Your physical activities are out of sight in this modern era due to the heavy workload and hectic work routines.
Numerous life-threatening health diseases have become so common. Do you know that the American Heart Association has declared heart disease as a prime cause of death globally? Oh yes! So now, keeping oneself physically healthy and active should be our priority.
This can be only possible when you incorporate a proper workout routine into your lifestyle.
Martial arts as a physical activity will help you reduce the risks of heart problems. Dr. Patrick Hickle, Medical Director of the Elliot ECHO Lab, has suggested practicing martial arts 4-5 per week for 20-30 minutes, improving your stamina and heart health.
This article discusses how martial arts is linked to cardiovascular diseases. Here’s everything you need to know.
How Martial Arts Help You Fight Heart Disease
Your Blood Pressure Reduces
High blood pressure is something that is affecting most of us these days. I know you will be happy to hear that martial arts reduce your blood pressure. You might be wondering how, so basically, when you do martial arts, your heart muscles will strengthen. We know the heart’s main job is to supply blood to your body. If the heart gets weak and does not properly perform its job, less blood will be pumped, eventually lowering your blood pressure. When your blood pressure lowers, your chances of heart attack and strokes will get higher.
It Will Increase your Heart Rate
Heart rate is something that will tell you how much your heart will beat in a minute. The more your heart beats, the more your blood oxygenates. Running on a treadmill or cycling to increase your heart rate is boring and exhausting, but not anymore practicing Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Kickboxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Tai Chi, and Karate is a fun way to improve your heart health. So, martial arts is a key to physical fitness.
It is a stress reliever for you
When you are under stress, your body releases the hormone cortisol, which can increase blood sugar, cholesterol, and, most importantly, blood pressure. All these problems are linked to heart diseases. Jet Li says, “I like martial arts: it always tells you how to control your body, mind, and heart.” Martial arts can be considered a fantastic workout to reduce stress, making you more focused and disciplined. It offers techniques such as breathing or meditation, which calms your mind, reduces depression and anxiety, and relaxes all your body muscles with a lot of sweat.
You’ll get a good shape
The high-intensity martial arts helps you burn those stubborn calories and tone your muscles. More calories are burned when you practice martial arts daily, strengthening your heart health. So, if you are a couch potato, get up and join martial arts classes. It will trim your extra mass as martial arts burns up to 500 calories in a single session. You become leaner and healthy, and your self-confidence shoots up.
Your bad cholesterol will decrease
High cholesterol levels mean a high risk of strokes and heart diseases. As we are talking about martial arts, we all have heard the name of the great Tae Kwon Do fighter Paul Foley. You know he has a family history of high cholesterol; plaque starts building on the walls of his blood vessels, making it difficult for the blood to flow, and at last, he had a heart attack. Martial arts training didn’t prevent him from getting a heart attack, but it surely does help him recover from it. His doctor says he can live long because of martial arts. He considers it as a sense of calmness.
“That’s one of the reasons I keep on going; it gives me a lot of peace. I don’t get aggravated in bad situations; I don’t lose my temper, whereas before I started martial arts, I think my emotions were all over the place. I’ve got more stability now regarding my emotions and a lot more calmness.”
Your muscles will strengthen
Punching, kicking, or grappling people is not just a fun activity to do; it helps you make your muscles strong. Martial arts strengthen the muscles of your entire body, including your heart muscles. It helps your heart to pump blood more efficiently throughout your body. However, you must practice martial arts daily because your heart will function properly only when your body is stress-free and physically fit.
You will feel better and happy
It is a famous saying that a healthy heart is a happy heart. Your heart and organs function better when you are emotionally and physically happy. Practicing martial arts releases endorphins, the happy hormones in the body that boost your day, making you feel cheerful. Evan Bishop says a few things that make me happy: watermelon-shaped sour candy, a good cup of coffee, a blank Microsoft Word document, and martial arts.
You will get a new lifestyle
One of the greatest gifts of the martial arts is that it ultimately guides you to new levels of spirituality, and this change won’t happen in a day. Entering the martial arts world is like introducing yourself to a new lifestyle. You will make the best decisions for yourself, which will help your body function better.
Conclusion
Heart disease is a severe condition, and it affects not only your heart but your entire body. The primary causes of heart disease are obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, stress, and anxiety. Still, all these problems can be treated with a positive change in your lifestyle. Martial arts is a form of physical activity that builds self-confidence and muscle coordination, makes you flexible and more focused, and contributes to overall heart health by reducing the risks of hypertension, high-level cholesterol, and weight gain, controls blood sugar, lowers stress, and positively changes your body. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your mats and start your martial arts training right away.
Author Bio
Mia Thompson is an Elite Sorts content writer living in Brea, California. She loves to write content for Fitness, BJJ, MMA, and other Martial Arts Niches.
