Kung Fu Fitness in Healthy for Men Magazine Dec 09

The inner rewards of martial arts

After three week of regular martial arts training, practitioners will have improvements in blood sugar and pressures, as well as calcium metabolism. These changes translate into better functioning of the body and brain, and overall risk reduction for such diseases as hypertension, diabetes, heart and respiratory diseases, osteoporosis, anxiety, depression and some cancers. Martial arts also bring about remarkable change in brain chemistry. Higher levels of serotonin, endorphins and dopamine have been recorded following training.  These will boost moods and increase self-confidence. Those who use the right side of their brain are likely to be better at martial arts as they have superior spatial perception. Aldrich Sawbwa, founder of Kung Fu Fitness, explains: ‘In terms of mental strength, everything we do in life requires self-confidence. By controlling balance and power in martial arts, we learn to control anger. If you can’t focus you can’t see and then you get hit, which is why martial arts are a way of meditation. Even with small amounts of practice you’ll find beneficial effects to mind and body’.