The health benefits of martial arts, particularly cardio health benefits, have been touted since experts brought the discipline into America. But why are martial arts so good for the heart, and why does it bring a world of good exercise to people who practice it? Get that blood pumping. To start, martial arts are known for having many drills and motions throughout the courses. It’s a way for students to get comfortable with the movements and memorize them so well that they become instinctive. But these motions and drills are also great for strengthening your heart because they build endurance. Any strenuous, out of daily physical exercise gets your blood pumping and heart-pounding, and cardio health depends significantly on how much persistence your heart can take. It’s the doctor’s orders! Doctors recommend at least 20 to 30 minutes of cardio exercise about three to five times a week to keep your heart healthy. Unfortunately, if you’ve been living a bit of a sedentary lifestyle—especially since the pandemic started—you might have been missing out on getting your heart in shape. Martial arts classes are a great way to get your daily dose of cardio workout, even while you’re at home, and you get to learn a new sport while you’re at it. Regular activity means regular protection. Another way that martial arts can boost cardio health is by helping to defend your heart against diseases through regular physical activity. Martial arts typically aren’t hobbies you can pick up once and forget you did it. Instead, it becomes a routine exercise, a habit, and even a lifestyle for some people. As you regularly do martial arts, the activity becomes habitual, strengthening your heart and helping it maintain its strength for years to come. Martial arts are more than just combat disciplines that you can train in for protecting yourself. They are and continue to be incredible ways to maintain cardio health, keep up your strength, and give yourself an overall health advantage. Ensure that you have physical (and cardio!) health for years to come by visiting Aplomb Martial Arts and signing up for a class near you.