Why Seniors Should Do Martial Arts
Grandma and grandpa should definitely not try to break any records or challenge champions, especially if they have not fought before. However, there are numerous benefits when it comes to doing martial arts that are of particular use to seniors. Here is why this is an excellent hobby and lifestyle for the elderly.
Physical Health
Yes, many old people have brittle bones, irregular processes in their body, problems with their heart, vision, blood pressure, and others. This just means that any new hobby should be done carefully with many precautions.
As martial arts were designed to keep the body in peak physical condition, it is natural that the movements and exercises are great for one’s metabolism. One can expect that many dormant conditions of their body become reawakened. Not only will seniors pull their muscles less often, but they will also establish a certain rhythm in life and gain strength and endurance above average for their age group. Furthermore, regular exercising in this regard and the constant need to focus will train the brain and slow down many of the aging processes.
To put it plainly, those that do martial arts are stronger, more disciplined, more focused, and more limber than their peers. That is definitely a benefit worth considering when weighing out the pros and cons.
Mental Health
It is hard to stay motivated when working on yourself by yourself. Many would-be martial artists, book writers, programmers, and chess players, some of which may or may not include a few of our writers, have trouble staying focused and let their physical and mental capacities deteriorate if they are not doing their exercises in a group. Regular exercise with a friendly group of people alleviates the feelings of loneliness, abandonment, or even a generally negative outlook on life.
Community
If you know a few seniors, you know their most common topics and problems. The top of the list includes health, boredom, and politics. Doing martial arts, as well as just being in a martial arts club or school, opens a whole new world for the newcomer, the elderly included. It prevents people from becoming isolated shut-ins. It doesn’t matter whether you call them connections or relationships, this bond with other people is always beneficial to one’s well-being, provided, of course, they are not an introvert.
Self-Defense
The world can sometimes be a scary place for seniors. It is a good idea to work on your body and practice techniques to be able to defend yourself from potential attackers. Be careful and aware of your body’s limitations.
If you are interested in the self-defense portion of the martial arts, make sure you find classes with this as focus or let your instructor know that this is something you are interested in.
There are a great many techniques used in martial arts that don’t make it to combat sports because they are not in the spirit of sportsmanship, but they are great for disabling the opponent.
