“I’m not in shape” is the most common excuse heard from potential adult students of the martial arts.
This seems like a valid statement, until you consider that you will never be in “shape” until you undertake a program or plan of action that starts your fitness journey.
Consider that fact that while you contemplate your current physical fitness level, every day you put off starting a program your body becomes more comfortable in its current state. Remember a time in your life when you were fit and healthy? Were you a teen or young adult? It wasn’t just that your metabolism was jacked like a pro wrestler, it was because you were constantly on the go both mentally and physically.
A good martial arts program can re-create that time when your body was at its peak condition. Now realistically, this won’t happen overnight but it will happen much faster than not starting right?
Martial arts training can engage you mentally with its approach to focus, self-discipline, goal setting, perseverance and peer social interaction. On the physical side, the more obvious benefits of cardio fitness, strength gains, flexibility, durability and coordination as seen.
Compare this with going to the local gym, taking up running, hiking or swimming and the benefits are astronomically better with the martial arts program.
The next time you have that thought of “I’m not in shape” for doing a martial arts class, remember all the benefits that await you and that the best way to get into fighting shape is to actually learn how to fight and defend yourself.
