The Benefits of Martial Arts

Martial arts can be a discipline, fitness regime and a form of self-defence.

Physical Benefits

Like any physical fitness regimen, martial arts students can expect improvements in cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. It’s one more way to move and stay active. Martial arts practice also tends to improve posture, stamina, endurance and flexibility.

Older students can see specific benefits, too. Martial art exercises emphasise dynamic movements that train the muscles involved in balance and walking, reversing the declines seen in ageing adults.

Mental Benefits

Martial arts is increasingly understood as a comprehensive approach to both physical and mental well-being. The physical aspect of martial arts exercise can pair well with psychotherapy as a way to let out or discover suppressed feelings and emotions.

Martial arts students tend to see significant cognitive and behavioural benefits. In children, martial arts practice can raise self-esteem, both through simply improving physical fitness, as well as learning how to defend themselves. The sense of preparedness that comes with learning self-defence can carry significant psychological benefits. 

Another benefit in today’s society is increased attention. In the age of social media and smart devices, distractions and attention deficits are on the rise. The discipline that martial arts requires can improve attention, helping to prise students away from smartphones and sofas!

In seniors, martial arts can halt the mental effects of ageing as well as the physical ones. The exertion and exercise that martial arts provide is one way to preserve mental function and delay cognitive decline.

The information in this article was provided by Oxford Martial Arts Academy, who offer self-defence and martial arts training for all ages. They will be at FitFest Oxford to tell you more.