Karate, BJJ, Kickboxing & Fitness
Photo: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Plain-language guides to karate, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing and fitness
For beginners, parents and everyone who trains
Martial arts can strengthen whole communities. Good training leads the way on healthy lifestyles and on bullying and harassment prevention, and it teaches principles and behaviour that build skills and character.
That is why we write for every age, from the three-year-old in their first class to the adult who wants to start Brazilian jiu-jitsu at forty.
| Art | What you do | Great for | Start here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karate | Punches, kicks, blocks, kata and point sparring | Discipline, flexibility, children from about 5 | Karate 8yrs + |
| Brazilian jiu-jitsu | Grappling, positions, chokes and joint locks | Problem-solvers, smaller people, self-defence | Adults BJJ |
| Kickboxing | Boxing plus kicks; knees and elbows in Muay Thai | Fitness, stress relief, stand-up fighting | Kickboxing |
| Kids' classes | Games, basics, stripe belts, controlled sparring | Confidence, focus, bullying prevention | Kids 3 – 8yrs |
Short, playful movement classes that build balance, coordination and listening. No sparring, lots of games.
Real basics, simple kata and stripe belts graded a couple of times a term, so there is always a goal in sight.
A full syllabus with partner work, controlled sparring, optional competitions and grappling. Active all-rounders from about seven also love obstacle racing.
Most people who train also watch fights. On a big UFC or boxing weekend those two things meet: a fan who knows what a failed takedown or a heavy leg kick means sees the fight more clearly than the odds board sometimes does.
Our Fight Night section explains how UFC and MMA odds work, boxing markets by method and round, live betting between rounds and the story of Las Vegas casino fight nights.
Simple snacks that fuel children for after-school martial arts classes: a fruit and nut plate, banana oat muffins and cheese with crackers, plus timing tips and what to pack.
Three recovery dinners for martial artists: a chicken, rice and vegetable bowl, tuna and bean pasta and a red lentil chilli, plus what to eat after training and why fight week is different.
Dynamic and static stretches that make high kicks easier and safer: what to do before and after training, which muscles matter, how long splits take and mistakes to avoid.
How in-play betting works for boxing, MMA and kickboxing: when markets open and suspend, what to watch in round one, how knockdowns and cuts move prices and how to keep discipline.
How combat athletes build fitness for boxing, kickboxing and MMA rounds: work-to-rest intervals, aerobic base, strength, the beep test, recovery and why cardio decides late rounds.
Obstacle course racing is a great fitness goal for children aged seven and up. What kids' races involve, the skills to train, a backyard circuit and how it complements martial arts.
