Martial Arts Options – Fitness and Fighting in the UK

If the idea of incorporating a traditional fighting style into your fitness regime sounds interesting to you, then you might like to learn one of the many martial arts on offer within the UK. With so many different styles to choose from though, it can be difficult to know which to select. To give you a hand, here are some brief descriptions of five of the most popular martial arts practiced within the UK.

Karate

Karate is a martial art that requires flexibility, endurance and agility from those that wish to master it. Training is usually divided into two distinct phases; the warm-up and the technical training. During the warm-up phase a variety of stretches are undertaken in order to stretch and empower the muscles of the participants. Once warmed up, the technical training begins, teaching sequences of attacks and defensive manoeuvres involving punching, kicking, grappling and more either alone or against an opponent.

Taekwondo

The martial art of taekwondo comes from Korea and is currently has more practitioners than any other forms. Combining exercise, self defence and philosophy, taekwondo can seem similar in many ways to karate but with more emphasis on the use of legs for kicks. Sequences tend to be shorter than and not as complicated as some of those taught within karate, explaining the increase in popularity of this particular martial art.

Kickboxing

Kickboxing is a more recent addition to the martial arts arena and focuses on throwing a variety of kicks and punches for self-defence or general fitness. When occasionally used as a full contact sport, combatants are well protected with a variety of safety gear, from mouth-guards to protective helmets. In the majority of classes, particularly those for beginners, most moves will be perfected in a solo stance, without the requirement for contact with an opponent, making kickboxing an excellent cardiovascular workout.

Tai Chi

Tai chi is often not considered as a potential martial art to learn because it is less obviously linked to fighting than many of its rivals. This Chinese martial art is traditionally practiced for health reasons. Within lessons, participants will usually follow a set of slow motion routines together. As a beginner, your instructor will help you to understand and perfect these routines until you no longer require instruction as to the basic sequences.

Kung Fu

Kung fu is a popular name for a variety of different fighting styles originating from China. Some of these styles concentrate on developing cardiovascular fitness, or muscular strength, while others focus on philosophies and religions taught by Chinese scholars. Different classes within the UK may use a particular style of kung fu, so you may wish to look at the details closely, or even attend a couple of classes, to be sure that the particular style in questions suits your requirements.

Martial arts are a fantastic way to get some exercise while learning some essential self defence skills. If you still aren’t sure which particular fighting style you wish to pursue, why not attend a couple of different classes to spot the subtle nuances yourself. But rest assured, no matter which martial art you choose to study, the physical and mental benefits will be plentiful.

Rebecca L. Smith is a full time freelance writer based in the UK. She specialises in creating an assortment of articles on a range of different topics of interest.