Martial Arts - Not Just a Kid's Sport

It is no secret that I have a passion for fitness.  It is also not a secret that I believe fitness should be fun or that I don’t think fitness routines have to fit into a neat little box.  Because of this I am always on the lookout for routines that step outside the box. 

In Pasadena, I seldom have to look far.  This week, I noticed for the first time the plethora of martial arts studios that are available to us.  The ,   , Kick Xplosion, and the are all studios parents in the area are familiar with.  Many of us bring our children to these studios in hopes that they will learn discipline, stay active and learn a new skill. 

But, when we begin to associate a place with our children, it is easy to forget that these studios might offer something for us as well.  It is easy to forget that running, biking, aerobics, and swimming are not the only sports available to us.

Each of the studios in our area has something available for adults whether it is a self defense class, a cardio kickboxing class or a program designed to guide you through the different levels of each discipline in order to earn a black belt.

From flexibility to cardio to strength, a martial arts program touches on all of the important fitness bases.

One of the most interesting aspects of martial arts for me as an athlete is the development of the programs.  Whereas many fitness classes are one size fits all with some variations offered, such as high and low impact aerobics, martial arts is a developmental fitness routine.  Individuals are required to start at a beginner level and build from there.  They build a foundation on which the rest of the development will rest.

Though this seems like an elementary idea, it isn’t.  Consider your neighbor who has been sitting on the couch for twenty years and suddenly has decided to become a runner.  Instead of building up to running, that neighbor has most likely jumped in with both feet often planning to run a marathon within a year of starting their routine. 

Movement is good, I will never argue with that.  But more often than not adults come to fitness late in life and want to start much further down the road than they should.  In martial arts, that cannot happen. A martial arts student is required to meet certain goals before moving onto the next level and each class is taught by an expert who can guide you.

I love running, biking, and swimming, but I am the first to admit there are other forms of fitness we can try.  There are other areas that might be more conducive to beginners.  There are other sports that can be fun as well as beneficial to our development as an adult athlete.