Fighting fit: A comparison of martial arts disciplines

Martial arts are a great way to get some physical and mental exercise while practising self-discipline. But with so many to choose from, which fighting style offers the best workout?

Martial arts exist in some form virtually everywhere across the globe. These days you’ll find many practitioners focusing on the raft of physical benefits that come with them – rather than their traditional applications of self-defence or law enforcement. The benefits don’t stop there, though. While there’s a clear link between exercise and positive mental health, several studies have confirmed that martial arts come with specific mental bonuses as well – which we’ll discuss below.

If you’re wondering which style would suit you best, we’ve outlined several of the most popular – along with some of their attributes – so you can get fighting fit.

Originating in the islands between Japan and Taiwan, karate is one of the most popular forms of martial art.

Karate, which directly translates to ‘empty hand’, emphasises using your arms and legs to strike pads in training – the idea being to increase your power and stretch to improve the range of motion and flexibility in your limbs. These moves strengthen and tone the core, leg, and arm muscles. Studies have shown that elite karate athletes have a very high explosive power in their strikes as well as high aerobic performance, flexibility, and muscle power at lower loads.

As for the mental benefits, a study of visually impaired teenagers found that after completing a 10-week karate training program young adults reported an increase in their perception of physical self-worth and self-efficacy.

Researchers have also discovered that the brain function of karate practitioners who hold black belts differs from those without formal training when punching from a distance of five centimetres. This led them to conclude that the ability to punch with force may be linked with cognitive function rather than muscular strength.

Originating in Korea around 80 years ago, taekwondo is one of the younger martial art disciplines. This fighting style places emphasis on powerful leg strikes, meaning the training focuses on the lower body.

If you’re entertaining the idea of training in taekwondo (maybe you were inspired by Chris Judd?), you can expect a lot of squatting, lunging, and running. Cardio is a focus in the taekwondo community, as speed and endurance are essential to keep up with the demands of a fight. As such, taekwondo athletes have high levels of cardiovascular fitness, anaerobic power in the lower limbs, and strength in the lower and upper extremities.

Studies have also shown that the math test scores of children who trained in taekwondo improved, while martial arts more generally (inclusive of taekwondo) were linked to increased attention.

A South American spin on a Japanese fighting style, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a technique that focuses on redistributing the power of others. Based on the premise that a smaller opponent can leverage an advantage, it’s a style that emphasises defensive movement.

When you’re training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, you’ll find yourself mixing high-intensity cardio with strength and endurance exercises. Studies have found that just four weeks of Brazilian jiu-jitsu training resulted in a significant increase in muscle strength, quantified by performance in bench press and seated row exercises.

Mentally, those who practise Brazilian jiu-jitsu have been found to demonstrate high levels of self-control – while also displaying reductions in aggressive behaviour.

Boxing has existed in some form since 3000 BC. However, it was codified as an official sport in England – making it the only martial art on this list that came from the Western world.

While boxing focuses on the upper body, for powerful strikes, fighters need to be fleet-footed to avoid blows. Training in boxing-style classes can increase your upper-body strength, aerobic fitness, endurance, and balance.

In the UK, boxing classes have been trialled as an intervention to boost the mental health of young members of vulnerable minority groups. More broadly, many people (including Prince Harry) have self-reported mental health benefits that they credit to the sport.

Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances 

Disclaimer:
The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional, tax or other advice. It does not take into account any individual’s personal situation or needs. You should consider obtaining professional advice from a financial adviser and/or tax specialist, or medical or health practitioner, in relation to your own circumstances and before acting on this information.