Adult Health and Fitness with Jiu-jitsu and Martial Arts
Adult Health and Fitness
By Team Tooke Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Houston, TX
Team Tooke Mixed Martial Arts Academy knows the physical aspects of martial arts and how it makes an effective way to exercise the whole body — muscles, coordination, and aerobics.
Martial Arts is a physical endeavor. Students can expect to receive an intense physical workout, benefiting their strength, balance, and cardiovascular systems. This workout makes martial arts a great fitness activity to include in a personal physical fitness and exercise routine.
Physical Elements of a Typical Martial Arts Class
Depending on the level of the class and the instructor’s preference or schedule, each class session may incorporate the following elements:
- warm-up/stretching
- Basic Drills and Agility Movements
- sparring (intense bouts)
- Positional sparring (similar to mini-forms and sparring, with a partner)
- self-defense techniques
For higher belt ranks, classes may also include advanced takedowns, advanced submission holds, competition training
These various parts of a martial arts class strengthen students’ muscles, improve their balance and coordination, extend their endurance, and improve their cardiovascular health. For more information on Team Tooke Mixed Martial Arts please visit us at Team Tooke Mixed Martial Arts.
Practicing with Team Tooke Builds Muscle and Strength
The different martial arts moves work various muscles throughout the body, providing a full body physical fitness workout for adults.
Martial Arts Stances – from front stance to middle stance or to a ready stance, etc. – all strengthen leg muscles, extending endurance and balance.
Jiu-jitsu Takedowns – Judo throws, wrestling takedowns, modified Jiu-jitsu takedowns etc. – works different core leg muscles, from hip to thigh to calf, and merely lifting each leg exercises it and helps tone the muscles.
Muay Thai Punches and Blocks – punches, strikes, blocks, etc. – fulfill a similar function for the arm and side muscles, using the torque of muscles against one another – resulting in a tremendous amount of force providing a strong physical workout. Practicing also helps martial arts students hit targets harder and more accurately.
Martial Arts Stretching – Martial Arts Certified Instructors recommend stretching before and after each martial arts lesson. Simple stretching tones, lengthens, and prepares the muscles, ensuring students avoid injuries and receive the most effective workout possible.
Practicing the multiple forms of Martial Arts Improves Balance and Coordination
In addition to strengthening and toning muscles, martial arts helps improve a student’s physical coordination.
Holding stances for extended periods of time not only strengthens the leg muscles, but also aids in accomplishing greater balance. Balancing the legs in a proper stance provides a strong foundation for the body, helps transition to the next move in forms, as well as a helps in creating a solid ending stance after completing moves.
Balance is also required when executing kicks, to keep the body upright and to place the kick appropriately and consistently. It also takes coordination to throw a punch at a consistent level and specific location. Repeating forms and other moves accurately and consistently also aids with hand-eye coordination and overall covertness and confidence.
This balance and coordination, sharpened through martial arts training, helps in other areas of life, from walking down the street to balancing on a moving bus to competing in other sports activities. It can even help if a person happens to become caught in a real-life self-defense situation. For more information on reality-based martial arts training, visit Team Tooke Mixed Martial Arts at teamtooke.com
Practicing Martial Arts and Muay Thai Provides an Aerobic Workout and Helps Improve Cardio Fitness
Martial Arts kata’s (forms) teach combinations of moves, simulating a “fight.” The discipline of practicing martial arts partially stem from learning forms at each belt level. Depending on the speed and number of forms to master, this repetition can provide a light, moderate, or vigorous aerobic workout.
Martial Arts Sparring, which is a short intense fighting bout, as seen during mixed martial arts matches (MMA), can leave students breathless and muscles aching. Participating in a variety of sparring matches during a martial arts class gives students an intense cardio workout, while also demonstrating realistic uses of the basic moves learned in class.
Making Martial Arts a Part of an Exercise and Fitness Routine
Incorporating martial arts into a physical fitness routine is a good way to get and stay healthy and to consistently work the overall body. The varied physical fitness benefits of martial arts develop a life-long means to achieve overall health and fitness.
Every martial arts class contains several of the physical elements discussed here. Some classes might focus on basics (basic strikes and blocks), while others might concentrate on repeating drills, and still others might include sparring and self-defense techniques. This makes some sessions more aerobic and others more about strength and endurance. All classes include some similar elements, such as warming up, stretching, and drilling.
Practicing martial arts consistently two to four times a week or more provides sufficient time working every muscle group and the body as a whole. Over time, this promotes overall health and well-being.
In Martial Arts, committed students receive a varied and intense full-body physical workout that goes far beyond simply fighting or self-defense.
Please visit teamtooke.com for information about our martial arts schools closest to you in Houston, TX!