There are many different ways to stay in good physical condition or maintain your current condition if you are already in good physical shape. More than fifty million people belong to physical fitness health centers of all kinds and types and visit them three to four times a week in an effort to maintain some form of good health through weight control and body building.

Most of these health centers stress muscular and cardiovascular exercise routines only. The participants are only interested in a seasonal effort to “look good” for some event or occasion rather than a sincere interest in maintaining their overall health. Few, if any of these fitness programs deal with both the physical and psychological aspect of maintaining good health. The philosophy of martial arts is that the mind and the physical body must be in balance to achieve and maintain good health.

Coupling the practice of one of the many forms of martial arts and physical fitness is the best way to maintain overall good health. As a student and instructor of martial arts for nearly fifty years with a second degree black belt, I believe that to maintain good health is to maintain a proper balanced diet and exercise the physical and mental body daily. There is no better way to do this than practicing some form of martial arts.

Initially, the object of martial arts was self defense and the preservation of life. These needs continue to exist but are no longer the primary reasons why individuals study and practice martial arts. Training in the martial arts has many benefits, both corporal and spiritual. Through the systematic practice of the martial arts a person's physical fitness is boosted; strength, stamina, flexibility, movement coordination. The whole body is exercised as the whole muscular system is activated. The practicing of martial arts is an effective way of fighting off many of the problems and diseases of contemporary society and sedentary life, and helps a weakened immune system.

Different forms of martial arts have been around for thousands of years in many different forms and styles. Modern martial art styles were developed in Asian cultures in the twelfth century for personal self defense against tyrannical governments as well as for sporting. In the early days, Asian martial arts used body movement techniques and ordinary tools, such as farm implements, as weapons for self defense.

Today there are still dozens of different types of martial arts practiced around the world. In the United States karate, judo, and taekwondo are the most popular and within each form there are different styles and disciplines. Kick boxing is a mixed martial art form that has recently come into practice as a competitive sport.

Taekwondo is the world's most popular martial art in terms of the number of practitioners. Its popularity has resulted in the varied development of the martial art form into several domains. As with many other martial art forms, it combines combat techniques, self-defense, sport, exercise, meditation, and philosophy. Taekwondo is a South Korean martial art form and is as popular in Korea as baseball is in the United States.

There are two main styles of taekwondo, traditional and sport. Traditional taekwondo is a pure martial art form of self defense that emphasize power. The sport form has a somewhat different focus where it’s emphasis is on speed and competition as in sparring. However, the distinctions between the two forms are often blurred.

Taekwondo training generally includes a system of blocks, kicks, punches, open-handed strikes, and may also include various take-downs or sweeps, throws, joint locks and meditation. Some taekwondo instructors also incorporate self defense techniques borrowed from aikido and judo. It is easy to see how that a vigorous practice of taekwondo will tone the body and maintain the cardiovascular system as the same time.

The study and practice of martial arts and physical fitness should be introduced early in a child's life, at approximately ten years old, so they will develop a lifelong disciple toward physical fitness, diet, and meditation. It will provide them with the self confidence necessary to compete in the competitive world and overcoming personal fears in confrontational situations.

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