Regular exercise is an important component of health for people of all ages here in the United States. From the youngest children to the oldest of adults, regular movement, even gentle regular movement, can keep you in good shape for longer than ever – and can prevent a number of medical concerns from arising, especially those that are tied to being overweight or even obese. Unfortunately, however, far too few people actually engage in the level of exercise and physical activity that they should be.
In fact, the data that has been gathered on the subject unfortunately shows that only around 5% of all adults in this country are participating in some kind of physical activity on a daily basis. In addition to this, less than half of them (around one third, to be just a little bit more specific) are getting the weekly amount of exercise that has widely been recommended for the typical adult to get. Much of this lack of movement starts from a very young age, as only about one third of all children are getting the daily activity that they need as well, something that can actually inhibit their brain development (particularly when it comes to the development of fine and gross motor skills alike) as much as their physical well being and health.
Of course, then, it is far from surprising that many people currently living in the United States could be classified as overweight or even as obese. In fact, up to one third of the entire population is overweight, with another one third medically considered to be obese. This leaves less than half of the adult population of this country at a weight that is considered by doctors throughout the country to be healthy.
While some of this can be attributed to diet, of course (as diet and exercise go hand in hand to create the healthiest of bodies), the use of regular exercise can seriously help to change both the weight and the health of many of the people that are struggling with their weight – and by extension their health – here in the United States. For many people, getting involved in a martial arts class can be a great way to lose the weight while engaging in something they find to be enjoyable.
And there are many different varieties of martial arts to choose from, from mixed martial arts (MMA) to tai chi to even Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The martial art that you ultimately pick for yourself or even for your children is likely to depend on a wide variety of factors, such as the availability of marital arts in your area. For many people, the martial art of choice will be tai chi, if it is at all available to them.
Tai chi, after all, has a long and successful history not just here in the United States but in its country of origin and in many other places all throughout the world as well. In fact, tai chi is even estimated to be as many as 2,500 years old. Tai chi is ideal for people of all ages as well, and can even be effective for elderly people who perhaps have less natural mobility than younger people do. For instance, older people who participate in tai chi on a regular basis have often found – more than half of the time – that tai chi actually gave them a much greater confidence in the overall stability of their body, as it allowed them to achieve a better sense of balance than perhaps ever before throughout their lives, even in their youthful years.
And martial arts like tai chi and others can be great for the purposes of weight loss as well. After all, studies on the subject have even found that just one hour of participating in martial arts with moderate intensity will burn as many as 500 calories, which can be quite a significant amount for someone who is looking to lose some weight. For many people, martial arts provide a great deal of joy and happiness, something that cannot be overlooked in their practice.
