In any activity a person engages, he always starts with a purpose. But for that individual to keep pursuing this certain activity, he needs to develop his motivation. The same is true in martial arts. In order to make sure that you sustain your persistence, you need to identify why you are undergoing training in the first place. Although the motivation will change over time, starting with a something specific in mind will help you establish your interest in training.
To many people, losing weight can be a big motivating factor for starting martial arts. Because not everyone is attracted to working out in the gym, martial arts training can serve as an alternative to these people. We certainly can’t deny the fact that martial arts training can be a healthy means to lose weight. Aside from the variety in activity, martial arts training teaches a lot of different thing in addition to losing weight.
Martial arts training can help improve a person’s health in a holistic manner. In connection to this, an article published on livestrong.com mentions the effectiveness of martial arts training in helping people lose weight. The following sections are excerpts from the said post.
Martial arts training can jump-kick your weight loss program into high gear and be an exciting way to get and stay in shape. Not only can you lose weight, but the increased activity improves your cardiovascular health, endurance and coordination, you gain self-confidence and feel good about yourself.
According to HHS, the secret of weight loss is to burn more calories than you eat. Research by Steve Glass, Ph.D., ACSM Clinical Exercise Specialist and martial artist, shows martial arts training is effective at burning calories, even for beginners. His research indicates that even beginners burn more calories than the American College of Sports Medicine goal for fitness. Further, it shows training in martial arts is effective exercise that significantly increases metabolism and strengthens the cardiovascular system, improves mood and increases energy.
However, there are many factors that can affect the effectiveness of martial arts in weight loss. Of course, the degree of weight loss depends on the type of martial arts you’ll train in. Also, it will depend on the number of times you undergo training. Most importantly, it’s essential to keep in mind that your level of activity is just one aspect of weight loss. You also need to consider your lifestyle and diet.
