Whether you're interested in mixed martial arts, traditional karate or boxing, combat-arts training is a great way to improve your lean muscle mass, lower your body fat levels and relieve stress. Trying to teach yourself martial arts, though, is like trying to make love without anyone else there --- it is simply better when there are other people present. You can learn as much from the other students as you can from the instructor by watching them work through their frustrations and plateaus. But if you must work out alone, the simple act of training in martial or other fighting arts helps you burn fat, build lean muscle and improve your overall health.
Regular Practice Is Important
One of the best benefits of attending a class to learn fighting techniques is that the classes are often scheduled frequently enough that you get a great cardiovascular workout simply by attending and participating. If you're trying to train on your own, you might "not feel like it today," resulting in your not reaching your full potential. If you have decided that you want to go it alone, you should try to work out at least three times a week at between 70 and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. You can get a good ballpark figure of what your maximum heart rate is in beats per minute by subtracting your age from 220. Use a calculator to determine what 70 and 85 percent of that number and you have your target exercise heart rate. If for whatever reason you must train by yourself, it's a good idea to set aside a regular period of time several times weekly to train.
Proper Technique Makes All the Difference
Another benefit of learning martial arts from an experienced instructor is that he will force you to learn proper technique. This technique is important not only because the physics of the movement translates to incredible power in your kicks and punches but because it helps keep you from cheating and not getting the full benefit of your workout. If you do train alone, be sure that you focus on using proper technique every time you throw a punch or lift your foot off the floor.
Sparring. Enough Said.
If you're trying to teach yourself martial arts or boxing skills, you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice. Teaching yourself negates your ability to apply the techniques you've learned against an attacker while in a safe environment. Sparring does much more than just let you practice technique. It teaches you timing, how to counter an attack and how to mentally prepare for a fight. Besides, you burn a lot of calories and build a lot of lean muscle during a sparring match. Sparring alone, or shadowboxing, can help you burn energy and build muscle mass, but you're going to have to have the mental discipline to continue fighting even when your body gets tired.
The Warmup
One of the other disadvantages of training by yourself is that it is natural for you to stop exercising as soon as your body begins to feel fatigued. The warmup for your average boxing or martial arts class is often intended to not only get you ready for the class but to help you develop the strength and flexibility necessary to perform at your peak. If your situation dictates that you must train alone, you have to be ready to push yourself further than you think you can go, working through the pain and fatigue and pushing yourself to your limit.
