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Practicing martial arts brings benefits well beyond those of being able to defend yourself. Not to make this benefit any less important than it is. In today’s culture of the so-called “knockout game” and random violence we hear about nearly daily, self-defense is a vital skill to master. But the other benefits that come from practicing martial arts are just as vital in our society.
Here are some of those benefits:
Improved Cardiovascular Health. Practicing martial arts leads to better circulation of the blood throughout your body. It also strengthens heart muscle, making it necessary for your heart to work less to keep blood circulating appropriately. There is some evidence practicing martial arts even increases the chemicals and important cells in your blood that make it more effective.
Increased focus and concentration skills. Going through the hard work of practicing martial arts movements forces you to concentrate and stay focused on the task at hand. Repeating the specific movements over and over improves your ability to focus on getting them right.
Self-discipline. Putting in the time and effort to master martial arts requires self-discipline. You commit to the hard work of practicing martial arts to the point of the movements becoming automatic. By doing this, you learn also how to control emotions, desires, and temptations. You develop the ability to stay calm in situations, be persistent, and strengthen your willpower to succeed.
Improved emotional and psychological health. Practicing martial arts leads to lower stress levels, increased confidence in your abilities, relief from frustration, and increased endorphin levels in your body. All of these help you become more psychologically stable and able to face stressful situations in your life much more effectively.
Overall, practicing martial arts leads to a better life. You will face daily challenges in a more relaxed, clear-headed, and focused manner. As you do this, you will find yourself influencing others to respond more in the same way, thus making your overall environment more conducive to living well.
Shifu Ahles at Blue Dragon Kung Fu will be more than willing to help you get started and continue in your practice of martial arts.
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