Did you know that there are mental benefits of martial arts aside from feeling amazing after a workout? A lot of people see martial arts as a purely physical sport…. But to be successful at it, you need quite a bit of mental stamina and self talk. We help hundreds of people in our Karate International community transform into their best versions of themselves through the power of martial arts and self defense. Here’s how:
Confidence is a Huge Advantage of Martial Arts
It’s likely that you already feel confident in one area of your life- your job, your role as a parent, or your studies, for example. You might already feel confident in your body and even crush it on the treadmill.
But how confident do you feel in your ability to protect yourself? If push really came to shove (literally), would you know how to defend yourself against an attacker? Would you know how to save the lives of the people you love?
These questions are not fun, but you know what’s less fun- not knowing self defense in an emergency and wishing you did! Learning how to protect yourself and the people you love is so important. It’s why we have the goal of teaching EVERYONE in West Raleigh how to defend themselves against an attacker.
It’s not just because it saves lives, either: imagine how much more confident you could be if you were positive that you could handle any physical situation that came your way. That knowledge of self defense would just be one more thing for you to feel confident about. It’s a huge mental benefit of martial arts.
Self-Respect: A Little-Known Benefit
So we all want to be confident people – but why is self respect important? Because once you learn to respect yourself and your body, you begin making better choices. When you decide to take martial arts classes, you may notice you feel more energized.
You may start to want to eat healthier and think, “My body doesn’t feel so great when I eat pizza- maybe I’ll choose a salad tonight instead.” You may also find yourself wanting to bike instead of drive up the street or finally making time for a hike with a friend.
This just makes you even more confident because you’re doing what’s right for you, you have more energy to do things that benefit you, and you feel in alignment with your best self. The voice in your head saying “Let’s eat better” or “Go for that run” is finally being heard.
Also, and this is huge – when you respect yourself, you start to treat others with more kindness and humility because you see and respect them, too. This makes OTHERS more confident because they feel your kindness, and then they pass that feeling on to others… and there’s a compound effect in the community. Magic? We think so. And it’s all because of this ancient practice we call martial arts.
How these Mental Benefits Change Lives
This happens all the time – a new student will come in to start training, and within months, they’ll get a promotion. Or negotiate a higher salary. They may even find the courage to ask someone on a date. Or speak their mind to a disrespectful colleague.
These things don’t just happen out of the blue – they happen because martial arts classes build confidence and self respect. Period. When you respect yourself, you also start to respect other aspects of your life as well. You start to realize that you deserve better treatment from others, professionally and personally, and you find the courage to stand up for what you want.
Do you see now how the mental benefits of martial arts can seriously change your life? Just these two benefits- the mix of self respect and confidence- can help you realize that other people’s judgments can’t touch you.
When YOU know how awesome you are because you’re kicking major butt in your martial arts classes, you’re not going to shy away from creating awesomeness in your own life. You make bold decisions in your life, embrace new opportunities, and do the things you never thought you could do. It’s awesome!
One last thing. In terms of textbook mental health, martial arts provides serious benefits. Staying active, engaging in social communities, consistently accomplishing new goals each week- these are pieces of the mental health checklist that every martial arts class checks off. Your mood and health can improve tremendously right alongside your mindset.
Confidence & Self Respect- Join Us to Learn More!
So, to conclude- some of the best benefits of martial arts classes are the improvement of your mental health, the boost in your confidence and the surge in your self respect. If these benefits sound pretty good to you, come by our studio. See for yourself how martial arts can change your life. Check out our Karate International Adult Martial Arts classes that West Raleigh is raving about- you’ll love them: