The Mayo Clinic, recognized by the World Report as one of the top health centers in the nation, recommends adults get 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week. There a number of ways to fit this fitness regime into your schedule, whether that be by scheduling in a brisk half hour walk each day, or by hitting the gym three times a week for 50 minute workout sessions. In theory, this sounds easy enough; in practice, regularly working out proves a whole lot more difficult. Luckily, we’ve got the scoop on a whole new way to get into shape.
Martial arts is a form of exercise that has been getting grown ups into gear for thousands of years. This full body work out does more than simply getting you that beach body: it builds confidence, teaches self defense, and is a whole lot of fun. Read on to find out how to get a kick out of martial arts and punch those pounds away!
IT’S A GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO THE GYM
One of the main things keeping adults from meeting Mayo Clinic’s minimum is a lack of motivation. After a long day of work, hitting the gym is often the last thing you want to do. It’s isolating and monotonous. So instead of running on a treadmill alone for an hour, head to your local martial arts studio. Practicing with a group can be a great way to build a more active social life. You’ll look forward to classes, because they’re chances to hang out with your fellow martial arts friends. Also, sparring can be a great way to drum up some healthy competition, which is a tried and true method of motivation. Not a fan of competitive sport? No worries. Martial arts is, before anything else, a competition to better oneself. Another thing to keep in mind is that martial arts is not a sport of fighting and violence- instead, its focus is discipline and respect.
IT’S A TOTAL BODY WORKOUT?
Bored of spending hours at the gym working out different muscle groups? Martial arts is a highly physical aerobic activity that can burn over 400 calories in just one hour. It helps to tone muscles, increase stamina, improve balance, and tone up the whole body.
FAMILY FUN
Don’t swap family time for workout time. Martial arts is an activity a whole family can enjoy. Improve the healthiness of the whole family by enrolling in family martial arts classes. Your kids will learn valuable self defense, and you’ll all benefit from quality time. This is a great way to make healthy time family fun time.
LOOK GREAT, FEEL BETTER
Practicing martial arts will absolutely tone your body and increase your health, but it will also do wonders for your happiness. Regular physical activity increases the metabolism and pumps the body full of feel-good endorphins. As well, martial arts is proven to help promote agility and improve reflexes, so you will feel lighter and quicker on your feet. Feeling healthier and looking better causes an increase of confidence, which greatly contributes to your overall happiness and well-being. So what are you waiting for?! Start practicing martial arts today- it just might save your life.
For martial arts programs specializing in martial arts for adults, please visit: https://www.ata-bba.net/program/adult-martial-arts/ OR visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mcdonoughata.
Visit our website for more information on adult martial arts programs.