Many non-martial artists believe martial arts to be a fitness activity where you can learn some cool moves seen in movies. However, the benefits of martial arts for adults are much more extensive than fitness-oriented benefits. Martial arts for adults can improve your mental strength, change your outlook on life, allow you to adapt to different situations, and improve your social life. At the American Karate Institute, we’ve been teaching Martial Arts Classes for Adults for over 40 years. In this blog post, we break down 5 benefits that Adults get from taking Martial Arts Classes at AKI Miami.

Physical Fitness

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says only 1 in 5 adults meet physical activity guidelines set to improve wellbeing. Just as you’d think, physical activity has far reaching benefits. It can help control your weight, reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and more. The physical activity alone can help improve your mental health and mood, strengthen your bones and muscles, and improve your chances of living a longer, healthier life.

Although different martial arts vary in the levels of rigorous physical activity, nearly all of them will improve conditioning and fitness. With obesity rates as high as they are, more and more adults need to find a physical activity they enjoy, to keep their health in check. Martial arts can provide a source of fitness that is enjoyable, life enriching and can be maintain for many years.

Mental Strength

A successful practice of martial arts requires a large amount of mental fortitude. Some of martial arts’ most traditional tenets – such as indomitable spirit and perseverance – stress the importance of fighting through preconceived limits. Discipline might be the biggest trait that leads to success in martial arts. Knowing you have a challenge up ahead and developing the discipline needed to achieve that is an important life skill that will translate to many other areas of your life.

Another important aspect of martial arts is feeling, accepting and controlling your emotions. By practicing martial arts, you will feel anger, fear, frustration and anxiety, at some point. The way you deal with these emotions will help you grow mentally. This will also help in everyday life with how you deal with others, from workplace discussions to family disagreements.

Mental Health

The issues of mental health are becoming more apparent and our understanding of them is growing as well. Many issues of mental health are helped by fitness alone, but the martial arts add a lot of benefits. We’ve already written about how martial arts can help your health, ADHD, and and weight management; martial arts for adults can also help bring on a sense of purpose. Adults are goal-oriented and exploring that side of our human nature is important for our happiness. The motivation that can build up for many can power you through your fitness goals, as well as your life goals.

Social Life

In adulthood, it can be very tough for some to find peers with mutual interests and outlooks. Martial arts is a great place to meet new people, from all walks of life, and the shared dedication to their art can help bond people. Lifelong friends are made all the time at martial arts gyms & schools; going through difficult trials – such as belt testing – can really help create social bonds between friends.

Contact American Karate Institute for a Free Trial Class

At the American Karate Institute, we teach a way of life. Our Miami martial arts school and MMA Classes has developed a well thought out curriculum that teaches more than just the art of self-defense. We delve deep into our students’ technique, skill set, intelligence, intuition and overall physical fitness. Contact us today if you’re interested in mixed martial arts and self-defense classes and schedule your free-trial class!

About Angel Gonzalez

A 7th Degree Black Belt, Founder of American Karate Institute, Teacher, Inventor and Martial Arts Consultant. I have been involved with the Martial Arts for more than 43 years.

I was born in Havana, Cuba in 1956. In 1962 at the age of 6, because I was being bullied in school, my aunt enrolled me in Judo. I trained and competed as a child for 3 years with Instructor Heriberto Hernandez. In 1966 I immigrated to the United States to live with my aunt. I lived in several different cities before I moved to Tampa, Fl . At the age of 14, I practiced Uechi Ryu, a Okinawan style karate with Tom Alexander. In 1973 I began practicing a Japanese style of Martial Arts called GoJu Shorei under Sensei Mike Hayashi. In 1976 , after 3 years of hardcore martial arts training, I earned my Black Belt.

Sensei Hayashi’s traditional, intense, and disciplined Japanese training helped me develop a strong traditional martial arts foundation. I was one of the few students who stuck it out and earned my Black Belt. Regretfully, due to unexpected circumstances, Sensei Hayashi had to close the school down.

In 1976, after shopping around and visiting other schools just like you, my wife and I (read her story) enrolled at the Jhoon Rhee Institute of Tae Kwon Do with Master Bill Heimberger.

It took us seven years to earn our Tae Kwon Do Black Belts. We traveled to Washington DC to test directly under World Renowned Grand Master Jhoon Rhee where we were offered a teaching scholarship to become professional martial art instructors.

In 1981 we moved to Washington, DC to learn directly from Grand Master Jhoon Rhee. It was like going to college to learn a martial arts profession. We distinguished ourselves and found our true calling in life – teaching martial arts. After 2 years of intensive training, we moved to Miami, Florida to open our school and live the dream of having the best school not only in Miami, FL, but in the country.

We did not have the funds to open in a shopping center, but in 1983, American Karate Institute was established at the Ron Ehmann Park recreation center in Kendall adjacent to Killian High School.

Not only were we fortunate to have learned Martial Arts and become an instructor from the best, but we also made a great husband and wife team with a rare quality that cannot be taught – CHARISMA. Since we did not have the funds to advertise, we depended upon our charisma and teaching abilities to build the school by word of mouth. Charisma is a quality that often separates the best from the rest in the martial arts profession. There are a lot of instructors that teach martial arts, but there are only a few that teach it with charisma.

In 1989, due to a tremendous following, we were able to open at the location we now have today in the Crossings Shopping Village. Charisma along with a systemized martial arts program is what made the American Karate Institute the best kids program in the country.

In 1991 before MMA and UFC became popular, we made the switch to mixed martial arts. After meeting Royce & Rorian Gracie in Tampa Florida, I saw the value of mixed martial arts and knew that this was going to be the future.

In 2003, I was awarded instructor of the year by North American Grappling Association.

In 2010, I was given a US patent for the invention of the Ultimate Striker, a tool designed to help martial arts practitioners develop more power in their striking techniques and to increase their conditioning.

In 2011, I was given the Paul Harris Fellow award for my work in the community. This organization is devoted to the betterment of humanity.

How Adult Martial Arts Classes Can Improve Your Life