MARTIAL ARTS

AND ITS BENEFITS TO

HEALTH

Submitted by:

IV- RLE 8.2

Poresores, Jasper Lara

Protacio, Rianna Marie

Puddao, Victor Carlo

Punsalan, Agns Bernadette

Quiros, Karla Dominique

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 Quizon, Ervin Dominique

Ramirez, Jose Rowell

Ramos, Romielle Grazel Joi

Ranera, Marvin Christian

Rapisura, Karen Diane

Raymundo, Kriska Noelle

Rayos Del Sol, Bettina Jean

I. Introduction

Martial arts is a collective term for various types of self defence or fighting arts
that originated in Asia. Most martial arts practiced to day were established in China,
Japan, and Korea each which were taught into specific styles or systems.

Anytime an individual decides to learn how to protect themselves, learn self

defense, or become a better person, one thing comes to mind - martial arts. Martial
arts are very common these days, being practiced all over the world. The martial
arts have been used for many centuries, although they really became famous
around the time of Bruce Lee. Bruce invented the style of Jeet Kune Do, which
involves very fast strikes with amazing counter defenses. Once people began to
see just how fast Bruce Lee could move, they began to look into martial arts and
see just how it could benefit them. Martial arts are broken down into specific styles.
The style all depends on where and what you study. A lot of cultures and countries
offer martial arts that they originated, developed, and perfected. Brazil offers
Brazilian Jui-Jitsu, Japan has Karate, Thailand has Muay Thai, France has Savate, and
China has Shaolin. Keep in mind that each style will vary in techniques and what it
has to offer you. Although many people think of martial arts as being just for self
defense purposes, this isn't always the case. Martial arts are used in tournaments
and competitions as well, which can include sparring, floor routines, and even block
and brick breaking demonstrations. All across the world, there are competitions
and chances for fighters to prove themselves and their knowledge. In general, all
martial arts will teach you how to defend yourself and above all else - help you
develop self control. Once you begin to study a martial art, you'll quickly start to
develop a much better state of mind. No matter what style of martial art you study,
the instructors will drill self control into your head. \Those of you who have a bad
temper or just need to learn self control, martial arts can be very beneficial to
study. Not only will you learn self control, you'll also learn how to defend yourself in

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the most drastic of situations. Self control is very important, as martial arts can be
very deadly if they are taught to the wrong person - with the wrong intentions.

While the specific origin of martial arts remains elusive to historians, it is

apparent that they have been around for a very long time. Over the years, fighting
styles have been passed on from generation to generation, and from country to
country. This adaptive radiation allowed the arts to emigrate from China into Japan
and Korea, giving us the eclectic variety of styles we have today. Developed to
improve self-defense and combative success, martial arts were created in the
ancient cultures of Asia. In general, martial arts involve fighting techniques, mental
discipline, physical exercise, and various philosophical components. Most of them
embody intellectual concepts as well. The Taoist philosophy of balance, Buddhist
meditation and breathing, and Confucian ethics have all greatly influenced martial
arts. Our society has become increasingly interested in these martial arts over the
last fifty years. We are finally beginning to realize all the wonderful benefits that
martial arts have to offer.

II. History

The history of the martial arts is often seen as complex and is not very well
documented but some evidence of early martial arts is known. There are many
different types or styles of martial arts and each has its own quite unique style and
beginnings Some cultures have had a very big impact on the evolution and study of
martial arts. Modern martial arts’ history is quite often only seen as part of Asian
cultures but in reality there were many forms of martial arts practiced in nearly
every country on earth for 1000′s of years. martial arts

Greece
The early Greeks practiced a martial art known as Pankration, meaning the
art of complete strength. The art itself is comprised of a combination of combative
styles including wrestling, grappling, and throws as well as certain boxing
techniques. The earliest records of Pankration being practiced is around Seven
Hundred BC but all indications are that this fighting style had most likely been in
use for a very long time before that and it is still practiced in Greece and other parts
of the world today.

Japan
Asian martial arts spread to the West mostly through Japan. Many of the
Japanese emigrants who emigrated to Europe and the United States to seek work
towards the end of the 19th Century and the beginning of the 20th Century, brought
with them jujitsu and judo. Westerners became fascinated by these fighting
methods and Eastern philosophy’s which enabled a small or single person to ward
of or defeat a larger person or multiple attackers. Before World War 11, their were

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only a small number of people in the West that were proficient in the martial arts. In
1945 after the war many of the western armed forces occupying Japan began to
study martial arts. On returning to the West besides judo and jujitsu both of which
had been previously known in the United States, the returning servicemen brought
with them the techniques of karate, aikido , and kendo. After the end of the Korean
war in 1953, U S soldiers stationed in Korea studied the karate techniques such as
tae kwon do and t’ang-su do.

