Before deciding on a martial art, figure out why you want to learn martial arts in the first place. Is it to stay in shape? Is it out of curiosity? Or do you just want to learn something new? If you are just starting out, try attending a trial class of each art form to learn more about it. Karate, boxing, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai and kung fu are popular forms of martial arts and can be picked up with basic training.
Once you learn the fundamentals and basics of your martial arts, it can be fairly quick to advance. However, it can take several months and up to a year to learn even the basics, with regular practice. Set up a regular training schedule to keep you on track and you should be able to pick up a martial art within a year.
You are never too old to learn martial arts. It all depends on your fitness level, your commitment to training and how much strain you can comfortably put your body through. People of all ages can benefit from martial arts, and there are many techniques you can use to adapt your body and strength levels accordingly.
Martial arts classes can cost anything from £30 to £40. Group lessons may be more cost-effective than private classes, and if your instructor is very popular or famous they may charge a premium rate as well.
Martial arts can be beneficial for children and adults of all ages. Some key learnings from martial arts include:
Focus on individual growth Unlike team sports, martial arts put an important focus on self-improvement and self-confidence without having to rely on others.
Full body workout Martial arts increase overall mobility, flexibility, coordination, muscle and core strength and combine both body and mind relaxation techniques.
Self-defence skills Whether a child is being bullied or an adult is faced with a difficult situation, martial arts teaches respect, structure and safe conflict resolution.
Stress relief Martial arts provide a safe way for kids and adults to let out energy. By channelling self-controlled kicks and punches in a structured manner, martial arts is an accepted outlet to let off some steam.
Look for highly rated and reviewed martial arts instructors by searching your area on Yell.com. You can filter by category and read reviews detailing previous customer’s experiences. Many people also ask family and friends for recommendations for martial arts instructors they have personally used and been satisfied with.
Some martial arts have six or seven belts: white, orange, blue, yellow, green, brown and black – with black being the highest. However, in some martial arts like jiu-jitsu and judo, a red belt is considered higher than a black belt. Martial arts like Muay Thai, Tai Chi Chuan and other Kung Fu styles do not use belts to rank students.
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