Health And Fitness: Into Martial Arts And Weight Loss
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
In discussing martial arts and weight loss, here’s the trick to the fighting arts: It’s not just a way to work out.
The thing about martial arts and weight loss is that Karate, Kung Fu, even Kickboxing, to an extent, are much more than just a workout plan or a self defense system. Karate and Kung Fu especially are a lifestyle, a state of mind. A person who knows martial arts is more than just a regular person who knows how to fight, they are martial artists.
If you’ve ever lost interest in a workout plan, it’s because, at the end of the day, all you’re really doing is moving weights up and down, or running in one place on a treadmill for hours on end. There is physical change, but there’s very little in the way of meaningful growth beyond just getting in shape, and sadly, getting in shape isn’t really enough of a motivator to, well, get in shape, at least not for most people.
We’re not talking about some Eastern mysticism here. What it comes down to is that it is simply a path of personal growth. A very similar effect can be achieved if you, say, learn to play chess, go back to college to study theology, or if you endeavor to become a master pianist. It’s about personal growth on every level, and marking your progress as you go.
When you go to the dojo, look for the “family tree” of training lineage. You will be able to see your sensei’s sensei, and your sensei’s sensei’s sensei, all the way back to the originator of your particular form of Karate. This drives home the fact that a group of martial arts students are more than just workout buddies, they’re part of a family that has its roots in history.
The real trick to Karate comes from its simplicity. As Bruce Lee said, to a normal person, a punch is only a punch, a kick only a kick. To a new student of Karate, a punch is much more than a punch and a kick is much more than a kick. But to a master, a punch is a punch and a kick is a kick. Within this simplicity, there is a wealth of depth and complexity, but once you master the art, throwing the perfect punch will actually be easier for you than throwing a weak one. And by the way, Okinawa style Karate is on record as having the strongest punching power of any Eastern fighting art.
In essence, the decision to practice martial arts must not be made lightly. Karate is a path of personal growth, and you should know that you are ready when you begin.
Now, getting back to the original question: Are the martial arts a great way to lose weight? Yes, absolutely. Maybe the best for just how demanding the form is. However, by the time you’ve reached yellow belt, you will have lost some weight, but you will have forgotten entirely that that was your original aim. It will be, at this point, just a happy by product of a life well lived.
This informative article was written by the owner of Martial Arts Equipment Direct and black belt in American Tae Kwon Do, Dustin Fennell. Get high quality MMA Gear such as MMA Gloves at a great low price when you shop Martial Arts Equipment Direct.