Japan had ancient martial arts deeply imbedded in it’s culture and most seem
to have evolved from breathing exercises. These arts were later influenced by
migratory Chinese martial arts experts. It would now seem that almost all of Asia
had developed martial arts from breathing exercises. Korea had the ancient art of
Hwa Rang Do, Kali in the Philippines, and even Yoga has been developed into a
martial art by some practitioners.

Martial Arts have been practiced by mankind for 1000′s of years. Quite often
linked to religion and spirituality, or just used for combat or competition, the Martial
Arts are an integral part of human history and their practice will, hopefully, continue
long into the future.

China
Not until the 1960’s after the relaxation of the U.S. immigration quotas which
brought in a larger amount of Chinese immigrants many who were experienced in
certain martial arts which made it possible for the Westerners to learn and study
the Chinese techniques of martial arts which before then had been kept very secret
such as Kung-Fu systems as Shaolin-chuan , praying mantis, and tai-chi chuan

Taoism and Budhism

With these martial arts introduced to the West came the Eastern beliefs,
culture and philosophy such as Taoism and Buddhism. Buddhism emphasizes the
role of an individual seeking to attain self-mastery,
self –realization, and enlightenment. Taoism seeks the use of certain physical
exercises and breathing disciplines to attain similar enlightenment .The martial arts
viewed in East Asia
Many people believe that what we today regard as the oriental martial arts have
their roots in India , looking at such disciplines as yoga and breathing techniques
that originated in India which have great similarity between those and many of the
modern martial arts systems. It is so noted that the evolution of karate began over
a thousand years ago as early as the 5th and 6th Centuries BC.

As legends have it an Indian Zen Buddhist monk Bodhidharma known as Da Mo

or Ta Mo in Chinese and Bodai Daruma or Daruma in Japan . Bodhidharama’s name

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stands out amongst all the Buddhist enlightened people second only to Gautama
Buddha

III. Types of Martial Arts

Judo
Judo is based on the ancient Japanese martial art called Jujitsu. Professor
Kano opened the Kodokan Dojo in Tokyo, Japan in the year 1882 and started to train
students in Nippon-Den-Kodokan-Judo. Judo, which means the "gentle way," is not
only concerned with attack and defense techniques but the physical conditioning
and total health that could be attained from its practice. The meaning of the word Ju
(gentleness) denotes not resisting the strength of the opponent, but adapting to it,
and taking advantage of it by turning it to one's own advantage. The meaning of the
word Do (way) denotes not just methods or techniques, but also signifies adherence
to strict moral principles which are essential in striving for "self-perfection as a
human being".

Judo or Jūdō (柔道 jūdō?, meaning "gentle way") is a modern Japanese martial
art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Dr Kano Jigoro. Its most prominent
feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw one's
opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a
grappling maneuver, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking or by executing
a strangle hold or choke. Strikes and thrusts by hands and feet as well as weapons
defences are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (kata) and are not
allowed in judo competition or free practice (randori).

The philosophy and subsequent

pedagogy developed for judo became the
model for other modern Japanese martial arts
that developed from traditional schools
(koryū). The worldwide spread of judo has led
to the development of a number of
offshoots such as Sambo, Bartitsu, and
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which was developed
after Mitsuyo Maeda brought judo to Brazil in
1914. Practitioners of judo are called
jūdōka.

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 Karate
Karate is a generic term for the various kick/punch arts which originated in
Okinawa and Japan. Karate is a Japanese word that translates into English as,
“empty hand.” It is a martial art of unarmed self-defense in which directed blows of
the hands or feet are delivered with special shouts from a poised stance. Karate is
related to judo but stresses striking techniques, through kicks and punches, rather
than wrestling or throwing an opponent. Karate as a means of self-defense has the
oldest history, going back hundreds of years. It is only in recent years that the
techniques which have been handed down were scientifically studied and the
principles evolved for making the most effective use of the various moves of the
body. Training based on these principles and knowledge of the working of the
muscles and the joints and the vital relation between movement and balance
enable the modern student of Karate to be prepared, both physically and
psychologically, to defend himself successfully against any would-be assailant. As a
physical art, Karate is almost without equal. Since it is highly dynamic and makes
balanced use of a large number of body muscles, it provides excellent all-around
exercise and develops coordination and agility.

