What Is A Good Martial Arts Workout To Build Muscle?

martial art exercise - Fitness Expo

 

If you’re pressed for time, you might be looking for ways to get as much out of your fitness sessions as you can.

Sure, you do weight training using free weights and exercise equipment at any place you have gym memberships in.

You might even have workout equipment, including medicine balls and cardio equipment in your own home gym.

Then again, it’s hard enough to stick to a cardio regimen or a strength-building routine, much less both at the same time.

Luckily, martial arts training can provide you mental and physical fitness at the same time.

You can also build your strength up and get a good cardio and aerobic workout along the way.

Keep reading to learn about various martial arts workouts that can help you build up your body’s muscle:

Boxing

Of all combat sports, this one is usually the most popular road for anyone looking to have a strong body.

 

Punching bags have been around for decades, but they fit right into the modern concept of interval training.

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The constant foot movements, posture, and punching develop speed, agility, strong core muscles, and a shredded physique all over. Good training should burn about 350 calories per hour.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Also known as BJJ, this sport emphasizes grappling and ground fighting.

It asks participants to win using flexibility and agility over physical strength.

That’s not to say it won’t make you stronger though, as you’ll often be lifting your own weight when competing with someone else. Typical training can burn 700 calories each hour.

Capoeira

This is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that is a form of art.

Not everyone takes it seriously when they first see it, given the dance-like motions many of the movements involved.

capoeira training - Fitness Expo

 

Yet this peculiarly delightful blend of cardio and strength training involves anything from spinning moves to headstands, you’ll find better health soon enough.

An hour of training in this discipline will take 600 calories off of your frame.

Judo

The popularity of judo has been around as long as the discipline has. Your endurance will benefit more than anything as you train in this, to the tune of 750 calories burned per hour.

Grappling, throws and joint locks are all common elements here, so you spend a lot of time going to the ground or getting back up.

Your muscles will get worked in ways you didn’t think possible, and you might even discover some new muscles along the way.

Krav Maga

Regardless of how you might feel about Israel and the politics surrounding the nation, you have to admit that their defense forces are under constant threat of attack.

 

So, any military style of self-defense created by them is sure to be robust. It’s a matter of fighting hand-to-hand, emphasizing the speed of taking down enemies.

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Build up your endurance, speed, and muscle memory, while burning 650 calories per average hour.

Mixed Martial Arts

If you want a little bit of everything, then look into MMA.

It’s popular enough that you’ll find more than one gym nearby offering sessions. While every martial art on this list teaches discipline, this sport demands it.

 

The versatile training covers circuit training, strength training, and weight training, so you’ll get to use this alone to replace all your different workout routines.

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That can simplify your life, and practicing this will burn more than 500 calories an hour, which helps you grow your muscles while shredding enough to show them off.

Mix it Up

Other styles of martial arts that can provide you with a perfect combination of strength-building and aerobic exercise include Muay Thai, taekwondo, Tai Chi, Wing Chun, and wrestling. 

Use any of them to also work on your stamina and endurance at the same time.

Each will let you burn hundreds of calories per hour while adding something very fresh to your exercise routine.

So long as you remain dedicated and disciplined, you’ll enjoy amazing benefits from any of these martial arts is a good time.