Kickboxing Athletes in Houston Explain the Top Benefits of Learning Martial Arts, PART 3

This three-part article series explains the many incredible physical, psychological and soulful benefits of mastering any form of martial arts.

Welcome to the final installment of this three-part article series on the many extraordinary advantages of martial arts classes as a form of fitness. In Part 1 and 2, we discussed the following benefits:

# 1: Get a killer body and become exceptionally fit
# 2: Learn to defend yourself
# 3: Bust stress and master inner peace
# 4: Build confidence and put an end to bullying in school

Let’s take a look at two final benefits offered by karate, judo, kung fu, jiu-jitsu, krav maga and kickboxing classes to Houston residents.

The Benefits of Learning Martial Arts # 5: Learn About the World

Martial arts may be about combat, but each system is supported by a complex framework of codified traditions and philosophies. These are born out of the culture from which the martial art sprang and speak volumes about that particular country’s history, culture and code of ethics. Most residents who go for martial arts classes in Houston will soon find themselves curious about the origins of their particular combat sport of choice. And most people who take martial arts to professional heights will even find themselves adopting some of the culture’s ideals and methods!

“I began jiu-jitsu simply to learn some cool self-defense techniques and also as a way to get fit, since I find myself getting bored at the gym,” says one Houston resident. “After a few weeks, I started becoming curious about Japanese culture and about the origins of jiu-jitsu. I spoke to my sensei (instructor), did some online reading and started watching martial arts movies. You discover so much about a culture through their martial art and its underlying philosophies. Understanding its country’s history is almost a fundamental piece of the puzzle. Now, I’ve booked myself a trip to Japan and I probably would never have gone if I didn’t sign up for jiu-jitsu in the first place!”

The Benefits of Learning Martial Arts # 6: Go Pro!

If your body takes to your choice of martial art, be it karate or kickboxing, you may have the opportunity to take it to professional heights! There are many kickboxing tournaments in Houston and across the country, as well as internationally. If you’re good and if you work very hard, you might become a big name in the combat sport. Aside from the obvious glory involved, there are also sponsorship deals to consider. Professional athletes don’t always make it big, but when they do there is quite a bit of money involved.

The Benefits of Learning Martial Arts # 7: Dance and Fight Choreography

Learning a martial art not only helps you get exceptionally fit and flexible, but it also teaches you a suite of body movements and skills that could actually become quite useful if you’re an actor or dancer. It would look really good on your acting résumé to be proficient in, for example, kickboxing. That’ll help you in your bid to be featured in that next action film while also enabling you to keep your body in beautiful condition between projects. If you’re a keen dancer, integrating certain martial arts movements and maneuvers into your routine could yield some beautiful and creative results! Think outside the box and enjoy success on a whole new level.

Jiu Jitsu Athletes in Houston Explain the Top Benefits of Learning Martial Arts, PART 2

This three-part article series explains the many incredible physical, psychological and soulful benefits of mastering any form of martial arts.

Welcome to the second installment of this three-part article series on the many extraordinary advantages of martial arts classes as a form of fitness. In Part 1, we discussed the following (more obvious) benefits:

# 1: Get a killer body and become exceptionally fit

# 2: Learn to defend yourself

Now let's move on to the more esoteric benefits offered by karate, judo, kickboxing, kung fu, krav maga and jiu-jitsu classes to Houston residents.

The Benefits of Learning Martial Arts # 3: Inner Peace

The core philosophy of most forms of martial arts is to preserve peace, not only between yourself and the world around you, but also within yourself. Just think how many situations of conflict could be avoided if we were more patient, calm and centered. Most fights with friends, family, a spouse or that pushy person on the bus could be neatly sidestepped if we ourselves weren't already stressed to breaking point.

Martial arts, such as jiu-jitsu, emphasize the importance of fighting without passion and without anger. Meditation becomes an integral part of any lesson and this teaches students how to clear their mind and free their hearts of all burdens, including stress, anxiety, frustration and anger. As such, classes in your chosen form of martial arts can become extremely therapeutic, much like a session of yoga. The key difference here is that you can also channel pent-up frustration into the punching bag or your instructor! That way, you leave all of your negative energy behind you when you return home.