The major traditional styles of karate are Shotokan, Shito Ryu, Goju Ryu, and
Wado Ryu. Each of these styles is taught by several international organizations.
Besides these 4 main styles there is a wide variety of other styles, system and
family forms of karate. All of them trace their origin back to the island of Okinawa,
formerly also know as the Ryukyu Islands, and the martial art developed there.
Shotokan karate is an art, a sport, and the basis for a method of self defense.
Different people choose to emphasize different aspects of karate in their personal
training and study. As a group everyone is exposed to, and expected to participate
in, training geared toward all three aspects (art, sport, and self defense) in an
attempt to have a well rounded background. Stylistically, Shotokan is known for
having strong, low stances, dynamic hip motions, and extremely precise
techniques.

Karate (空手?) (Japanese pronunciation: [kaɽate] is a martial art developed in

the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from

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indigenous fighting methods called te (手?, literally "hand"; Tii in Okinawan) and
Chinese kenpō.[1][2] Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow
strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands (karate chop). Grappling,
locks, restraints, throws, and vital point strikes are taught in some styles.[3] A karate
practitioner is called a karateka (空手家?).

Karate was developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom prior to its 19th century
annexation by Japan. It was brought to the Japanese mainland in the early 20th
century during a time of cultural exchanges between the Japanese and the
Ryukyuans. In 1922 the Japanese Ministry of Education invited Gichin Funakoshi to
Tokyo to give a karate demonstration. In 1924 Keio University established the first
university karate club in Japan and by 1932, major Japanese universities had karate
clubs.[4] In this era of escalating Japanese militarism,] the name was changed from
唐手 ("Chinese hand") to 空手 ("empty hand") – both of which are pronounced karate
– to indicate that the Japanese wished to develop the combat form in Japanese
style. After the Second World War, Okinawa became an important United States
military site and karate became popular among servicemen stationed there.

The martial arts movies of the 1960s and 1970s served to greatly increase its
popularity and the word karate began to be used in a generic way to refer to all
striking-based Oriental martial arts. Karate schools began appearing across the
world, catering to those with casual interest as well as those seeking a deeper study
of the art.

Shigeru Egami, Chief Instructor of Shotokan Dojo, opined "that the majority of
followers of karate in overseas countries pursue karate only for its fighting
techniques...Movies and television...depict karate as a mysterious way of fighting
capable of causing death or injury with a single blow...the mass media present a
pseudo art far from the real thing." Shoshin Nagamine said "Karate may be
considered as the conflict within oneself or as a life-long marathon which can be
won only through self-discipline, hard training and one's own creative efforts."

For many practitioners, karate is a deeply philosophical practice. Karate-do

teaches ethical principles and can have spiritual significance to its adherents. Gichin
Funakoshi ("Father of Modern Karate") titled his autobiography Karate-Do: My Way
of Life in recognition of the transforming nature of karate study. Today karate is
practiced for self-perfection, for cultural reasons, for self-defense and as a sport. In
2005, in the 117th IOC (International Olympic Committee) voting, karate did not
receive the necessary two thirds majority vote to become an Olympic sport. Web
Japan (sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs) claims there are 50
million karate practitioners worldwide.

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Muay Thai
Muay Thai (also referred to as Thai Boxing), and Savate (also referred to as
Boxe Francais). Muay Thai is the oldest known form of kickboxing and is the primary
building block of all other forms of kickboxing. Muay Thai is the national sport of
Thailand and is one of the most popular sports in the world today. The history of
Kickboxing in Thailand however, is clouded at best. When the Burmese army sacked
and razed Ayuddhaya to the ground the archives of Thai history were lost, and
along with them much of the early history of Muay Thai. The first great interest in
Muay Thai as a sport is documented to have come around the year of 1584 under
the rule of King Naresuan. The King himself was well trained in the art of Muay Thai
and so were his soldiers. Soon the art spread to the public and new fighting
techniques began to evolve. Matches were held in every town and village on a daily
basis. The sport of Muay Thai made its way to Europe sometime around the 17th
century where it was embraced with open arms. The sport was modified, primarily
to outlaw the use of knees and elbows, and given the name Savate.

Muay Thai (Thai: มวยไทย, RTGS: Muai Thai, IPA: [mūaj tʰāj]) is a hard martial
art from Thailand. It is similar to other Indochinese styles of kickboxing, namely
pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and Muay
Lao from Laos. Descended from muay boran, Muay Thai is Thailand's national sport.
[1][2]

The word muay derives from the Sanskrit mavya and Thai comes from the
word Tai. Muay Thai is referred to as the "Art of Eight Limbs" or the "Science Of
Eight Limbs" because it makes use of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes, thus
using eight "points of contact", as opposed to "two points" (fists) in Western boxing
and "four points" (hands and feet) used in sport-oriented martial arts. A practitioner
of Muay Thai is known as a nak muay. Western practitioners are sometimes called
nak muay farang meaning foreign boxer.

