Different Forms of Martial Arts
From the early days of their invention to their dominance on big screens and their prevalence in the Ultimate Fighting Championships, it is evident that the popularity of martial arts has never decreased. Martial arts is a self-defense tool that embraces mental health and balance. Millions of people around the world practice some form of martial arts. Though most of the martial art forms originated in Asia, they are hugely popular in North America, as well. We will discuss the various forms of martial arts throughout this post.
Judo
Japanese educator Kano Jigoro founded Judo,which is the first Japanese martial art to gain international fame, in the 1860s and 1870s. He incorporated the basic skills from other martial arts and added his own throws into this art to create modern day judo. The prefix ‘ju’ entails ‘soft techniques’, which is loosely translated into a throw using the opponent’s strength. Because of the use of these techniques in self-defense, judo practitioners do not need to have overpowering strength. This art form does not emphasize on strikes; rather it focuses on throws and needs the participant to stay grounded. It encompasses submission-style attacks like locks and chokes, which is really important for defending one’s self.
Karate
Karate is derived from a Japanese word, which means ‘empty hand’. This form of martial art does not need any weapons for self-defense. The early styles of karate are believed to have developed in the 1300s. However, it was in 1908 that Anko Itosu, dubbed as the father of modern karate, mentioned about 10 principles of this martial art form. The result was the birth of the modern martial art’s code. Karate involves weaponless use of hands and feet to strike the opponent. This martial art is really valuable, not only for its health benefits, but also for its role as a self-defense tool. According to the principle of this martial art, one can also use this as a technique to avoid a fight.
Kung fu
One of the oldest martial arts of China, Kung fu entails an accomplishment gained through long and hard work. This martial art was believed to have been introduced in 2698 BC in China during the rule of Yellow Emperor Huangdi. Thousands of forms of Kung fu have been introduced since then. Shaolin monks use to teach this art form. Kung fu emphasizes many virtues like respect, trust, humility and patience. At the same time, the practitioners must have morality and philosophy to practice this art. Like most other martial arts, the true worth of Kung fu lies in its health benefits and self-defense knowledge.
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a comparatively younger form of martial arts, which flourished after World War II. This martial art involves the use of only the hand and feet of the participants and is famous for its kicks. Like in any other form of martial arts, physical skills and mental strength play a major role. Taekwondo has emerged as a major sport and is a part of the Olympic Games. It is practiced in over 100 countries. The basic requirements for the practitioners of this form of martial arts are good strength, speed, stamina, flexibility and balance.
Most forms of martial arts are likely to offer a good number of health benefits. However, it is important to know what kind of benefits martial arts or mixed martial arts offer and if the benefits relate to your specific needs.
Why are martial arts good for everyone?
Different forms of martial arts offer various types of health benefits. However, all these forms basically provide the same benefits through their high-intensity cardiovascular workouts. These benefits include weight loss and toned muscles.
For example, judo helps to burn over 300 calories in the average session and improves balance, fitness levels, flexibility and coordination.
Since martial arts are a good self-defense tool and they offer plenty of health benefits, more and more individuals prefer to be associated with these. And at the same time, parents also want their children to learn the techniques of any of these arts.
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