Martial Arts and Physical Fitness

There are many different ways to stay in goodThe practicing of martial arts is an effective way of
physical condition or maintain your current condition iffighting off many of the problems and diseases of
you are already in good physical shape. More than fiftycontemporary society and sedentary life, and helps a
million people belong to physical fitness health centersweakened immune system.
of all kinds and types and visit them three to four timesTaekwondo is the world's most popular Asian sport in
a week in an effort to maintain some form of goodterms of the number of practitioners. Its popularity has
health through weight control and body building. Most ofresulted in the varied development of the martial art
these health centers stress muscular andform into several domains. As with many other martial
cardiovascular exercise routines only. The participantsart forms, it combines combat techniques, self-defense,
are only interested in a seasonal effort to "look good"sport, exercise, meditation, and philosophy. Taekwondo
for some event or occasion rather than a sincereis a South Korean self defense form and is as popular
interest in maintaining their overall health. Few, if any ofin Korea as baseball is in the United States.
these fitness programs deal with both the physical andThere are two main styles of taekwondo, traditional
psychological aspect of maintaining good health. Theand sport. Traditional taekwondo is a pure martial art
philosophy of martial arts is that the mind and theform of self defense that emphasize power. The
physical body must be in balance to achieve andsport form has a somewhat different focus where it's
maintain good health. Coupling the practice of one ofemphasis is on speed and competition as in sparring.
the many forms of martial arts and physical fitness isHowever, the distinctions between the two forms are
the best way to maintain overall good health. As aoften blurred. Taekwondo training generally includes a
student and instructor of martial arts for nearly fiftysystem of blocks, kicks, punches, open-handed strikes,
years with a second degree black belt, I believe that toand may also include various take-downs or sweeps,
maintain good health is to maintain a proper balancedthrows, joint locks and meditation. Some taekwondo
diet and exercise the physical and mental body daily.instructors also incorporate self defense techniques
There is no better way to do this than practicing someborrowed from aikido and judo. It is easy to see how
form of martial arts.that a vigorous practice of taekwondo will tone the
Initially, the object of martial arts was self defense andbody and maintain the cardiovascular system as the
the preservation of life. These needs continue to existsame time. The study and practice of martial arts and
but are no longer the primary reasons why individualsphysical fitness should be introduced early in a childs
study and practice martial arts. Training in the martiallife, at approximately ten years old, so they will develop
arts has many benefits, both corporal and spiritual.a lifelong disciple toward physical fitness, diet, and
Through the systematic practice of the martial arts ameditation. It will provide them with the self confidence
person's physical fitness is boosted; strength, stamina,necessary to compete in the competitive world and
flexibility, movement coordination. The whole body isovercoming personal fears in confrontational situations.
exercised as the whole muscular system is activated.