ABSOLUTELY NO AGE LIMIT: 4 REASONS SENIORS SHOULD TRAIN MARTIAL ARTS

Staying active is vital to people in their 50’s, 60’s, or even 70’s. The body begins to weaken during these years, particularly when seniors get stuck in a sedentary lifestyle.

As we grow older, our bodies become weak. This fact can not more highlight the value of regular activity. It is vital to consider engaging in activities that will keep us as active as our bodies will allow us to stay healthy and physically fit to prevent any future illness that could prevent us from living a higher quality of life in our later years.

During a time in their lives when they become free from the daily grind pressures as they enter into the retirement stage, seniors must concentrate on health now more than ever. Of course, physical limitations and health factors need to be addressed before engaging in this activity type. But the appeal of martial arts is that it is for everyone, no matter the age, and can be tailor-made to suit any person of any fitness level.

Martial arts training classes are becoming popular with people in this age bracket. Like most people, seniors turn to martial arts for the same reasons, such as improved physical fitness and mental awareness. But more than that, martial arts is an activity that seniors choose to undertake to discover how far their physical capabilities can take them while learning something new.

1) Martial arts helps sustain mental health:

It is a fact that there is a direct link between staying active and keeping mental alertness. For seniors, however, the brain does not function as quickly or as healthily as it did during the younger years. They tend to experience worse reaction times and become less sharp.
The practice of martial arts is an activity that can significantly reduce these effects of aging. Through constant practice of reflexive routines required by training, seniors can preserve mental alertness. It is not just a set of techniques learned and practiced in the gym a few times a week, but rather, it becomes a lifestyle that seniors learn to adapt to maintain physical and mental discipline.

The brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised just as much as other muscles within the body. Martial arts allow seniors to engage in an activity that stimulates their mental capacities and strengthens and conditions their physical capabilities. It can be anything they choose to make because it allows them to participate up to their comfort level.

2) Martial arts develop new friendships and builds a community:

As people enter the retirement stage, their circle of close friends tends to decrease. They no longer need to work where they are in continuous connection with their colleagues and coworkers regularly. Enrolling in martial arts allows them to build new friendships with people who share the same interests.

A community of like-minded people determined to stay physically fit and healthy is motivation enough for seniors to pursue this activity to inspire them to push themselves to their limits. It could come as a shock for seniors to know that martial arts classes gives them a social environment similar to that which can be found in other social activities.

New friendships established through martial arts’ regular practice inspire and motivate people to stick to their routines. They help each other in times when the will to push through adversity is low.
Being part of a group of people who aim to achieve similar goals in physical and mental fitness is a great advantage when seniors choose to sign up in martial arts. Additionally, social engagement enhances the workout and training as opposed to a regular gym membership that requires them to perform exercises on their own.

3) Martial arts keeps your body healthy:

Kajukenbo is one of the most popular martial arts training classes for seniors due to its aerobic benefits. Grip strength and hip mobility decrease past the age of 50, and Kajukenbo specifically develops these through routines that are helpful to seniors. This is just one of the benefits of engaging in martial arts for this age group.

Keeping active no matter how you choose to do so ensures that your body stays in tip-top shape, but doing it through martial arts makes the activity more exciting and encourages one to remain faithful to their daily routine.

The idea of keeping oneself physical fitness through martial arts gives you a feeling of achievement while placing your bodily functions in check. Burning fat, preserving healthy cardiovascular health, and improving muscle tone helps you avoid common illnesses that are almost always present as you age, such as arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease.

4) Martial arts reverses or slows down aging:

Martial arts slow down the aging process and prevent the development of age-related diseases.
As we age, our body experiences significant changes in our balance, strength, posture, flexibility, and endurance. The leading cause of these is mostly inactivity.
Balance declines over time as your muscles tighten and become weaker. Your physical strength is also affected and could lead to muscle atrophy. A study conducted on men and women over 90-years old revealed that after six weeks on a specific routine or exercise regimen, the participants achieved an almost 200 percent increase in strength.

Bad posture is one of the significant shifts our body experiences over time. Through martial arts training, one must execute forms and techniques that guarantee improved posture that could help prevent osteoporosis.

A decrease in the body’s collagen structure is a consequence of the aging process. Muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissue become stiffer and, as a result, decreasing the body’s flexibility. Likewise, the challenge one encounters as they perform even the most basic physical activities is a sign of reduced endurance that comes with age.

With regular martial arts training, the chance to increase your heart rate and lung capacity leads you to much-improved stamina. Overall, martial arts training can eventually reverse or slow down aging signs, which we should strive for.

So, if you’re a bit older and are looking for an activity that is fun and helps improve your health, martial arts is the answer. Sign up for a trial today to experience the benefits for yourself!