Martial Arts
Click on the type of martial arts from the table below to learn about the general description for the nature of the service. Click the type of practitioner from the list on the right to find your local provider.
| Judo | Tae-Kwon-Do |
| Karate | Tai Chi |
| Self-Defense Martial Arts |
| Books and publications of interest | Blogs, newsletters and feeds of interest |
Through systematic practice in the martial arts a person's physical fitness may be boosted as the whole body is exercised and the entire muscular system is activated. Beyond contributing to physical fitness, martial arts training also has benefits for mental health, contributing to self-esteem, self-control, anti-aging health benefits emotional and spiritual well-being. For this reason, a number of martial arts schools have focused purely on therapeutic aspects to help with better aerobic conditioning, balance, strength, flexibility and coordination. To be healthy you have to move your body.
Tai Chi, Daoyin and Qi Gong tend to use much slower and lower impact movements than judo. They will also incorporate elements such as deep breathing and meditation which in themselves can have significant health benefits.
One of the things that all martial arts have in common is that they teach a person to take control over their minds and bodies. This means they could have significant benefits for people suffering from conditions such as anxiety and stress. This control can make a person feel more empowered and so can help to raise self confidence and self-esteem.
Lower impact martial arts can help with your posture as well as increasing your range of motion. For this reason it is believed that Tai Chi and similar martial arts could be very beneficial for people suffering from arthritis and similar conditions. Firstly it can help to increase the range of motion and so helping someone with arthritis to increase what they are able to do. In addition it is also thought to improve the state of mind of an arthritis sufferer and so helping them to deal with their condition in a much more positive way.
In addition the practice of martial arts is thought to aid sleep so that it can be helpful for insomnia, it also helps reduce blood pressure, improves the immune system and reduces bone loss.
Among the types or specializations for martial arts instructors are:
Tae-Kwon-Do is a systematic and scientific Korean traditional martial arts. It is a discipline that shows ways of enhancing spirit and life through training body and mind.
