Those who dread the isolation of training at a gym or the intensity of a high paced fitness class, will find that training in martial arts is unlike any other sport. Whilst the prospect of starting a contact sport may seem daunting to many people, what you’ll find is that it is an environment free from judgement and instead a community of supportive individuals and coaches who are aiding you on this step of your journey.
We commonly hear that many women who consider martial arts are concerned that they may not be fit enough, they might be judged by others or they’re nervous to come to a class alone. But what they find when they take that first leap is that they develop a host of new skills, improve their health and make lifelong friends in a supportive and nurturing environment.
Though we hope you never have to use them, knowing you are equipped with the skills to defend yourself instils confidence.
Many of the women who have joined Excel started with the purpose of learning how to defend themselves against attackers in a way which best protects them. The martial arts skills our students learn are not ones which apply brute strength but instead the ability to release tight grips, protect their own bodies and apply defensive combos only when safe to do so.
Whether you join us on our ladies only kickboxing course, or start your journey in our mixed gender classes your learning will be taken at a pace to match your current level of fitness. From there, with the support of your fellow classmates and our team of expert coaches you’ll learn a variety of offensive and defensive techniques which can also be applied to real life scenarios.
Martial arts classes have an atmosphere of community and family, where everyone is following the same instructions, completing the same activities and pushing one and other to succeed.
From the beginning of your journey with us, they’ll be other women in the exact same situation as you. Martial arts provides a vice for you to escape the everyday and do something which is beneficial for your mental and physical health, and other people will be doing it for the same reason too providing you the opportunity to create strong bonds with fellow students.
You will share in successes and failures, partake in grading alongside each other and join each other in group social activities.
The women who train with us become lifelong friends.
Martial arts is an aerobic full body workout which activates a huge variety of muscle groups, enhances flexibility, increases balance and improves reflexes.
Training these skills can make everyday tasks, such as lifting heavy objects and walking, easier and are essential for full body health for women of all ages.
Excel student Jane stated in her video testimonial “Since starting at Excel I feel more confident, I’ve lost a bit of weight, I get moving and it’s improved my mental heath”.
A 1 hour martial arts workout can not only burn on average 500 calories per session but also opens the lungs and gets the blood pumping improving cardiovascular health, so you’ll feel an internal change and see external changes.
Not only will you experience positive physical changes, but you’ll also see positive mental changes such as an increase in mindfulness and decrease of stress. This happens because of the opportunity martial arts offers to release pent up frustration, apply breathing techniques and leave behind the stresses of the everyday when stepping onto the mat.
Together with the guidance of our coaches, you will also learn healthy lifestyle practices to apply to your life off the mat which combined with all the benefits you gain in class will contribute to an overall healthier lifestyle and improved health.
Get in touch today for a no obligation free first class.
Every February, The British Heart Foundation celebrates National Heart Month to raise awareness about heart disease and heart health.
What you may not know is that martial arts are great for the heart. In fact, the cardiac benefits of martial arts give a whole new meaning to the idea of cardiovascular fitness.
With that in mind, here are some ways that taking martial arts classes can protect and strengthen your heart.
The first way that martial arts can help the heart is by raising your heart rate when you work out. The heart is a muscle and it needs to be worked. When you take a martial arts class, your heart rate is elevated.
The benefit of raising the heart rate is that it oxygenates the blood, and helps promote calorie burning even after you’re done working out. People of all ages need to keep their hearts pumping, and martial arts is a great way to do it.
Did you know that a high-intensity martial arts workout can help lower your blood pressure? It’s true. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a leading contributor to heart disease.
When you work out, your heart becomes stronger – and that means that it can pump blood more efficiently than it can without exercise. The less effort your heart has to expend on pumping blood, the lower your blood pressure is.
LDL cholesterol – the so-called “bad” cholesterol” – is a contributing factor in heart disease 1. Regular participation in martial arts helps you lose weight and that decreases the amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood.
There’s evidence that working out also shrinks the proteins that carry cholesterol through the bloodstream, making them less dangerous to the heart.
On a related note, regular vigorous exercise – such as the kind you get in a martial arts workout – helps to increase HDL or “good” cholesterol.
One thing that separates martial arts from many other forms of exercise is that it requires mental stillness combined with physical exertion.
Mental stillness contributes to mindfulness, a practice that can significantly decrease stress and anxiety in both children and adults.
Considering that there is a direct link between stress and heart health (stress contributes to high blood pressure and related issues), the fact that participating in martial arts can reduce stress is a huge benefit for the heart.
In addition to the benefits already mentioned, martial arts training also helps to improve discipline, build muscle coordination, and increase self-confidence.
This month, why not give your heart a boost by adding martial arts to your workout routine?
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Excel Academy, Longacre Way, Sothall, Sheffield
S20 3FS