Different Martial Arts, Different Benefits

Even if you don’t foresee fending off a hired mercenary or a throng of crazed cultist hitmen in Fairfax, martial arts lessons are still a great idea.

Whether you’re a gardener in Richmond, a librarian in New York, or a bike messenger in Fairfax, martial arts are a great step to being happier and healthier. Not only does martial arts training give basic self-defense skills, it also gives you a great work out and training towards greater strength, flexibility, and stamina, not just for your body, but also for your mind and soul.

However, as with all disciplines, different martial work outs give rise to different results. So what’s the best type of martial arts for you? Here are just a few of the different disciplines and their potential benefits:

Karate

If your idea of a wonderful work out is to punch and kick your aggression away, Karate may be the perfect style for you. In Richmond or Fairfax, martial arts classes often feature sparring sessions, which means that by taking Karate you’ll have the opportunity to throw kicks and punches without getting into trouble!  Translated into English as “empty hand,” Karate can be described as specially directed strikes, blows, and kicks delivered with special shouts for added strength and power. Because it requires balance, dynamism, and precision, Karate requires the proper use of a great many muscles and helps develop coordination, strength, and agility.  The major styles of Karate include Shotokan, Shito Ryu, Goju Ryu, and Wado Ryu.

Kung Fu

For the best all-around work out, consider taking up Kung Fu. Fu can give you the kind of work out that not only helps you burn calories through aerobic activity, but also helps you develop strength and stamina, both physically and mentally. Kung Fu is an extremely disciplined, powerful martial arts style that develops patience and physical strength. Originally developed 5,000 years ago as Shaolin Kempo (or the Five Animal Styles that one often sees Jackie Chan practice), it has since evolved into different forms and styles, including Wing Chun, Wushu, and Jeet Kune Do.

Tae Kwon Do

The Korean fighting style Tae Kwon Do is currently one of the most popular in the world today, especially among children and young people in American cities like Fairfax. Martial arts similar to Tae Kwon Do, which include Karate and Kung Fu, emphasize graceful and powerful movements, thus helping to develop posture, movement, and physical coordination.

Kickboxing, Savate, and Muay Thai

The popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) are perhaps the biggest reasons for the growing number of students of kickboxing and Muay Thai in gyms and studios in American cities such as Fairfax. Martial arts that involve sparring, kicks, punches, and shadow boxing help develop strength and agility in the lower body, especially the legs.

Qi Gong and Tai Chi Chuan

If you’re looking for the relaxation and de-stressing that yoga brings but with a bit more energy, Tai Chi Chuan and Qi Gong sessions are what you need! In Fairfax, martial arts schools teach Chi Chuan and Qi Gong with graceful, flowing movements, which help improve health from the inside, while still offering a viable form of self-defense.  Meditative and enhancing self-awareness, these movements help quiet the mind, lower the blood pressure, and manage one’s heartbeat.