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Tae Kwon Do
Tae Kwon Do is the world's most widely practice martial art. Tae Kwon Do is a
Korean fighting art that looks very similar to Japanese karate. It is an Olympic sport,
an artistic discipline, a system of self-defense, and a way of life. Tae Kwon Do is an
artistic discipline. The techniques are done with graceful and powerful movements.
Students continuously strive to improve the artistic presentation of each technique.
The art of Tae Kwon Do develops posture, graceful movement, excellent
coordination, and attention to detail. We believe that everyone can benefit from
exposure to this artistic discipline.

Taekwondo (태권도; 跆拳道; Korean pronunciation: [tʰɛkwʌndo])[a] is a Korean

martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae (태, 跆) means "to
strike or break with foot"; kwon (권, 拳) means "to strike or break with fist"; and do
(도, 道) means "way," "method," or "art." Thus, taekwondo may be loosely
translated as "the art of the foot and fist" or "the art of kicking and punching."

Taekwondo was the world's most popular martial art in terms of the number
of practitioners, in 1989. Its popularity has resulted in the varied development of
the martial art into several domains: as with many other arts, it combines combat
techniques, self-defense, sport, exercise, meditation, and philosophy. Taekwondo is
also used by the South Korean military as part of its training. Gyeorugi
(pronounced [ɡjʌɾuɡi]), a type of sparring, has been an Olympic event since 2000.

Formally, there are two main styles of taekwondo. One comes from the
Kukkiwon, the source of the sparring system sihap gyeorugi which is now an event
at the summer Olympic Games and which is governed by the World Taekwondo
Federation (WTF). The other comes from the International Taekwon-Do Federation
(ITF).

Separate from the various taekwondo organizations, there have been two
general branches of taekwondo development: traditional and sport. The term
"traditional taekwondo" typically refers to the martial art as it was established in the
1950s and 1960s in the South Korean military forces; in particular, the names and
symbolism of the traditional patterns often refer to elements of Korean history.
Sport taekwondo has evolved in the decades since then and has a somewhat
different focus, especially in terms of its emphasis on speed and competition (as in
Olympic sparring), whereas traditional taekwondo tends to emphasize power and
self-defense. The two are not mutually exclusive, and the distinctions between them
are often blurred.

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 Although there are doctrinal and technical differences between the two main
styles and among the various organizations, the art in general emphasizes kicks
thrown from a mobile stance, employing the leg's greater reach and power
(compared to the arm). The greatest difference between various styles, or at least
the most obvious, is generally accepted to be the differing styles and rules of sport
and competition. Taekwondo training generally includes a system of blocks, kicks,
punches, and open-handed strikes and may also include various take-downs or
sweeps, throws, and joint locks. Some taekwondo instructors also incorporate the
use of pressure points, known as jiapsul, as well as grabbing self-defense
techniques borrowed from other martial arts, such as hapkido and judo.

Arnis
Arnis (also known as "Eskrima" or "Kali") is a complete martial arts system
that encompasses training in weapons and empty-handed self-defense. The system
includes mastering the art of single stick fighting(Solo Baston), double-stick
fighting(Doble Baston), stick and knife fighting (Espada Y Daga), knife
techniques(Daga)and empty hands(Mano-Mano). Arnis is believed to be a Tagalog
corruption of the spanish word Arnes or Harness, something that referred to the
early bodily decoratons used by Filipinos. The primary weapon is the rattan stick,
called a cane or baston, which varies in size, but is usually about 28 inches (71cm)
in length. Both single and double stick techniques are taught, with an emphasis on
the former; unarmed defense against the stick and against bladed weapons (which
the stick is sometimes taken to represent) are also part of the curriculum.

It is said that, originally, the cane was considered sacred by practitioners, and
therefore an arnis practitioner was expected to use his cane to strike the hand or
forearm of his sparring partner, not the latter's cane. This also had the advantage of
being the preferred method in actual combat, referred to as "defanging the snake"

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-- that is, making the opponent drop his weapon so that he is less of a threat.
However, it discouraged many would-be practitioners who found this training too
painful with a high likelihood of injury.

