A Review Of Martial Arts Portland Oregon

By Jocelyn Davidson


Whether your goal is health and fitness, competition, self defense, or personal development, there's a class to meet your needs and interests. There are hundreds of different styles and systems. Although most people think of traditional eastern systems, martial arts Portland Oregon includes western forms such as wrestling, boxing, and kickboxing.

How students progress varies from school to school and system to system. Most Eastern Martial Arts use a skill testing system with colored belts showing a students rank. Most western systems test through combat with winners receiving a Title. Ranking systems vary from system to system, and sometimes from school to school.

Although hard contact sports have injury rates to be considered, many of today's martial arts use soft contact training. The physical and mental benefits of training are many: aerobic fitness, stamina, strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, self control, focus, self discipline. Training also teaches respectful conduct, responsible behavior, self discipline, commitment.

Learn to persevere after a hit, recover from a fall, avoid a strike, land a strike. Proper breathing techniques extend physical capabilities and reduce injuries. Eastern forms teach choreographed routines to train the bodies reflexes and muscle memory. Some forms of Martial Arts focus on hard contact. Others practice sparring where the kicks and punches don't actually connect, but are obvious to a judge or bystander. Eastern training also includes advanced training in breathing techniques and meditation.

Training for children focuses on self control, listening skills, stranger awareness, anti-bullying strategies, respect for others. It's a sport that many children find exciting, and it gets them moving and training their bodies. It also allows children to progress at their own rate. No team pressure to win the game, catch that ball.

Kung Fu focuses on strikes using fluid movements instead of hard and fast strikes. Judo, Aikido, Jiu-Jitsu focus on throwing and falling, pinning and holding. Boxing, Karate, and Taekwondo will teach you how to take a punch, avoid a punch, land a punch (or kick). If you're interested in self defense, Kempo Karate, Hapkido, Aikido, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai are good choices. Competitive sports include Taekwondo, Judo, Karate, MMA, Wrestling, or Boxing. Tournaments and competitions are a way to test one's skills against other practitioners outside your own school.

Eastern styles focus on the mind body connection. If you're too infirm to practice combat style martial arts, take a look at Tai Chi. The focus is on stretching, balance, and fluid movements that are easy on the joints. Health benefits include increased focus, flexibility, coordination. It's a noncompetitive low impact exercise routine that can be modified to meet the physical limitations of the elderly and disabled.

First decide on your goals: fitness, self defense, competition, or personal development. Choose a style that will keep you interested and engaged. Ask teachers or coaches about their qualifications and their training philosophy. Observe a class of long time students. Ask about practice and training requirements to advance and the expected time frame. Ask about programs affiliations and connection with competitions.

Martial arts centers that focus on a particular style are a good choice if you know what you want to study and are willing to make a commitment. These centers generally require a contractual commitment to pay for a minimum period of time, whether or not you continue to attend classes. If you're not so sure, and/or money is a major concern, check city recreation classes, local after school programs, city gyms.




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