| On Tuesday, October 7, 2008 the U.S. Department of | | | | pumping. |
| Health and Human Services released new Physical | | | | A martial arts class is also full of opportunities to build |
| Activity Guidelines for Americans. The goal is to | | | | up your strength. Classes often include push-ups, |
| encourage the American population to add some type | | | | sit-ups and light weight lifting. Bag work, sparring and |
| of physical activity to their daily routine. | | | | self-defense practice with a partner helps develop |
| Daily physical exercise is vital for achieving and | | | | both strength and cardiovascular health and can also |
| maintaining a healthy body. Scientific studies have | | | | be a lot of fun. |
| proven that regular workouts help reduce the risk of | | | | Another health benefit to martial arts training is stress |
| heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, | | | | relief. Taking your aggressions out on a kicking pad or |
| cancer, and osteoporosis. Regular exercise also | | | | punching bag helps you release those emotions. Over |
| decreases depression and improves the physical and | | | | time, stress can affect one's health and cause |
| mental consequences of aging. | | | | gastrointestinal problems, acne, weight loss/gain, |
| For adults, the guidelines recommend any where from | | | | headaches, insomnia, and addictions. Many martial art |
| two and one half hours a week of moderate intensity | | | | instructors incorporate some type of meditation into |
| aerobic physical activity, or one hour and 15 minutes of | | | | their classes to help students center the mind and |
| vigorous physical activity. It also recommended that | | | | relax. This means fewer trips to the doctor's office! |
| adults should incorporate some type of strength | | | | As a martial artist, you will not only meet the federal |
| training into their workouts. | | | | guidelines for physical activity, but you also learn how |
| Training in the martial arts offers adults who would like | | | | to defend yourself. All it takes is a few martial arts |
| to meet these federal guidelines a complete package. | | | | classes a week. What you get at the end of the day |
| A typical martial arts class includes plenty of aerobic | | | | is everything that the federal government has |
| activity. Martial art warm-up routines may include a | | | | recommended to keep adults healthy as well as |
| variety of calisthenics, light jogging around the | | | | learning techniques that could one day save your life. |
| classroom and jumping jacks. The class then turns to | | | | Do you get these results from working out at the local |
| learning and practicing kicks, blocks and punches in | | | | fitness center? |
| repetition, which is a great way to get the heart | | | | |