The result was that the Filipino martial arts were in danger of dying out; in
many areas of the Philippines, Japanese martial arts such as Karate and Judo were
much more popular than the indigenous systems. Remy Presas' modernization of
the training method was intended to help preserve the Filipino martial arts. He
taught the method of hitting cane-on-cane during practice, which attracted more
newcomers to the art and also allowed the art to be taught in the Philippines' school
system. Defanging the snake remains a principle of Modern Arnis, however, and in
practical application, one would typically strike the hand or arm. The technique is
also used empty-handed, where it is known as "limb destruction".

Training covers empty-handed self-defense (striking, locking, throwing, etc.) as

well as the trademark single and double stick techniques of Filipino martial arts.
Other aspects of the art include espada y daga (Sword and Dagger fighting),
Sinawali (Double stick weaving patterns), and tapi-tapi (locking drills with the Stick).
In addition to partner drills, Modern Arnis includes the use of anyo (Form) -- solo
forms both with and without the stick. Emphasis is placed on fitting the art in with a
student's previous training ("the art within your art"), smoothly reacting to changing
situations in the fight ("the flow"), and countering the opponent's attempt to
counter strikes directed at him ("tapi-tapi"). Practitioners are called arnisadors or
Modern Arnis players.

IV. Uses and Benefits (and other Martial Arts)

Qigong and Hypertension

Qigong, the ancient Chinese practice of harnessing Qi (vital energy), is

receiving a lot of attention as a major part of traditional Chinese medicine. Medical
Qigong has been practiced for centuries to promote health, healing, self-defense,
longevity, and spiritual development. One of the goals of practitioners is to master
tension and relaxation. Chinese doctors prescribe certain forms of Qigong to
patients, depending on their diagnosis. According to them, many illnesses are cause
by a disrupted flow of energy through the meridians. Meridians are channels that
allow energy to flow through the body. The Qigong techniques provide a balance of
energy in the patient's body in an effort to return them to good health. Chinese
medicine attributes great importance to the homeostasis of energy in the body.

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 According to Lee and Lei, Qigong consists of three different methods. These
methods are movement-oriented Qigong, meditation-oriented Qigong, and
breathoriented Qigong. Abdominal breathing is a vital part of Qigong. This deep
breathing allows for more oxygen intake per breath. In Qigong as well as yoga, deep
breathing also serves as a hypnotic tool. By focusing on the breathe, one can truly
relax and pay full attention to the body. During these semi- meditative states,
metabolic, autonomic, endocrine, neurological, and psychological changes can be
noted (Shin, 2).

In America, doctors tend to prescribe drugs for hypertension. Hypertension is

another word for high blood pressure, and is a very common problem in our society.
Essential hypertension is one form of high blood pressure that has no detectable
cause (Lee, 1), and is treated as soon as possible to prevent cardiovascular disease.
The use of antihypertensive drugs does have side effects, suggesting that an
alternative form of prevention may be better in the long run. Due to the side effects
of antihypertensive drugs, there is a growing interest in non-pharmaceutical
procedures to treat and prevent hypertension.

The American Journal of Chinese Medicine published a study on the effects

that Qigong has on blood pressure in mildly hypertensive subjects. The primary goal
of the study was to prove that ten weeks of Qigong practice could lower one's blood
pressure. The other goals included identifying the underlying mechanism
responsible for lowering the blood pressure, and to examine the ventilatory
functions indirectly related to blood pressure. Blood pressure, ventilatory function,
urinary catecholamine levels, forced respiratory volume per second, and the forced
vital capacity were measured in all the patients before and after the training period.

After ten weeks of Qigong training, blood pressure decreased in those

practicing Qigong, and did not decrease in the control group. Many hypertensive
patients have proclaimed that receiving Qi auspiciously affects heart rate, blood
pressure, cholesterol, and other important bodily functions that determine one's
health.

A decreased level of urinary catecholamines is indicative of a lower level of

sympathetic nervous system activity. Catecholamines play important physiological
roles as hormones and neurotransmitters such as epinephrine and dopamine. Blood
pressure is directly related to sympathetic neurological activity. The sympathetic
nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response we ha ve when faced
with a stressful situation. Therefore, Qigong is thought to lower blood pressure by
affecting sympathetic nervous system activity.

As for the ventilatory function, patients experienced an average increase of

20% for oxygen uptake. These increases in expiratory capacity show that Qigong
can be an extremely beneficial martial art for those looking to improve their health.
This study shows that through relaxation and stabilization of sympathetic nervous
system activity, Qigong can help treat and protect against mild essential
hypertension. Along with lower sympathetic nervous system activity comes a lower
level of overall stress. With a lower level of stress comes a lower level of Cortisol.
Cortisol is a hormone that regulates our metabolism of carbohydrates. High levels of
Cortisol are known to cause weight gain, persistent fatigue, raise blood sugar levels,

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and more. The study did not take this into account, but regulation of Cortisol levels
by reduction of stress is yet another benefit of Qigong training.

