Martial Arts Promote Mental Health and Resilience

Martial arts may evoke thoughts of precision strikes and powerful kicks. These skills are indeed a part of the package. But such physical techniques are really the expression of a much deeper, more meaningful practice.

In reality, the martial arts are about a different kind of power. This artform helps with not only physical health, but with mental health and overall wellness.

Both traditional and mixed martial arts have been shown to help kids stand up to bullies and to help bullies stop being violent. They offer women and men a sense of empowerment, even if they’ve been victims in the past. They’re even shown to help people heal from emotional trauma, and to process pain in ways they may not have been able to otherwise.

It’s clear that feeling better able to defend oneself has obvious benefits. But martial arts are just as important psychologically. Research shows learning these skills can help with self-control, managing emotions, and increasing respect for self and others.

Here’s how martial arts can help you find balance, personal empowerment, flow, and ultimately, resilience. These traits may be learned on the mat, but will stay with you wherever you go.

Balance

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of yin and yang permeates all of nature, including human nature. It refers to a balance of elements, such as power and calm, rest and activity, light and dark. In life, these aspects are the key to a meaningful and peaceful existence. Yin and yang is at the core of martial arts.

Through traditional and modern forms, you can learn to balance stillness with movement, and attack with defense. Understanding the need for both power and acceptance can lead to practical benefits in relationships, career, physical health, and overall wellness.

Empowerment

There’s a perception that strength lies within the tallest, biggest, and most forceful. Martial arts challenges this notion. For example, many women who’ve felt fearful in the past attend classes to learn self-defense. For those looking to feel safer, it’s not just about the moves they learn. It’s about gaining a sense of confidence, ability, and the permission to take charge of one’s own body. In a culture that sometimes teaches that some people are naturally weaker than others, this is vital.

Flow

There’s a concept in martial arts called mushin, also referred to as flow. The flow state is one of complete peace to the point of emptiness. When someone is in the flow, they may lose awareness of time and become entirely at one with the task or moment.

In mushin, someone can let go of resistance and calculation, and simply respond instinctively. These experiences are often reported by top athletes and musicians, but can also be practiced at work and in everyday life. In martial arts you can access the experience of flow, and learn how to find it in other areas of life.

Resilience

Finally, martial arts promote mastery, an important concept in development and psychology. Mastery increases confidence and the ability to deal with difficulties. Feeling able to face and overcome such adversity is called resilience. Since everyone will at least occasionally experience bad times, resilience is ultimately more important than talent, physical ability, or even training and education.

Having the confidence that one can deal with struggles, and even great disappointments, has implications for mental health as well. Disorders such as anxiety and depression are based on negative thought patterns, often inflicted towards the self. Confidence and mastery, in one’s life and perspectives, counters these habits of thought.

The Time is Now

Many people go through life simply reacting to whatever life throws at them. They report feeling stressed, targeted, and hopeless. Reacting, rather than being, goes against the qualities of balance, empowerment, flow, and resilience. Learning these principles helps individuals live at peace with what is, while both accepting and improving the experience of life. If you’d like to learn this different way of living, now is the time to get warmed up.