Is practicing a combat sport worth it for regular people?

Combat sports have been practiced since ancient times. Romans, Greeks, Japanese, Indians, you name it, everyone has done it. In the past, they have been used as a way to train for real battles, but nowadays, only a handful of people are still involved. Is practicing a combat sport worth it if you are a regular person with no ambition of becoming a professional fighter?

In this article, we will cover the points below:

1. Improves cardiovascular health

2. Improves strength, balance and coordination

3. A way to defend yourself

4. A way to relieve stress

5. Helps to get in shape

   1.Improves cardiovascular health

Boxing is a form of exercise that uses most of the body’s muscles. It’s also a form of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) which has been linked to reduced risks of heart disease. Combat sports also elevate a person’s heart rate which will improve their cardiovascular system while reducing risks of illnesses. The body will also have to become more efficient with circulating blood and oxygen around the body.

2. Improves strength, balance and coordination

As previously mentioned, combat sport training uses most of your muscles and hitting the heavy bag will act as resistance; therefore, you will become stronger. Additionally, you will learn how to transfer your weight through your hips and how to utilize your core. This won’t make you stronger per se, but you will be able to use more of your strength.

Combat sports are heavily focused on footwork. If you trip and fall, it’s all over, so they put heavy emphasis on it. By using a jump rope and by shadow boxing, you will naturally become more efficient with your movement and become more mobile.

Martial arts involve a lot of coordination. Your fists need to reach where you want them to. Your whole body will need to move as a well-oiled machine. Your hand-eye coordination will thus improve!

3. A way to defend yourself

A reminder before continuing, never use violence as your first option. Always try to deescalate the situation or run away if possible. However, with all that being said, if you were to get into a physical altercation, your chances of coming out safe are really high if you have practiced a martial art (a real combat sport). Most people are untrained and only talk big or are painfully oblivious to the difference between a martial artist and the general population. Is practicing a combat sport worth it for regular people? If you want to be able to defend yourself, then the answer is yes.

4. A way to relieve stress

Instead of shouting or breaking your TV, why not hit a heavy bag as a form of healthy aggression. Combat sports and exercise in general decrease cortisol levels (stress hormone). Martial arts also increase your brain’s endorphin production which will make you feel better and more relaxed.

5. Helps to get in shape

Combat sports are an extremely useful tool if you want to lose weight. For example, one hour of boxing can use up to around 700 calories and it is a fun form of exercise. Telling people to run on the treadmill for an hour will only lead to them hating training.

After all of those points, do you still have to ask yourself if practicing a combat sport worth it for regular people?