Taekwondo and Anaerobic Power

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art that focuses greatly on kicking. It is
practiced in over 140 countries and studied by over a million people of all ages
every day (Melhim, 2). Due to its reputation as a self-defense system as opposed to
a fitness program, few studies have been done to investigate all the finely tuned
benefits of this training. Dr. A. F. Melhim published a study in The British Journal of
Sports Medicine that investigates the acute cardiorespiratory responses to
taekwondo training. The goal of this study was to learn more about the aerobic and
anaerobic power associated with taekwondo.

In this study, nineteen male adolescents who were already practicing

taekwondo were selected to participate. They had all practiced for approximately
one year, had similar technical skill, and trained for at least one hour three times a
week. These participants were all placed in an intermediate taekwondo class. The
students took maximal aerobic power exercise tests on a cycle ergometer. Their
heart rate and oxygen uptake were measured continuously during the test. During
training, the subjects performed various sequences of movements including blocks,
punches kicks, and twisting, leaping, and jumping techniques. They performed
these sequences fifteen times a day, three days a week, for eight weeks.

After the training period, the participants were tested for maximum aerobic
and anaerobic power. The results show that the training had no significant effect on
the volume of oxygen uptake, or resting heart rate. On the other hand, significant
improvements were seen in the anaerobic power and capacity of the young men.
This suggests that taekwondo may be an efficient form of anaerobic training for
adolescent males. The lack of cardiovascular gains can be attributed to the fact that
the students' heart rates were not raised to high enough levels and sustained for
the necessary amount of time. Further investigations are needed to confirm these
results, but it is accepted that taekwondo can be used to improve and maintain
anaerobic power in adolescent males (Melhim, 8).

Tai Chi and Taekwondo and the Elderly

The ancient art of Tai Chi has been used to promote health in China for
hundreds of years. This graceful art uses slow, circular movements to exercise the
body, mind, and consciousness. In China, Tai Chi is regarded as one of the best
overall forms of exercise. Twenty years ago, America started to catch on and has
been investigating the benefits of Tai Chi since 1980. This martial art is especially
popular with the elderly population because it is generally slower than other forms
of exercise and can be practiced without too much physical exertion. The low

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velocity, low impact movements can be performed by older individuals experiencing
joint degeneration, muscle atrophy, poor balance, and low stamina.

Li Hong and K. M. Chan reviewed thirty-one studies published in American

and Chinese Journals. Their goal was to assess the overall effects of Tai Chi on
metabolism and cardiorespiratory response, mental control, prevention of falls in
the elderly and immune capacity. The measures taken in these studies include
metabolic rate, heart rate, ventilation, maximal oxygen uptake, blood pressure,
immune capacity, and number of falls.

The results of Hong's and Chan's review show that Tai Chi can be classified as
moderate exercise, because it does not demand more than 55% of maximal oxygen
uptake. After comparing the results of thirty-one studies, Hong and Chan
determined that "Tai Chi exercise is beneficial to cardiorespiratory function,
immune capacity, mental control, flexibility, and balance control." (Hong, 2) It also
helps to improve muscle strength, leading to a reduced risk of falls in the elderly.

As stated earlier, practicing martial arts can increase strength, balance,

coordination, and flexibility. Inevitably, these physical properties dissipate with age.
With decreasing physical ability, the elderly are susceptible to extreme injury and
death due to falling. Falls are reported to be a leading cause of accidental death of
the elderly (Brudnak, 1). Recently, a study was conducted to test the effects of
taekwondo training on senior citizens. While many studies have tested and proven
the benefits of Tai Chi and other soft martial arts, this is the first to investigate the
results of the elderly training in a hard martial art.

Proven benefits of Tai Chi training for the elderly include: increased strength,
endurance, flexibility, balance, and prevention of osteoporosis. Improvement in any
of these areas leads to a decreased risk of harmful falls. The Mark Brudnak study
was designed to see if taekwondo can bring about similar results. The study began
with twenty-seven senior citizens. After a preliminary screening for any neural or
muscular disorders, twelve were approved to begin training. The remaining
participants were tested for trunk flexibility, one- leg balance, and the number of
pushups they could do. After seventeen weeks of instruction, the group was tested
again to see what improvements they made. Trunk flexibility increased by an
average of 3.5 inches. The average time participants were able to balance on one
leg increased by an average of sixteen seconds for either leg. Interestingly enough,
the group's number of pushups increased by an average of 1.8, but pushups were
never done during the training program. This proves that practitioners of taekwondo
experience overall strength gains that reach beyond the specific exercises that are
practiced. This trait gives taekwondo an advantage when it comes to fall
prevention. These results show that both hard and soft martial arts can be practiced
be the elderly to increase balance, flexibility, strength and in turn lower the risk of
dangerous falls.

