6 Tips on How to start your Martial Arts Training

 6 Tips on how to start your martial arts training

Thinking of taking up martial arts but ensure how to get started? Check out our tips to get you on your way

Doubters say that martial arts is a young mans game. They think that you
have to start young to be any good at it. American-born fighter John
Williams didn’t agree. Entering the ring at age 70, he became the oldest
martial arts fighter of all time, as well as the oldest fighter to win a
match. But you don’t have to step into the octagon to benefit from
joining a martial arts class; you might simply want to improve your
fitness or be able to defend yourself from attack.

While John Williams has proved that you can get involved at any age,
many people will still be hesitant. There is a certain reluctance many
adults experience when it comes to picking up new skills, including
sports. The general thinking is: “everybody will be younger than me, I
won’t be very good, and it’ll just be embarrassing.” Yep, we’ve all been
there. It is very easy to convince yourself that now isn’t a good time
to start, but it’ll never get any better. So, if you are considering
starting martial arts as an adult, here are five things you need to know
before setting foot in the ring.

1. Age Is Just A State Of Mind

It’s cliché but it’s true, age is nothing but a number. Success in martial arts
is primarily about your fitness and ability to learn, age need not come
in to it.  If you’re in good physical shape, with no major health
conditions, then why wouldn’t you be able to do it? The biggest problem
adults face when training is becoming bogged down in the idea of being
too old. You need to shed those doubts and believe in yourself, worry
about nothing but moving up a grade, only then can you reach your full
potential.

2.  Swallow Your Pride

Going into martial arts as an adult means you’ll likely have to train
with those much younger than you at some point. This can be something
that really puts people off, but when it comes to learning how to fight,
it’s important to remember that everybody started at the bottom, so
kicking a teenager around the room is fine. Everybody you train with
was, or is, at the same point you are. Before you go into training
lessons, accept that somewhere down the line, you’ll be beaten in a
sparring match by somebody younger than yourself, not because they are
younger or fitter than you, but because they have been training for
longer. If you can handle the thought, then you’ll receive the benefits
of learning in large groups with mixed ability martial arts students.
You might be embarrassed being beaten by a 15-year-old yes, but
embarrassment is temporary, these skills will last a lifetime and you
can just use it as motivation to kick his ass next time.

3. Find An Adult Class 

If you really can’t stand the idea of being in a class with kids, some
instructors do offer adult only courses in martial arts. You are still
going to get beaten in sparring matches, but if it makes it easier them
being around those the same age as you, then I would recommend this
option. However, it is important to remember that these groups will
likely be smaller and the ability range will be different, it might be a
tougher training session than a mixed age group, making it harder to
progress your skills.

4. Get A Personal Instructor

For those with the purchasing power, sessions with a personal instructor
are the best way to make major fitness gains. Some people use a
personal instructor to help them ‘catch up’ so that they can join a
martial arts class at a similar ability level, whilst others simply
prefer the privacy and personal attention offered by a one-on-one
trainer (not to mention less chance of being embarrassed.)

5. Stretching and Flexibility

No matter what your age, if you don’t protect your muscles through
stretching exercises, you’ll find yourself picking up injuries. Keeping a
rigorous flexibility routine is a key component of all martial arts,
and one that will help you break past your body’s current limits. As you
get older, your body also becomes worse at recovering from injury.
While I am not suggesting you throw the towel in after a twisted ankle,
just don’t be too rash when it comes to returning to your lessons, take
time to make sure your body heals itself completely.

6. Get the right nutrition in your body

Getting to the Dojang or Dojo and putting in a high-intensity workout
can be challenging. So when you set aside the time to hit the gym and
work yourself to exhaustion, don’t you want to make it count?

According to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition,
what you eat before exercise can influence two vital hormones for
muscle growth and recovery—testosterone and cortisol—and determine
whether or not your workout pays off (1).

Researchers looked at the effects of supplementing with whey protein,
soy protein, or carbohydrate in resistance-trained men. For two weeks at
a time, the subjects ingested each of the fuel sources before
performing a heavy bout of weight lifting. After completing each of the
two-week protocols, the researchers compared the effects on testosterone
and cortisol levels.

Exercise naturally can lead to higher levels of testosterone. But when
compared to whey, soy protein supplementation resulted in significantly
decreased levels of testosterone production for 30 minutes immediately
following training. Soy protein even resulted in lower testosterone
levels than when subjects supplemented with carbohydrate. This blunting
of testosterone could lead to reduced gains in muscle and strength,
meaning your hard work at the gym is a waste.

Additionally, whey protein supplementation resulted in significantly
lower levels of cortisol for 30 minutes immediately following training.
Whey’s effects probably had to do with its action on inducing a better
insulin response. Although elevated cortisol levels following exercise
are normal, a quicker insulin response and a decrease in circulating
levels of cortisol can help lead to faster and more efficient recovery.

 Testosterone and Cortisol for Optimal Performance

What does higher testosterone and lower cortisol following resistance training mean? More muscle building and faster recovery!

As one of the main anabolic hormones, testosterone plays a major role in
both men and women in body composition. Research has shown that
declining levels of testosterone are correlated with an increase in Body
Mass Index (BMI) and fat mass (2). This is due to the role testosterone
plays in increasing muscle mass and strength, as well as boosting bone
density and strength.

Cortisol plays a wide range of roles in the body, but as a stress
hormone, being highly elevated for longer periods of time could be
damaging to health. In regards to exercise, cortisol naturally increases
after physical activity and researchers continue to try to determine
how much of a cortisol response can be considered neutral and not
damaging to the body (3).

Beyond Hormones: Why Whey Wins

Whey’s superior effect over soy when combined with resistance exercise
has a lot to do with amino acids. Even though both proteins are
considered “complete” proteins, meaning they contain all essential amino
acids, whey has a higher amount of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs).
These include leucine, isoleucine, and valine, which are considered the
most effective moderators of muscle growth and make whey an almost
undisputed choice for attaining gains in muscle size and strength (4).

Why spend the time and dedication going to the gym and putting in the
hard work if your protein source isn’t going to work just as hard for
you? Don’t choose a protein that may even work against gains and
recovery. Be sure to choose whey over soy.

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