Thinking about taking Karate?

Question

I was thinking about taking Karate, I really want an exercise plan that I will stick to, and I know I would stick to Karate, or any kind of martial arts.

I was wondering if the weight loss benefits would be successful, in combination with diet, and what is typical.

Answer 1

Every style of karate has its own dietary and workout regimen.

Okinawan styles of karate (Shorin ryu, Goju ryu, Uechi ryu, Shorei ryu)  and Japanese styles of Karate (Shotokan, Wado ryu, Shito ryu, Rembukai, Kyokushin karate)  have different views towards food and workout.

Answer 2

Here it is in the nutshell, diet and workout 1 hr. a day, cut the food portions. DO NOT STARVE 6 meals, 3 regular, 3 protein snacks, lots of water. Weight will be only one of the benefits, there are too many to list. If you have time to invest it is well worth it. Good luck

Answer 3

I lost forty pounds in my first four months in Karate.  90 minutes classes, three times a week.  Go for it.

Answer 4

Most Martial Arts classes are not well designed for weight loss. You need about 20 minutes of nonstop medium to high-intensity activity to reach your best weightloss zone. MA classes tend to be very start and stop with 3-5 minutes of intense activity followed by a period of rest/instruction and then another 3-5 minutes of activity.

It will definitely increase your calorie burn though, so it will help you lose weight if combined with a proper diet change and overall lifestyle adjustment.

A lot depends on your weightloss goals. If you are just trying to drop 10 lbs and put on a little muscle Martial Arts will do very well for you without even changing your diet. But if you need to drop 40-50lbs for health reasons then you need to switch to a 1300 calorie diet, eat 6 meals/day, and get at least 1 hour of exercise every day and you need to commit to doing that for the next 8-12 months. After that you increase your calorie intake until you reach equilibrium at your target weight, but keep the 6 meal system and the exercise.

Answer 5

That all depends on the school.  I have a TKD center near me that really centers on cardio and getting you in good shape, but not all TKD schools are like that.  You just need to look into the training centers in your area and see what they do.  Talk to the instructors and students and see what they have to offer you.  If you stick to a diet and get in with a good cardio center you should have no problem losing the weight, but you will have to practice on your time too.  2 hours a week isn't enough for significant weight loss.

Answer 6

Sounds like you are more interested in weight loss and diet than martial arts.  I would get a personal trainer to set you up with a regimen that includes martial arts classes like "cardio kickboxing" or "tae bo".  These aren't fighting arts, but they are good for weight loss.

In a Martial Arts gym, a typical beginner class at any school will be 1 hr per week 2-3 days per week.  This is most definitely not enough for weight loss, especially considering that you will be learning the very basic stances, punches, forms, etc.

A different, but good approach is to join a boxing gym.  You can typically jump in a little quicker, and the initial focus is on cardio training and conditioning...which translates into weight loss.

Whichever you do, you'll need to do long workouts at moderate intensity as opposed to short, intense workouts.  Longer workouts will help you burn fat.  

Diet is not something that is typically addressed in boxing or martial arts gyms, so you'll be on your own there without a personal trainer.

Answer 7

go for it! just join a school, you will either like it or you wont!

Answer 8

Karate requires passion and commitment, which you claim you have. And about the weight benefits, this all depends on what form of Karate you choose. Some of your options are Tai Kwon Do and Ju Jitsu. These are both great for weight loss, and will keep you physically fit. Enjoy your pick, and No Pressure, seriously!

Answer 9

You know what kills me most....We used to understand that "Karate" was for such things as self-control, self-discipline and confidence.  Now all of a sudden some 15 years down the road everyone forgets that these things are still major key points in "Karate".  I say if I were you I'd take the Karate classes/lessons and yes contrary to popular belief "Karate" is good for just such a thing as weight loss as well as many other key physical and mental points that "Karate" is good for having a positive influence on.  "Karate" is "dogged out" these days and I really don't know why man.  Maybe it's the American Fast-Lane crowd and their UFC c**p for all I know, but there's not a d**n thing wrong with "Karate" dude.  "As a matter of fact my very first martial art ever was "Mainland Karate" and I loved every thing about it including it's Katas and the 60 - 40 balance that it seemed took for ever to learn.  My grades improved dramatically, my attitude at home vastly improved and I knew that I was staying fit physically because of Karate's demands.

If I were you I'd take "Karate" and never mind what everyone else says they watch the UFC and think they're Jujitsu masters dude.

Answer 10

take 3-5 1 hr. classes a week and if you dont lose weight at least you'll stay where you are =)

but it also depends on how much they push you

i had to run 5 miles and do 100 pushups, situps, and stepups on benches up t on the steep hills to get my blackbelt.