The thousand-year-old art of karate originated in Japan during the 16th century, influenced by Chinese martial arts, but later acquired its own essence and was established as an alternative for self-defense against the prohibition of using weapons on the island of Okinawa.
Although karate is practiced as a sequence of movements and strategies that aim to provide self-defense tools, there are other advantages that only those who dare to enroll in this discipline can enjoy. According to Professor Antonio Jesús Hernández Muñoz, a member of the Spanish Karate Association, among the benefits that can be gained from practicing this discipline are the following:
Stimulate the nervous system: the demand for coordination, precision and reflexes that the practice of karate requires translates into benefits for the cardiovascular system; because the memory is constantly working on processing information, making this capacity take longer to deteriorate.
Tone muscles: Consistent upper and lower body work ensures stronger, toned muscles. This effect is noticeable in arms, back and legs.
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Increased cardiovascular capacity: Over the years it is normal for the blood vessels to decrease their flexibility and therefore in the arterial flow, minimizing the passage of the blood supply and causing damage to the heart. In this sense, the practice of a complete exercise such as karate, which requires movement and resistance, improves cardiovascular capacity notably.
Self-control and discipline: During practice, karate fighters must learn to manage their anger and use precise movements to defend themselves following the rules of this discipline. Once they manage to maintain self-control in this area, they may carry it over to other areas of their lives.
Improves flexibility: in the practice of karate, several minutes are dedicated to stretching the joints, because elasticity is required for the different movements that are part of this discipline.
Socialization: Within the benefits that the practice of karate entails, there is also the increase in the ability to socialize, respecting the differences with the partners with whom it is shared in training and in competitions.
Improved self-esteem: As a sport that requires commitment and perseverance to advance in the different levels involved, karate fighters find satisfaction when they are rewarded for all the effort involved in emerging in karate, as well as in the victories in each of the competitions.
For many reasons, karate is more than self-defense and rather it is a complete discipline that allows those who practice it to grow physically, mentally and spiritually. That yes, as Professor Hernández Muñoz points out, it is a sport that requires time of commitment to be able to enjoy its benefits.