KARATE FOR FITNESS & HEALTH

Karate for fitness and health is winning new converts from the realm of exercise activities because it offers all the advantages of the best fitness disciplines and builds one great benefit none of the others can provide.

The following highlights all of the many advantages that come from a karate workout; nine ways to tune the mind, body and spirit into a winning combination.

* Cardiovascular Endurance: Conditioning the heart and bloodstream is at the center of any fitness program and the sparring sessions during a karate workout are the most exacting cardiovascular exercise you can participate in.

* Cardiorespiratory Endurance; Controlled breathing flows naturally during the kata portion of the workout when the karate techniques are practiced individually in a choreographed form.

* Cardiomuscular Endurance: The musculature of a karateka (one who practices karate) is “for go, not show”, and the strength/speed of all muscle groups are highly developed to inter-relate toward achieving maximum co-ordination..

*Flexibility: Stretching the muscles is at the front of all workouts, but in karate it gets top priority as it is the ability to “be loose” that allows for fast action and reaction during sparring.

* Weight Control: Finding the proper weight level comes naturally when we let our bodies tell us how much to eat and not our minds.  The mental conditioning and discipline that karate give us helps keep our weight in shape.

* Balance: Karate Basics and kata teach us how to “center” our bodies so that we feel connected to the earth as we move.  This translates into all aspects of living and we become “well balanced” naturally.

* Co-ordination: Karate perfects the all-important ability to control our bodies in many simultaneous movements by developing our concentration or focus.  Adults accomplish tasks more thoroughly, think clearer and get more done.  Children who study karate are usually in the top third of their class scholastically and exhibit abilities to concentrate far beyond their years, according to teachers and parents.

* Stress The body’s energy system works on a three-part regenerative cycle – tension, charge and release.  Excess stress causes the cycle to get stuck on part one – tension.  During a karate workout we “oil” the cycle so the stress of everyday life doesn’t get a chance to “rust” our tension mode, and stress is released through positive action.

* Confidence The ultimate gift of karate training.  When our bodies work well, when we can make them do what we want with power, speed and endurance, we become confident in living.  We no longer send out “victim vibes”, the kind of messages that cause physical or mental bullies to pick on us.  And we are no longer afraid of our own shadows.

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