So the next time your spouse leaves his socks next to the bathroom sink or she makes you sit through one of her tedious soap operas, you'll have the patience to put up with it, making for a more harmonious home environment.

The Benefits of Learning Martial Arts # 4: Build Confidence and Put an End to Bullying

Bullying and intimidation are major problems in all Houston schools. An effective way to deal with this problem is to equip our students with the skills necessary to defend themselves against other, more aggressive kids. It doesn't matter how small or frail a child might be. Just about all forms of martial arts and especially jiu-jitsu and its Brazilian counterpart teach students how to use their opponent's weight, size and strength against them, so it doesn't matter if the school bully is bigger and stronger than your kid. He or she should be able to defend him or herself and get away safely.

While we don't condone violence in schools, sometimes it takes a quick, sharp punch to the nose or an embarrassing trip-up in front of their friends to send out a loud and clear message to all school bullies: I am not to be messed with! Martial art classes provide Houston residents, and especially kids, with greater self-confidence, which can prove invaluable in a hostile school environment.

Stay Tuned for Part 3

Stay tuned for the final installment of this three-part article series to learn more about the many incredible benefits of mastering a form of martial art in Houston, such as Jiu-jitsu.

Taekwondo Experts in Houston Reveal Their Favorite Martial Arts Quotes, PART 2

This two-part article series provides a number of inspiring and beautiful martial arts quotes as well as a brief discussion on the take-home message behind these quotes.

Welcome to the second installment of this two-part article series on some of the favorite quotes of Taekwondo experts in Houston. These quotes aren’t only beautiful in their verbiage, but also in the message they portray about the martial arts and their underlying philosophies.

Let’s get right back into it!

Favorite Martial Arts Quotes

“The warrior learns of the spiritual realm by dwelling on the cutting edge of the sword, standing at the edge of the fire pit, venturing right up to the edge of starvation if necessary. Vibrant and intense living is the warrior's form of worship.”

-    Stephen K. Hayes

The Message: “This quote is interesting because it highlights how one seeks greater spiritual and mental enlightenment through pushing the body to its limits,” say Taekwondo experts in Houston. “The focus nowadays with any physical pursuit is to achieve greater physical prowess, rather than develop the mind. This quote beautifully captures how martial arts prioritizes the mind and its development as the end goal.”

“The most difficult part of traditional taekwondo is not learning the first kick or punch. It is not struggling to remember the motions of a poomsae or becoming acquainted with Korean culture. Rather, it is taking the first step across the threshold of the dojang door. This is where roads diverge, where choices are made that will resonate throughout a lifetime.”

-    Doug Cook, Taekwondo - A Path to Excellence

The Message: “Prepare for a journey and your ultimate transformation! Learning a martial arts – not just Taekwondo – will not only change your body and when you leave the dojo you don’t only take sweat home with you,” say martial arts experts in Houston. “Nearly all students I have come across end up showing an intense interest in the culture, language, history and philosophies of the parent country of their martial art of choice. This is because martial arts is born of all these things and they all play an integral role in the core teachings of that particular combat style.”

“The Destructive Arts are exactly like Martial Arts, except they don't have uniforms or usefulness and the end result doesn't resemble art in any way.”

― Jim Benton, Okay, So Maybe I Do Have Superpowers

The Message: “There is a fundamental difference between conflict fighting and martial arts,” say Taekwondo experts in Houston. “Many parents are scared to sign their children up for martial arts because they think it will encourage their children to seek fights and become more aggressive. In reality, martial arts teach students to avoid conflict at all costs and, through the calm and unstressed mind, to remain serene even in the face of bullying and chiding. It’s the destructive arts that prove to end in conflict and injury.”

“The historic beauty of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu rests not with its ability to allow a smaller man to maim a larger man, but with its ability to allow any man of any size to survive.”

― Cameron Conaway, Caged: Memoirs of a Cage-Fighting Poet

The Message: “Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, as with most of the martial arts, empowers people of all shapes and sizes. It equips them with the skills and mental frame of mind necessary to see through the fog of fear and act decisively and effectively,” explain martial art experts in Houston. “With the right training, it doesn’t matter if you’re tall or short, male or female, slim or built. You have the intelligent skills necessary to escape from any real life situation involving danger and – depending on the form of martial arts in which you are trained – to leave your assailant thinking twice about taking anyone on ever again!”