SMAA Shares the Health Benefits of Martial Arts

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - May 8, 2024 - PRLog -- Have you been looking for an enjoyable way to get in shape?

How about a sport that focuses on both the body and mind?

What if I told you that there was a way to achieve the following characteristics?

• Become happy and relieve stress
• Lose weight
• Gain fast twitch muscles, flexibility, and strength
• Slow the aging process
• Join a community of healthy, well-balanced people
• Become more intelligent

You probably think you're being sold a pill. That's not the case. What I have compiled for you is a list of scientifically backed reasons why joining a martial art can help you. Whether you have "martial arts" written on your bucket list or keep a rack of black belts in your closet, doing martial arts today can benefit you greatly!

ANTI-AGING

A study that compared martial artists and sedentary 40- to 60-year-olds concluded, "The results provide evidence that…. training is an effective intervention that may reduce or prevent [the] declines associated with normal aging" (Douris et al 146).
In the study, martial art practitioners were more flexible, had better muscle strength and endurance, and improved balance. They also tended to have a lower body fat percentage.

BOOSTS YOUR MOOD AND RELIEVES STRESS

As with any exercise, it has psychological benefits. In an article on WebMD, researchers stated that regular exercise releases chemicals called endorphins. The endorphins affect the way your brain perceives pain, often triggering a positive feeling in the body.

WEIGHT LOSS, FLEXIBILITY, AND STRENGTH GAIN

One acronym: HIIT. High intensity interval training means doing periods of short, intense anaerobic exercise. It's good for athletic conditioning, improving the metabolism, and fat-burning. In many martial arts dojo, where the martial art is more sports oriented, the movements tend to involve high repetitions, or cycles, in a short amount of time. The movements also range from using your own body weight to shouldering someone twice your size.

Read the full article on our website: https://www.smaa-hq.com/articles/article/martial-arts-ind...

Get in Shape with a Martial Arts Industry Association!

To get started at a legitimate martial arts industry association, call 734-720-0330 or submit a contact form here: https://www.smaa-hq.com/contact

About Shudokan Martial Arts Association: SMAA was founded in January 1994 by a group of martial artists concerned with promoting and safeguarding Nihon budo and koryu bujutsu—the traditional martial arts and ways of Japan. SMAA is a non-profit that aims keep the spirit of traditional budo alive in the West. Anyone can become a member, even if you aren't a martial artist, and SMAA members are from multiple countries across the globe. For more information, visit https://www.smaa-hq.com/about