While it is apparent that martial arts are good for health, it turns out they can
also strengthen your immune system. Michael Irwin is a professor at the U.C.L.A.
Neuropsychiatric Institute who decided to put this theory to a test. He conducted a

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study to see if a regular Tai Chi program could help prevent the re-emergence of
chickenpox. Caused by the varicella zoster virus, chickenpox is an unpleasant rash
that most children encounter during their early years. For the most part, children
recover from chickenpox without any major complications. This virus, however,
does not completely go away but remains dormant in nervous tissue. With age
comes a weakened immune system. Therefore, as one gets older, the virus is more
likely to come back. Whe n chickenpox does come back, it is called shingles.
Shingles is a long- lasting, painful rash caused by the re-emergence of the varicella
zoster virus.

Michael Irwin had eighteen elderly people practice Tai Chi for fifteen weeks.
After the fifteen weeks, he tested the group's immune response to shingles. Irwin
compared the levels of response to a group that did not practice Tai Chi. The elderly
individuals that took part in the Tai Chi program showed an average 50% increase
of immunity to shingles. Also, for reasons unknown, the subjects that had physical
disabilities showed the greatest improvements (Whitney, 2).

Dr. Peter Douris, of the New York Institute of Technology, published his study
in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Douris tested the overall fitness of a group
of eighteen people between the ages of forty and sixty. Nine of these people lived
relatively sedentary lifestyles, with no frequent exercise training of physical activity.
The other half of the group had been practicing soo bahk do for approximately three
years. Soo bak do is a Korean martial art comparable to taekwondo.

On average, those who practiced martial arts had 12% less body fat than
those who had no training. The practitioners also averaged 66 sit-ups while the
sedentary group averaged 37. The soo bahk do group also showed greater flexibility
and twice the balancing power of the inactive group. According to Dr. Douris,
martial arts are a safe and effective way to protect against disease and reduce the
negative effects of aging (Aging, 2).

Psychological Benefits of Martial Arts Training

While there is a decent amount of empirical data on the physical benefits of
martial arts training, the psychological and social effects are more obscure. The
effects of long-term martial arts training are still being investigated, and there have
been a number of interesting studies. Most of the studies that have been conducted
are similar in showing that martial art training generally causes positive
psychological and social adjustments.

One of the most psychologically beneficial aspects of martial arts training is

the increase in self-confidence. Many Americans live in fear of being attacked. We
have all been in situations where our self- confidence has been questioned. Many
people feel this insecurity walking down the street at night, or facing a bully at
school. Beating everyone up is obviously not a reasonable solution. Learning self-
defense increases the selfconfidence of practitioners by taking away their feeling of
vulnerability. The goal is not to teach people to fight those who argue or disagree,

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but to teach them to defend themselves when necessary. Confidence allows you to
remain calm during difficult situations. By remaining calm, one can assess the
situation more clearly and act appropriately. When faced with a compromising
situation, those capable of defending themselves should need to use physical force
less often than those who cannot defend themselves.

Most studies on the long-term effects of martial arts training agree that
martial arts are affective in producing positive social and psychological changes.
There is usually an inverse relationship between the amount of time someone has
been practicing, and the level of their aggression, hostility, and anxiety. The
opposite can be said about the independence, self-reliance, and self-confidence of
practitioners, which tends to increase with the period of time they have been
training. Some martial arts lead to psychological benefits more quickly than others.
For instance, one study showed that over a short period of time, karate students
experienced a decrease in anxiety, but aikido students did not (Binder, 2). This
suggests that if the martial art is more foreign and complex, it may take longer to
reap the psychological benefits of it.

