If you’re ready to change your exercise regime for 2017, then look no further than a martial practice such as Kung-Fu. Not only is martial training a precise and beautiful
practice that will improve your balance and strength — but it has many health benefits, including boosting your self-confidence and helping you lose weight.
If you’re ready to see a change in 2017, then read on to get our top three reasons why martial practices if the right activity for you! Don’t miss out on what training can do to elevate and push you forward in the new year. Here is why:
Reason #1: Get a Complete Body Workout
One of the greatest benefits of this ancient practice is that it works every muscle in your body. When you exercise this way and really lean into the moves — you’ll be engaging a total body workout that not only will make you sweat it out but will help you rest better at night.
Many people get hung up on exercise regimes that engage only one core muscle — like the legs in the case of running. But martial arts take a total-body workout to an entirely new level.
When you get done with your firs class, you will have burned hundreds of calories in an hour that will completely smoke whatever exercise you had reserved for the treadmill or elliptical machine.
Reason #2: Build Muscles
Not only should you expect to lose weight when you incorporate a regular martial practice into your lifestyle, but you should expect to gain some back via muscles. You use your core body to build those muscles and to grow stronger every day through the practice — and you’ll begin to notice your arms and legs begin to show some definition over time. As you engage that muscle mass and tone it up — your metabolism becomes smarter and more efficient — and you begin to burn even more calories.
That gives you the chance to choose healthy, protein-rich foods to eat to replace those calories, which will further help build your muscles and keep your body super strong over time.
In addition, you’ll build your balance as you build your muscles and make your reflexes stronger as you face your opponent and develop the practice. All in all, all of these sub-benefits go back to the core you are strengthening via martial exercises — and that’s something few sports and practices can offer with the kind of targeted precision that a martial practice can!
Reason #3: Watch Your Self-Confidence Soar
This practice is both an individual and a group one — and that means you’ll be able to be both introspective when it counts and more social when you need to open up and build relationships and trust. You will be training in a community and learning to set goals for yourself. You will be learning from those who have gone before you and getting better with your moves over time. You will have someone there with you all along the way.
You’ll be encouraged and spurred on by your teachers and classmates — and that will drive you to continue reaching high for your goals and getting that form right. When you finally reach your goal, you will look back and feel confident and empowered knowing you mastered and executed such beautiful, strong moves.
Martial practices also teaches good ethics and morals — such as kindness and patience. As you practice these arts you begin to adopt some of these practices and let them infuse your life throughout the day.
That’s because martial arts is so good at helping you focus, establish the right frame of mind, accepting what you can and cannot do, working toward a goal, giving it your best and finally, being content with what the practice has gifted to you. You can’t ask anymore than that — and at the end of the day, you’ll be incredibly happy for the peace you feel through the practice. It teaches us all how to be better human beings — and that will infuse your work and personal life for years to come!
Ready to Sign Up for Your First Class?
Many people you would never think of liking marital arts do. Why? Because they see the many incredible benefits this beautiful practice gives them in their lives. From improving reflexes, to toning muscles to empowering athletes all over the world — marital arts becomes the conduit to a healthy lifestyle.
It’s normal to feel hesitant or to be afraid that you can’t follow this practice or that you’ll get hurt. It also can be overwhelming at first to wonder whether you can really do it — but you can. You have to take one step at a time. You have to be committed to growing as an athlete and to know that you have limitations just like everyone else. The key to getting involved in this healthy practice is to take what you can from it — but not too judge yourself because you aren’t at a certain perceived level.
If you’re thinking about this for 2017, take our advice and try it. Just take that first step and sign up for your first class. Take it slowly and practice. Join the community that you find in your class and enjoy the journey. You’ll find your mind is more peaceful — and your body starts to trim and tone. Happy New Year!