As people grow older, they begin to find ways to be more productive and make use of their time. For senior citizens, in particular, they find that there is even more time they need to utilize and want to do so effectively. Many will go out and find other jobs while others will pursue hobbies and activities that they never could before retirement. Martial arts is one activity that many seniors should take advantage of in their pursuit of finding a participatory activity. There are many benefits associated with taking martial arts classes.

Sustain Mental Health

Growing older can be a wonderful thing as people become more experienced and wise in their lifetimes. However, the brain does not function as quickly or healthy as it did during childhood. With that said, seniors tend to experience more issues such as memory loss or slower reactions. Martial arts can significantly help alleviate these symptoms. It does so through the discipline and constant practice of reflexive routines that help seniors keep their mental alertness. The brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised just as much as other muscles within the body. Martial arts for seniors is especially important in maintaining their own mental health and awareness.

Make Friends and Build Community

As seniors grow into their retirements, their friend circles tend to decrease over time. They are no longer going to work each day and seeing their co-workers on a regular basis. Enlisting in and taking martial arts classes gives them a chance to make new friends and build a community. People in martial arts classes share a common interest in the sport. They may all have joined for different reasons, but the outcome is the same. There are a multitude of exercises that involve partner and group activities. This builds teamwork and each person feels connected to the entire group. They all build a sense of camaraderie and hold each other accountable. Again, this is a great reason for seniors to join martial arts classes because they need to be able to socialize and feel welcomed in things that foster that type of behavior.

Physical Fitness

Exercise is vitally important to everyone, but specifically to senior citizens. Bodily functions and strength are just not the same when it comes to a senior’s body versus people in their 30s. In order to keep up a healthy body, a senior should be sure to build muscle and bone strength. Osteoporosis is one of the most common conditions that any senior will begin to experience. This comes from a weak skeletal structure. To protect their bones, they need to build up their muscle strength. Martial arts tremendously helps with building that muscle strength as well as a person’s overall endurance.
Heart disease is another common ailment for people over the age of 40. Practicing martial arts will significantly reduce a senior’s risk for heart diseases because of the physical routines associated with its art.

Martial arts for seniors should be something that many people consider to be an all- around activity. Not only does it provide a chance for them to be active, but it can give them multiple mental benefits as well. Giving seniors the chance to do something once considered unconventional is an amazing opportunity to give them back their sense of self and confidence.