by Meng Looi

Created on: December 29, 2009   Last Updated: December 31, 2009

Exercise can be a little boring at times, particularly exercises like running or riding a bicycle for long periods of time. Martial arts offers a way to exercise and get fit while learning new things and increasing self confidence depending on what martial arts are learned since the number of martial arts available are endless. A good way to pick a martial art is what you want back from the martial art; I will go through the types of martial arts that are good for each goal.

Some people prefer a martial art just for the health and fitness benefits with some martial arts ability and self defense included. Many of the boxing and kickboxing classes in the gym cater to these kinds of people, with martial arts moves being done to music like in body combat. Other similar martial arts that are usually fun and don’t require discipline or learning a large amount of things is extreme martial arts which is a combination of gymnastics, martial arts and acrobatics and fitness kickboxing. Extreme martial arts allows you to get fit quickly and learn a lot of different skills without a focus on the martial arts side of it, fitness kickboxing on the other hand usually focuses more on fitness than skill training which is also a viable option. These options are the best for people who want the health and fitness benefits without the traditions and discipline of a martial art.

For people who want to become fit and defend themselves, it is best to learn a practical martial art. Although most martial arts are good for self defense, some are better than others. An example is Krav Maga which puts more emphasis on defending themselves than being taught skills. These kinds of martial arts are best for people who want to defend themselves on the street as in a real fight; few people remember all the many skills in a more complex martial art. Simple and easy skills are usually best for self defense.

More traditional and formal martial arts are always good if the person wants to learn discipline and improve mental strength as well as physical strength. That being said, the person should take a martial art style that suits their body type for more enjoyment. A tall, slender person who is flexible would most likely enjoy taekwondo than someone with a strong, stock build. Fortunately there are many different martial arts and no single one fits everybody. If you want to learn traditional martial arts, it is usually good to try each one till you find the one that fits you. The more traditional and formal martial art is, the more rules there are though so these won’t appeal to everybody.

Another reason for taking a martial art is competing in tournaments. Sports martial arts like taekwondo, karate, judo and kendo have regular competitions and the fun of competing never goes away. These martial arts are usually done in controlled environments so people rarely get hurt. Competing also gives the person a goal to shoot for and will increase their confidence if they win.

So no matter what you prefer, you can achieve the benefit you want from martial arts. Getting the right martial art will take a bit of trial and error though. Although you can get fit doing any exercise, few require thinking and help you get a better control of your body like martial arts and if all those benefits didn’t get you, hitting the heavy bag is always a good way to unwind after a long day.

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