Karate is a martial art technique that not only teaches an effective system of self defence, it also has incredible benefits for the body and mind. Karate workouts are full body workouts that benefit everything from your heart health, to your coordination and reflexes, to your mental strength. You’ll learn how to punch, kick, block, and strike, all while gaining confidence in every area of your life. Looking to get into karate? Here are five beginner karate workouts for women, plus benefits and essentials you need to know!
What Is Karate?
Karate is a weaponless martial art that was invented in Japan and emphasizes offensive and defensive techniques for self defence. It uses all parts of the body as a weapon, including the hand, fist, elbow, leg, and knee. Karate practice is divided into three different categories:
- Kihon (‘basics’ including stances, blocks, punches, strikes, and kicks)
- Kata (choreographed pattern of martial arts movements)
- Kumite (sparring)
Karate has a coloured belt (or ranking) system that allows students to set goals and measure their progress. As they progress in physical and technical ability, each component becomes more advanced, giving them a new challenge to take on. As they reach their black belt, their technique, speed, and coordination all become natural.
As well as being an effective system of self defence, karate is also an amazing source of exercise that promotes a number of life skills and values. It tones the body, develops coordination, quickens reflexes, and builds stamina. It also benefits your mental health, building confidence, developing composure, and helping you gain a clearer thought process.
What Are the Benefits of Karate?
1. Self defence skills- it’s important for women to know basic self defence skills. Karate can help prepare you if you’re ever in a situation where there’s a real threat. You’ll learn the tools and techniques to defend yourself and react quickly in dangerous situations.
2. Full body workout- karate combines cardio, endurance training, and muscle toning while burning fat. It can quickly transform your body as a training session consists of non-stop punching, kicking, blocking, dodging, and moving.
3. Heart health- karate exercises get your blood pumping and put demand on your heart, which will improve your heart health. It works on major muscle groups of the body, and will increase your oxygen intake. Due to its similarity to HIIT, it can also lower cholesterol, and provide more regulated blood sugar and insulin levels, improving your heart health overall.
4. Improve coordination and reflexes- as you become more experienced in karate, more movements and techniques will require greater general coordination as well as hand-eye coordination. You’ll significantly improve your reflexes not only when practicing, but in everyday activities like driving.
5. Builds strength and power- karate builds functional strength, power, and muscular endurance. It consists of repetitive muscular training and much of it requires you to stand in a horse stance while throwing punches for an extended period. This leads to increased power by strengthening the glutes, quads, core, and shoulders.
6. Increased confidence- practicing, improving, and succeeding at a skill helps build confidence. It improves self-image and gives you the confidence that you can succeed in other areas and ventures.
Karate Starter Routines for Women
1. Karate Basics for Beginners (Follow-Along Lesson) | Goju Ryu Karate Centre
If you’re a beginner to karate and want to learn the basics, this is the tutorial to start with. This follow-along lesson will help you learn the fundamentals of punching, blocking, and kicking, as well as a very short kata (sequence of karate moves) to pull it all together. This video is great for anyone who is new to karate, and is a must before you move on to the other tutorials listed.
2. Karate Workout: 30 Minute Full Body Session | Karate Training
This 30 minute full body karate session will have you burning calories and building strength! You’ll do a range of exercises and karate moves like punches, kicks, and blocks. They demonstrate the right technique so you can get the moves down pat. It’s a non-stop workout that will have you breaking a sweat in no time. Wear your fitness watch to see how hard you’re working and how many calories you burn!
3. 24 Min Tabata Karate Workout – Real Time Training | TEAM KI
This tabata karate workout consists of six different sets of exercises. It will get your heart rate up, teach you technique, and burn calories. If you haven’t done karate before, it may take some time to get the moves down, but feel free to pause the video until you get the technique, and then move into the exercises. You’ll definitely get your cardio up with this one!
4. Karate HIIT/Tabata Full Body Workout – High Intensity Interval Training | OCIGK Goju Ryu Karate
Ready to break a sweat? This karate-inspired HIIT/tabata workout is suitable for both beginner and advanced students. It features level one for beginners, level two for intermediate, and level three for advanced workouts (just follow one of the three instructors). The video starts with a warm up and stretching, and you get a two minute rest between set one and two. You’ll be burning calories, and working your arms, legs, core, and shoulders. It also includes plyometrics and muscle endurance for a killer full body workout!
5. Karate Workout: 15 Min Complete Kihon Class | Karate Training
This 15 minute workout features non-stop movement, so it is amazing for your cardio and getting your heart pumping. From lunges to leg raises, and roundhouse kicks, you’ll be continuously working with amazing technique. This workout is great if you’re short on time and need a quick workout, or you can add it on to a cardio workout like a run or bike!
If you’re interested in getting into karate, these workouts and tips will help you build your technique and get your heart rate up!
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