Benefits of traditional martial arts training for champions of aging

Over the last few years, I’ve returned to practicing the kung fu forms I learned years ago when I trained at a traditional martial arts school.

I’ve also done a good bit of research into the benefits of traditional martial arts training, and I’ve concluded that it is one of the best activities for champions of aging.

One of the big issues gymgoers have, as well as those of us who train it home, is that the rest of the day many of us are still primarily sitting on our butts.

The reason for this is a lack of another extracurricular activity to keep us on our feet.

Some people play golf, and that is great, IF you primarily walk when you play.

I personally have a difficult time walking in any shoes besides running shoes due to arthritis in my feet, so when I rarely play golf, I ride a cart.

I pretty much just wear running shoes everywhere I go now.

Many people who train at home or in a gym may include some walking into their routine, but I find that incredibly boring, and I bet many of you reading this do as well.

Therefore, I am going to make the case for you consider traditional martial arts training.

Traditional Martial Arts

First, let me define traditional martial arts for the context of this article.

I am referring primarily to eastern arts such as kung fu, karate, tae kwon do, kenpo, etc.

These do not include grappling arts such as judo and some other popular arts such as jiujitsu and muay tai.

Traditional martial arts involve more than just fighting, as the goal of arts such as Shaolin kung fu and karate was to train the mind as well.

The discussion that follows will primarily refer to kung fu, since that is the general art that I have studied.

The Shaolin Tradition

The roots of kung fu may be traced back about 1,500 years ago to the Shaolin Temple in the Henan province of China.

It was there that the Buddhist priest Bodhidharma traveled from India to teach at the Shaolin Temple.  His goal was to help Shaolin monks prepare for spiritual development.

Bodhidharma recognized that the monks at the Shaolin Temple were not in good enough physical condition to sit in meditation for long periods of time.

At Shaolin, meditation is viewed as the means to which spiritual enlightenment can be achieved.

At the temple he taught personality purification, meditation, yoga and exercises now referred to as Qigong or Chi Kung.

The training emphasized the integration of physical, mental and spiritual development to optimize results.

This training laid the foundation for what evolved into Shaolin Kung Fu.  The ultimate goal of the Shaolin Tradition is to produce high levels of spiritual awareness.

It wasn’t until later that part of the focus of this training became the kung fu we think of today… a system of combat.

Those combat systems evolved out of a need to protect the Shaolin Temple and themselves from bandits as the stature and wealth of Shaolin grew.

Why Kung Fu is so beneficial

Training in kung fu is excellent exercise, especially when you really focus on performing each movement or technique to the best of your ability.

This is particularly the case when you practice forms.

Forms are effectively a sequence of movements that typically involve dealing with an incoming attack and following up with a counterattack.

You move through the form with various foot work and stances, and that is where the money can be found.

Kung fu stances are a way to train your legs for strength and muscle endurance.

Therefore, when you perform each stance within a form to the best of your ability, as well as the blocks, kicks and strike, you will get a great workout.

Some forms can take several minutes to complete, and by the end, you will definitely be huffing and puffing.

When you practice your punches and kicks on a heavy bag, or in the air, you will also be exercising, and that beats sitting on your butt!

Ultimately, the exercise you get when training in kung fu is great for your overall health, including your strength and cardiovascular conditioning.

Kung Fu will improve your mobility

Another significant benefit to kung fu training is that it improves your mobility and flexibility.

This is particularly true when you are practicing your kicks and performing exercises to improve your kicks.

These dynamic movements are far more effective for improving your flexibility than static stretching where you simply hold a position for 15 seconds or more.

The forms training and stance work also go a long way toward improving your mobility when you work hard to get into your stances as low as possible.

That stance work allows your connective tissues to get stronger and more supple.  This is a particular benefit to your hips, which can get very tight if you spend a lifetime sitting at a desk!

Another significant benefit to forms practice is that it helps to retain recall ability, aka memory and improve cognitive function.

Because forms can involve intricate movements and patterns, your brain must work to be sure you perform the forms properly.

Kung Fu will improve your physical skills and abilities

I am not a proponent of training in kung fu as a means for self defense.  For that, I highly recommend combatives training, such as that offered by Lee Morrison at Urban Combatives.

However, training in kung fu will help you develop skills that are necessary for self defense.

If you train regularly, you will develop kicking and punching skills that are definitely useful in dealing with street violence.

You will also be able to move with better agility and speed as well.

Kung Fu will help you sharpen your focus and relax

A significant part of kung fu training involves meditation and breath work.

Regular meditation will allow you to become more focused on the task at hand and will give you greater ability to relax during tense situations.

Regular deep breathing has also been shown to lower stress levels.

Regular daily practice is the key

To get significant benefit from kung fu training, you must practice.

However, this does not mean you need to practice for hours each day.

You can benefit significantly just by sitting in meditation for 10 minutes each day and practicing a form for a few minutes.

During your physical training sessions, you can incorporate stance work, pushups and other exercises into your routine.

And then you can work on the heavy bag to help with conditioning.

Of course, if kung fu practice and related exercises are all you do to improve and maintain your physical condition, you will be way ahead of the game.

If you are interested in learning some kung fu to help improve your overall fitness, consider out Barbells and Kung Fu program.