The Best Full Body Martial Arts Workout

Martial arts provide both self-defense skills and physical conditioning, and they all burn virtually the same amount of calories — 590 per hour if you’re 130 pounds and 930 if you’re 205 pounds — according to NutriStrategy. But if you want the best full-body workout, go for a routine that will have you doing the widest variety of moves, including striking, kicking and grappling, says James Dolmage, 45-year martial arts veteran and author of "Modern Martial Arts". And that combination only comes from the modern approach commonly called mixed martial arts.

  1. Mix of Disciplines

    • MMA includes grappling, but UFC-style brutality isn't required.

      If the term “mixed martial arts” brings up visions of brutal fighting, as seen in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, you’re not alone. UFC was instrumental in developing this combat style, and is closely associated with it. But it really just means a mix of martial arts disciplines, says Dolmage, whether you choose to fight or just get in great shape. Like kickboxing, MMA involves standing and striking techniques from disciplines like karate, muay thai and boxing. However, MMA also adds grappling and ground-fighting to the mix, from sports like jiu jitsu and judo.

    Well-Rounded Workout

    • The variety of kicks build muscle and provide cardio conditioning.

      Training in mixed martial arts allows you to work the upper body by practicing blocks, strikes and punches from karate and boxing, while kicks and boxing footwork conditions the lower body. Muay thai, or Thai kickboxing, uses the entire body — including all “8 limbs” as they say in Thailand — by introducing knees and elbows to standard striking and kicking techniques. And then the spin kicks, hook kicks and jump kicks that come from karate, hapkido and taekwondo allow the MMA student to build more muscles, more coordination, more endurance and more fitness than any single discipline, says Dolmage. High, fast kicking is also the best cardio workout available, he claims, while grappling is great for overall conditioning.

    Self-Defense Skills

    • MMA training also gives you confidence and life-saving skills.

      A martial arts workout is one of the few exercise regimens where you’re not just getting in shape, but learning a valuable life-saving skill: self-defense. Mixed martial arts provides the most well-rounded fighting skill, as the UFC discovered in its early years; the competition was originally meant “to determine the most effective martial art for unarmed combat situations,” reads the official website, but fighters soon learned that they needed to learn additional disciplines to be truly competitive. As they blended styles into what’s now called mixed martial arts, their skill sets became more encompassing and balanced. Similarly, when you have MMA training under your belt, you will feel confident and empowered in a range of potentially frightening situations.

    Sports Conditioning

    • UFC's Randy Couture trains NFL players in MMA.

      MMA also provides full-body conditioning and increased flexibility to pro athletes in other sports including lacrosse and football. The Houston Texans’ Brian Cushing — NFL’s 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year — as well as Minnesota defense Jared Allen, Green Bay Packer linebacker Clay Matthews, San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis, Arizona quarterback Matt Leiner and other NFL players have all cross-trained in mixed martial arts. So have several key members of the Edmonton Rush lacrosse team. Fox TV sports reporter and MMA aficionado Jay Glazer and his partner, UFC star Randy Couture, have been instrumental in orchestrating this kind of training, and the athletes have repeatedly talked about its benefits. Allen reported getting in the best shape of his life while his “core strength and cardio went through the roof,” and Cushing said “I feel like I’m a lot more mentally tough and I have a lot more physical capabilities.”