The differences between martial arts and regular sports may be responsible
for their ability to significantly improve social and psychological health. Common
American sports have many similarities with martial arts training. These include
physical fitness, coordination development, and social interaction. The Eastern arts,
however, differ in their focus on the overall development of the practitioner. While
martial arts tend to strive toward self-control and self-knowledge, many Western
sports focus solely on competition between individuals and groups. This emphasis
on winning is present in the competitive aspect of martial arts considering the kill or
be killed environment in which martial arts were developed. Over the last thirty
years, martial arts have become increasingly popular as competitive sports, hence
the addition of judo and taekwondo in the Olympics. The difference between martial
arts and western sports is that the arts generally have a large amount of ritual and
philosophical components. Martial arts also tend to focus on mind/body integration
through a combination of meditation and physical activity. While regular exercise
has proven to have a positive psychological influence, research that directly
compares martial arts with regular exercise shows greater and more diverse
psychological benefits through martial arts training. Judo has proven to lead to more
easy going attitudes and decreased rates of violence in adolescents. Tai Chi has
proven to decrease anger, insomnia, and nightmares, while increasing the
practitioner's positive outlook on life. Military Hapkido training has proven to
strengthen group moral and self-confidence more than regular weight- lifting or
obstacle course training (Binder, 4).

Thirty years of research on this topic supports the anecdotal reports that
martial arts are good for the mind as well as the body. Most studies arrive at the
same conclusions. The main goal of many current studies is to reveal exactly how
this process works. It is assumed that the non-physical aspects of martial arts
contribute to the long-term benefits. The use of martial arts for their therapeutic
properties is also being thoroughly investigated, and will hopefully prove to be very

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productive in the near future. Many psychologists are willing to admit that under
proper supervision, martial arts can be a very helpful form of psychotherapy.

Conclusion
Martial arts have been able to stand up to all the scientific tests. They are
obviously physically and mentally beneficial. Different martial arts bring about
different effects. If someone wants to battle stress and anxiety, most forms of
martial arts will suffice. For the elderly and those that are physically limited, Tai Chi
and Qigong are wonderful forms of exercise. For adolescents, taekwondo and
Hapkido can work wonders. The martial arts, however, are by no means age
specific. Taekwondo has also been shown to greatly help elderly people and prevent
them from taking harmful falls. Whatever martial art one chooses to practice will
undoubtedly affect him/her in a positive way.

Asian martial arts pick up where Western sports are lacking. They promote a
healthy way of life as well as physical development. This combination allows martial
arts to work wonders for many people. If the drug companies weren't so powerful in
America, maybe the health benefits of martial arts would be more readily accepted.
Here, we tend to prescribe drugs for whatever ails us. Martial arts are obviously not
some magical remedy for all of our illnesses, but there is definitely something to
them that we don't understand yet. It is amazing to think that the Chinese have
been using martial arts for thousands of years, and we are just now starting to
figure out what they involve.

Overall, studies have verified that properly practiced marital arts can bring
about positive physical and psychological changes. Very few will disagree with this
fact. However, there is much to be learned about how these changes are produced.
The Asian martial arts have turned out to be more than just tools for self-defense.
They have developed into systems that not only protect the practitioner from
attackers, but also from poor physical and psychological health.

Health Benefits of Martial Arts in a Nut Shell

Although the most important benefit of martial arts is self defense, health
benefits of martial arts are also worth taking a note of. Martial arts training has
various health benefits, ranging from muscle strengthening to stress release. Forms
of martial arts, such as karate and kung fu, help in improving the cardiovascular
health of the individuals and simultaneously tones the body muscles. Other forms,
such as Thai kick boxing, contribute in improving the body flexibility. The practice of
calisthenic exercises, light exercises which promote general fitness, is an important
aspect of martial arts. These exercises play an important role in improving the
stamina. The basic concept of martial arts is proper utilization of strength and
energy effectively, therefore practicing any form of martial arts is bound to bolster

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your energy levels. Various researches have proved that people in their 40s who
regularly practice any form of martial arts have higher levels of fitness, than their
counterparts who don't exercise. People who practice martial arts also tend to have
a stronger immune system. It is believed that some forms of martial arts, like Tai
Chi, grant various health benefits, such as anti-aging, to their practitioners.
Practicing martial arts help in improving strength, flexibility, stamina as well as
balance and coordination between the mind and the body. Choreographed routines,
known as the 'katas' form an important part of the discipline involved in martial
arts. The hard style routines comprise of aerobic and cardiovascular workout, while
the soft style routines focus on flexibility of the body as well as its balance and
control.

Martial arts are known to improve spirituality, and have positive effects
on the mind as its training involves great concentration and self control. Practicing
martial arts can help you to control your aggression and defeat your fear, thus
making you experience internal peace and at the same time, boost your levels of
confidence. It also helps you to keep your stress levels under control and hence,
makes you feel energized throughout. All these benefits coming your way, directly
or indirectly, improve your efficiency.

Owing to all these health benefits of martial arts, various form of martial arts
training have become immensely popular today. And as researches and studies
determine more benefits of martial arts, it will only add to the popularity of this
form of art.

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