Introduction 

The current interest in martial arts for seniors is pretty high. The number of senior citizens taking up these activities has grown tremendously over the last few years. There are many reasons that this has taken place, although the main reason is that men and women alike find the benefits to be very worthwhile.

There are a lot of pros for seniors making martial arts their newest hobby, but there is also some concern with regards to what may happen when they get involved in an activity that requires them to put their bodies at risk. Although concerns like this should be discussed, it seems as though these fears don’t really come into play with older adults who want nothing more than to enjoy themselves while they’re still healthy and strong enough to do so.

Martial arts can be extremely beneficial to seniors. It has been proven to improve balance, reduce falls, improve immunity to illness, and even help with mental health. However, it can also be challenging for some seniors because of their potential lack of flexibility and their need for close supervision in case they’re injured (especially if the martial art is sparring). The best thing that senior citizens can do is consult with their doctor before considering taking up martial arts in order to make sure that it will be safe for them.

Pros & Cons Of Martial Arts For Seniors

1. Physical Benefits Of Martial Arts For Seniors

Fighting is a potentially dangerous activity, but there are many physical benefits of martial arts for seniors. One of the major benefits that senior citizens can expect is improved balance. Unfortunately, many seniors become injured because they fail to maintain their balance while walking or even when they’re doing simple tasks around their homes.

The ultimate goal of fitness training should be to improve balance as well as cardiovascular and respiratory health. In any case, if a person has gained weight over the years then that can affect their metabolism and make them more likely to fall so it’s important that they put some effort into maintaining a healthy weight.

2. Reduced Falls 

Along with being able to keep themselves upright, seniors can also benefit from improving their balance while they’re moving. Martial arts can bring about an improvement in the way that seniors move and that, in turn, can make it less likely for them to fall.

3. Improved Immunity To Illness And Disease 

There is a natural decline in energy and health as a person gets older, but there are things that a person can do to help minimize this decline. Physical training helps because it causes more blood and nutrients to flow through the body, which helps to improve immunity to illness and disease.

4. Improved Mental Health 

Taking up martial arts can also be beneficial for mental health. Martial arts has been proven to provide elderly people with a sense of accomplishment, which leads to a boost in self-esteem. This, in turn, leads the person to have more confidence in their abilities and less anxiety when they’re faced with new or challenging situations. Martial arts is also known to provide people with some measure of control over their lives, which may help reduce stress as well.

5. Improved Confidence 

Even if a person isn’t successful in their training, it can be very rewarding to them because of the boosting effect that martial arts has on their confidence. This can make it easier for them to face the challenges of everyday life and even make it more likely that they’ll stick with their practice.

6. Sense Of Achievement 

Taking up martial arts can also lead to a significant level of accomplishment because they’re responsible for learning and mastering many different types of skills. Many people who practice martial arts begin to build a sense of accomplishment because they know how much it has helped them become healthier, more confident, and more capable of handling difficult situations.

7. Close Supervision 

Martial arts are a high-risk activity, which means that senior citizens can sometimes get injured. The risk of injury also increases with the amount of contact that people have with one another, which means that injuries will be more likely to happen if they’re in close proximity to other people who are being trained. In order to make sure that their training is as safe as possible it’s important that they spend time in class and at the dojo interacting with the instructors so they know exactly what’s going on and how their actions can harm or help others in their group.

8. Increased Flexibility 

People who practice martial arts are more likely to benefit from an improvement in flexibility. This leads to a decrease in the risk of falling for senior citizens, which is a good thing because it allows them to keep doing many of their normal activities without any worries about falling. It also allows them to perform daily chores with less chances of injuring themselves because they’re much more flexible than they used to be.

9. Improved Muscular Strength 

Martial arts have been proven to increase muscle mass and strength. It’s also possible that some people who practice martial arts end up getting stronger than they are naturally, which means that they can become stronger overall when compared with other people their age who don’t take part in these activities.

10. Improved Physique 

Taking up martial arts can lead to significant improvements in one’s physique. In any case, taking up martial arts can result in phenomenal changes for seniors because it leads to improved posture as well as an increase in muscle mass (both above and below the waist), flexibility, and metabolism.

11. Stronger Bones 

Various studies have proven that seniors who take up martial arts are likely to gain more bone density than other people their age. This means that they’re much less likely to suffer from osteoporosis so they’re able to stay active longer and experience fewer issues with falls when they’re doing everything else that they do.

Conclusion

Martial arts are a great way for senior citizens to stay physically active and healthy throughout their lives. It’s also a great way for them to develop confidence, control over their bodies, and a sense of accomplishment. There are many benefits that senior citizens can expect when they take up martial arts so it’s important that they consult with their doctors first before diving in.  If you’re an athlete or have kids it may be time to rethink your technique and find some new skills that will push you further then ever before.