Martial arts is an extremely old practice, originating in India in 500 AD. At the start it was taught by a monk to other monks within a Shaolin temple, his teachings became the five animal styles of Shaolin that people know today. Although it originated in India the development of martial arts is deep-rooted across a wider area of Asia.
Chinese history is entwined with the development of martial arts and it is known to be the martial arts capital of the world. Martial arts is popular here due to China’s history, past rulers made it compulsory for troops to learn martial arts, this has been passed down from generation to generation. In China today there are more than 90 million people who study martial arts.
Styles of Martial Arts
There are many types of martial arts that have developed over the years, some more popular than others and all differing slightly. Karate is one of the more well-known styles of martial arts, it originated in Japan. It teaches the learner how to deflect attacks rather than being on the offensive. Karate requires a lot of practice to really master it so a good tip is to start practicing karate at home every day to improve more quickly.
Krav Maga is a newer form of martial arts that originated in Israel, it teaches the learner how to deal with particularly violent attacks. This martial art is useful as the techniques learned can be used in real-life scenarios, many anti-terrorism officers are trained in this martial art.
Brazilian Ju-Jitsu was developed in the 1920s but is just now growing in popularity. This martial art focuses on teaching the learner ‘grappling’ which is the skill of controlling who you’re fighting and forcing them to submit. Due to this, it is always recommended to practice in your gi, and when purchasing you gi it’s a good idea to look at bjj gi reviews to ensure you’re buying one of good quality. There are many more types of martial arts if none of these interest you, these are just three of many.
The Benefits of Martial Arts
There are so many benefits to practicing martial arts you should definitely consider taking one of the many styles up as a hobby. Health and fitness are becoming increasingly important to people worldwide. Martial arts are actually a form of intense and vigorous exercise, this means that taking part in martial arts actually helps to increase your cardiovascular fitness and with enough practice your cardiovascular endurance. Martial arts, alongside increasing your fitness greatly improves your flexibility thanks to movements used such as high kicks.
It assists in weight loss due to the intensity and you can burn up to 500 calories per session, this in turn also helps to keep your blood pressure low. Martial arts are a great way to improve how healthy your life is overall as they also encourage self-discipline and create a good mind-body relationship.