial Art styles.

Examples of various forms of martial arts include the following popular styles:

To start, it’s important to note that there are two main types of shin guard in the worlds of MMA and Muay Thai: Sock-Style and Adjustable Strap Style.

• Kung Fu – Kung Fu is a Chinese Martial Art that harnesses qi.
• Karate – This Japanese technique emphasizes the use of punches, kicks and the famous karate chop.
• Judo– As a newly developed Japanese form of martial art, competitors aim to physically throw their opponents to the ground.
• Jujitsu – This Japanese martial art disarms an enemy without the use of a formal weapon, instead relying on the opponent’s energy.
• Tae Kwon Do– Developed in Korea, Tae Kwon Do is a form of self-defense that happens to be the oldest form of Martial Art as well as the most popularly practiced Martial Art today.
• Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) – MMA utilizes a Mix of Martial Arts and non-martial arts strategies.

There are immense advantages to exploring Martial Arts training even as an adult:

• Boost Your Self-Confidence

As a Martial Arts trainee, the goals you set, the respect you give to the incredible history of the discipline and the positive encouragement you receive lead to greater feelings of self-confidence in your daily life. If you aim for high goals, as a Martial Arts student, you experience further belief in yourself to accomplish whatever you set out to do.

• Learn Self-Defense

During classes, students practice strategic kicks and punches. These powerful Martial Arts moves give you a valuable repertoire of self-defense skills. There are also a number of Martial Arts benefits for women specifically. As you attain confidence in your ability to throw punches, you gain life-saving techniques that can protect you in the face of danger.

• Relieve Stress

Students report that Martial Arts practices dissolve stress. The awareness and control of breathing that you develop allow an easy escape route for stress. Since Martial Artists are trained to focus on the present task, distractions melt away into the background, also helping to significantly lessen the stress accumulated throughout the day. Martial Arts students who let out the vocal kihap and punches during classes also experience a reduction in frustration, tension and anxiety.

• Give Yourself a Full Workout

Practicing Martial Arts gives you complete, total body aerobic training. When you engage in this training, you are utilizing incredible physical energy. As a result, strength, balance, flexibility and stamina increase proportionally to your dedication to the discipline. Also, Martial Arts moves involve crossing the midline of the body, which has been proven to increase proprioception and brain health.

• Improve Your Heart Health

When you participate in Martial Arts classes, you undergo intense cardiovascular workouts. The Martial Arts stress the heart, leading to improvements in your cardiovascular health. Plus, high-intensity training sessions give practitioners an improved level of fitness, which lowers your heart rate and blood pressure.

• Lose Weight

Every Martial Arts training session involves intense physical movements that burn calories. One hour of moderate Martial Arts training can burn up to 500 calories. Plus, Martial Arts students discover they tend to naturally crave less food. When eating becomes more regulated over time through Martial Arts training, you see a reduction in body weight.

•  Get Faster Reflexes

Students who practice Martial Arts report that their reflexes are substantially improved. Reflexes not only become quicker as you participate in Martial Arts activities, but Martial Arts also helps both men and women develop quicker reaction times in a range of daily, routine life activities, like driving.

• Develop a Positive Mood

Exercise is known as a natural mood enhancer. Endorphins that are released during exercise boost your mood for up to four hours after training. The mood enhancing benefits of engaging in Martial Arts are equal to participating in intense exercise sessions.

• Build Strength

Develop impressive muscle tone through intense bouts of certain Martial Arts, like Tae Kwon Do. This Korean Martial Art form accentuates the muscles through performing complex kicks. Plus, the gradual buildup of incredible bodily strength helps you execute a wide range of critical moves.

• Improve Concentration

Adults who engage in Martial Arts discover improved concentration. Certain Martial Arts, like Karate, require the memorization of a series of movements. As a repetitive discipline, the Martial Arts help you, the practitioner, maintain mental focus.

• Increase Coordination and Flexibility

Lower body stability is emphasized in the Martial Arts, especially since Martial Artists need a strong base from which to execute several popular movements. In order to perform certain Martial Arts tactics, like punching and kicking, increased coordination becomes tactically essential. Adding Martial Arts to your weekly routine will help you advance in flexibility and daily coordination.

This article was inspired by: www.master-sh-yu.com