7 Ways Martial Arts Will Improve Your Functional Fitness

Improving your functional fitness means being able to use your body more efficiently. Here's how learning martial arts helps you achieve your fitness goals.

Are you using your time at the gym to do more than just look good in the mirror? Do you need an exercise routine that helps you accomplish tasks throughout the day?

If so, then you should consider focusing on functional fitness, which refers to training for everyday activities that involve squatting, lifting, pulling, and reaching. One way that you can make the most out of this form of training is through martial arts.

The exercises that come with learning karate, kickboxing, and Jiu-Jitsu allow you to improve your strength and cardio. With our knowledge of fitness, your daily tasks will become a piece of cake.

Here are seven ways martial arts will improve your functional fitness.

1. Flexibility

The first factor you need to understand when asking the question "What is functional fitness?" is how it helps you avoid injury. With martial arts, you can keep your body in good shape by improving flexibility.

The stretches that come with warm-ups for different forms of martial arts allow participants to execute full-range strikes and defend themselves. This also comes in handy for avoiding tenseness during cardio.

With the flexibility you get from martial arts, you'll have an easier time reaching for objects at certain heights or move around obstacles. This comes in handy if you're transporting items at work by hand or organizing your kitchen and living room for guests to come over.

2. Coordination

Functional exercises involve improving each part of the body to perform at their best. Some workouts focus on the whole body, which helps with everyday tasks that involve using more than one muscle group.

Martial arts are full of full-body exercises that help different body parts work together to achieve a goal. With squats, lunges, roll-outs, and burpees for warm-ups, you can give your legs, abdomen, shoulders, and back a challenge.

Paying attention to your opponent also allows your eyes to determine where to move and how to strike. With improved coordination for the whole body, you can lift objects at work or home and move your body in ways that don't put too much stress on one muscle group.

3. Focus

Functional strength focuses on more than just moving heavy objects. This form of fitness can improve your awareness of everything and everyone around so to achieve goals uninterrupted.

Focus is a main component of martial arts because it allows participants to block attacks. Learning boxing and Taekwondo also helps athletes pay better attention to their own bodies to perform movements perfectly.

Those who work in environments that require constant movement can benefit from better focus, whether their jobs involve walking or driving. You can also increase your awareness of objects that can be safety hazards in your work area or at home in case you have kids or are working around the house.

4. Stability

Another benefit that functional training exercises bring is a boost in your stability. Keeping your feet secure and your legs strong allows you to avoid falling no matter the obstacles in your area.

With martial arts, you can improve your balance by practicing stances that minimize movement. This helps participants defend themselves against opponents and respond with attacks that allow them to return to their position quickly.

Martial arts exercises can provide better stability for holding items or staying still while people move around you. If your job involves group projects or you're decorating with friends for a party, you can hold items up for as long as needed or stay still while others complete arrangements.

5. Strength

Do you have a job that involves lifting, pushing, or pulling heavy material at different distances? If so, then you'll be happy to know that functional fitness can make you stronger.

When you pick up Jiu-Jitsu, amateur wrestling, and Judo, you learn how to lift opponents and keep them off of you. This helps you build muscle and learn how to lift and move from different positions.

The strength you obtain from martial arts can help you lift and carry heavy objects at work, which makes meeting daily tasks easier. This also helps with moving equipment for work around the house.

6. Endurance

Some daily tasks require more time and effort than others, which can affect how out of breath you are at the end of the day. With functional fitness, you can maintain enough energy to handle whatever the day throws at you.

Different forms of martial arts help you improve your cardio with short and long exercises that keep you moving. This helps you prepare for activities that require different levels of movement based on time and effort.

Greater endurance can help you get to work on time when you're almost late or perform repetitive movements for assignments. You'll also have the energy for basketball games, swimming, hiking, and other activities with friends.

7. Mental Health

How you are able to accomplish tasks through the day depends on the kind of mood you are in. Negative thoughts can hinder your process and increase your chances of health problems without the right exercises.

That's where martial arts comes in, as different forms provide breathing, lifting, and cardio exercises that keep you alert mentally. These exercises allow your body to release endorphins that help you stay calm and relaxed.

With improved mental health, you can avoid stress and health issues such as heart attacks and strokes. You will be able to address your situations and plan work assignments, errands, and parties with friends and family that help you achieve your goals and have fun.

Getting the Most out of Functional Fitness

Functional fitness allows you to obtain the strength, flexibility, and mental awareness that comes with daily tasks. Martial arts offers a chance for further improvement so that you can avoid distractions and stress that come with everyday situations.

Karate, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, and kickboxing focus on staying alert and prepared for people or objects that come in your area. This helps you move objects of different weights, move around in ways that don't distract other people, and maintain energy to function throughout the day.

With functional exercises, you can not only improve your health but also stay productive at work, keep your house in shape, and have fun with friends and family.

For more of our fitness expertise, check out our programs today to obtain a body that will help you live a long, fulfilling life.