If you want to lose weight it takes consistent effort. One huge complaint that I have heard multiple times is that they hate cardio, even though they know cardio helps burn fat.
Treadmills however are about as entertaining as watching paint dry or grass grow, so I turn to Kung Fu for my cardio exercise over everything else.
Kung Fu also helps with strength training. Low stances, stretches and fast movement help hit all of the major exercise needs our bodies need.
I personally love Kung Fu but almost all martial arts practice has these same benefits.
Tai Chi has a few additional benefits such as deep breathing practices. These practices help energize the body by reoxygenating the blood. The oxygen help our bodies heal and recover faster too.
In the gym, this afternoon, I ran into a guy named Clay. Clay works out all of the time. He can lift over 500lbs in one of his exercises. I made a joke that it was amazing that he can curl that much weight. One thing Clay does not do nearly enough is rest. This guy is an absolute beast in the gym, exercising every single day but he never gives his body downtime. Which brings me to my point, while we should practice often and consistently, a few days off here and there allows our bodies to recover and rebuild the muscles that get broken down in our exercise routines.
There is an old saying in Kung Fu. If we ignore our Kung Fu for a day, it ignores us for two days. This means that even though we do have to take breaks, never make those breaks too long or we won't get the benefit from our training, no matter how long we have been going at it.
Let me know in the comments, what martial art do you practice and how has it helped your health.
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