As the world of martial arts continues to grow, mainly due to the impact of the UFC, more people of any age get interested in martial arts. As it is always said, age is only a number, and martial arts, as well as any other form of sports, can be practiced by the elderly. Of course, if something must be considered with accuracy, it is the best martial arts practiced by the elderly. Here at the fighting sports lab is what we are going to see. But not only.
In the article, we will look at the benefits of martial arts for older adults, what martial arts are to avoid, and more.
What Are the Best Martial Arts for the Elderly?
Many martial arts can be perfect for the elderly, but at the top of the best, you will find martial arts that don’t require too much stress to the joint or are too dynamic. Among these martial arts, you may find: Aikido, Wing Chun, Tai Chi, Krav Maga, and karate.
As you will see in the next part of the article, the martial arts selected don’t require too much effort, but at the same time, they can be practiced by older adults because they offer a lot of benefits. Aikido and Wing Chung help keep the brain in motion because they require focus and concentration to learn and execute all the techniques.
In most cases, all the martial arts selected for older people will improve reflexes, reactivity, memory, and concentration and help to relax the body and mind. By practicing martial arts at an older age, you will surely notice an improvement in your mind, especially after one month or 2.
Aikido: Why is one of the best martial arts for elderly
The first on the list of the best martial arts for older adults is Aikido. If you are new to martial arts, there might be a chance that you never heard about it, but a name can make you remember or understand the moves and techniques of this martial art. Steven Seagal.
Steven Seagal is one of the most famous actors that has helped to increase the popularity of Aikido all over the world, making Aikido also one of the best martial arts to be learned by actors.
Aikido is one of the best martial arts for the elderly because it requires physical and mental conditioning. They both fit perfectly for older adults and cannot stress their bodies at a high level. Practicing Aikido, just after the firsts months of lessons, you can start to learn the basic technique of throwing.
Among the techniques that for an older adult may not be their primary goal, the training that will be performed in the aikido lesson will boost your relaxation, helping you achieve a high level of control of your body.
Wing Chung for the elderly (Is it a good Choice?)
Wing Chung is a martial art closely related to Kung fu (See: Wing Chung vs Kung fu). Most martial arts that are good for older people are based on close-quarter techniques. Practicing Wing Chung may be a good choice because it does not require much effort and complete body movements.
Most of the techniques are based on movements of the hands and arms. One of the principles, along with Wing Chung, is relaxation. As most elderly practice martial arts with the primary goal of finding relaxation and keeping the body in motion, Wing Chung is undoubtedly one of the options to consider if you are searching for good martial arts and are not young.
If you decide to practice Wing Chung, be prepared to learn many techniques and keep your focus at a high level. Wing Chung is a good fit for older people also because there are wing Chun classes all over the USA and over the world. Due to Wing Chung’s particular and fascinating techniques, more people, pushed by curiosity, decided to learn Wing Chung.
Tai Chi: What is? Why do older adults practice it?
Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art practiced for over 3000 years in Asia, especially in China, and during the last decade worldwide. To make you understand Tai Chi easily, you can compare it to Shadow Boxing.
The simultaneous attack and defense moves characterize the main techniques of TAI CHI. If you are asking why you might consider practicing TAI CHI, we will let you know in the following part.
Some of the most popular reasons you should consider learning TAI CHI as an elderly is the movements that will boost your relaxation and improve stability. Furthermore, by practicing Tai Chi, you will notice a beneficial effect on your back in case of back pain problems. Tai Chi is not a martial art that requires a lot of effort. The movements of Tai Chi will be smooth, and the TAI CHI instructors are usually very qualified to do it.
The downside of TAI Chi is the reparability. If it is true that the last decade has become very popular, especially as one of the best martial arts for the elderly, the centers that learns TAI CHI are not popular. If you live in a big city like New York, or the primary capital of the USA, you will not find any problem while searching for a gym. On The Other hand, it might be difficult if you live in a small city over there.
Krav Maga for the elderly ( Is it too dynamic or not?)
If you know something about martial arts, you can start thinking why krav maga is present on this list and not among the best martial arts for street fighting. The truth is that Krav maga is a martial art that can be practiced by people of all ages and old peoples.
If for one side, it is true that Krav Maga requires fast movements and reactions, on the other hand, all these techniques may be simulated by the elderly without any problem at low speed.
Krav Maga is a martial art that originated in Israel and became one of the most popular martial arts for self-defense during the last period. Its high popularity is due to the basic principles upon which this martial art is based. If you ever practice krav maga, you will notice that the moves are simple and are studied to be effective with minimum effort.
The techniques of Krav Maga are mainly based on striking hits. Anyway, in advanced phases, you will learn grappling techniques as well. Contrariory at what you might think, Krav maga is not so dynamic and can be practiced by the elderly. It is a martial art that can be adapted at any age, and everyone who starts practicing it will surely notice an increased reactive body performance.
Karate for older people ( is it worth considering?)
Another martial art worth considering on this list of the best martial arts for older adults is karate.
Karate doesn’t need any presentation; it is the most famous martial art introduced as an Olympic sport and the most practiced martial art worldwide. This martial art was invented to help people in self-defense and improve body control.
It is suggested as martial arts for older adults for several reasons. It helps you to learn how to punch, kick, basic grappling techniques, improve your reflex, and much more. Furthermore, as an older adult, you will notice that after practicing karate for a minimum of 6 months, an improvement in your balance, agility, and speed in the movements.
Why martial arts for adult people?
There are many reasons why martial arts is a good sport for adults. The main ones are related to improving agility, keeping the mind and body healthy, and improving coordination and strength.
More than that, as in general adult peoples are considered weak, in most countries unlucky they are subject to be attacked by peoples. By practicing martial arts, you can acquire the basic movements and techniques to defend yourself from malicious people.
What are the worst martial arts for the elderly?
During the articles, you have learned what the most suggestive martial arts for old people are; you had the opportunity to take a close look at what particular martial art may start praticing and the one that is better to stay away.
Anyway, we cannot consider completing this guide without mentioning which martial arts are to stay away from as an elderly. For that reason, we decided to mention them. Let’s take a look.
The worst martial arts that will be best to stay away from as an older person are; MMA, judo, BJJ, and boxing. As age keeps moving, our body and muscles become wreckers if not adequately trained. MMA, judo, BJJ, boxing, and other more dynamic martial arts must be avoided for the elderly because they demand a high energy level, and fracturing of any part of the body may be more frequent by practicing them than any other martial arts.
Conclusion
Martial arts for adults and children is a good sport to keep your mind and body in shape. The incredible benefits associated with improving agility, coordination, and mental skills are only a part of all you might find by practicing them. As the elderly, we can imagine the worries and doubts about what martial arts to choose. We hope that with this article, we help you choose the martial art that will best suit you.