Let’s talk about something really important today- mental benefits of martial arts. Most people see martial arts as a purely physical sport…. But there’s a lot of mental stamina and self talk required to really knock it out of the park. We help hundreds of people in our Active Jiu Jitsu 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 do you feel confident in your ability to protect yourself? If it came down to it, 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 the Spring Branch & Westchase community how to defend themselves against an attacker. It’s not just because it literally saves lives, either: imagine how much more confident you could be if you were 100% certain in your ability to handle any physical situation that came your way. That knowledge of self defense would just be one more thing for you to hang your hat on. It’s a huge mental benefit of martial arts.
Self-Respect: A Little-Known Benefit
So confidence is important, yes – but why is self respect important? It’s because once you learn to respect yourself and your body, you start to make better choices. Once you start taking 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 take a walk in the afternoon or finally making time for a hike with a friend. This just makes you even more confident because you’re doing right by your body, you have more energy to do things that benefit you, and you feel in alignment with your best self. That little conscience in your head guiding your decisions is finally being heard.
Another thing – 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 understood, and then they pass that feeling on to others… and there’s a compound effect in the community. And then the world becomes a better place. It’s all because of this ancient practice we call martial arts.
How these Mental Benefits Change Lives
We see it all the time – a new student will come in to start training, and within months, they’ll get promoted at work. Or negotiate a higher salary. They may even get the courage to ask someone out on a date. Or speak up for themselves in an unhealthy friendship. These aren’t just crazy random happenstances – they happen because martial arts classes build confidence and self respect. Plain and simple. 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.
Are you starting to see how the mental benefits of martial arts can really change your life? Just these two benefits- the mix of self respect and confidence- can help you realize that other people’s judgments can only get to you if you let them. When YOU know you’re awesome because you’re kicking major butt in your martial arts classes, you’re not afraid to confidently create awesomeness in your own life. You take risks, 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, maintaining a fulfilling social life, achieving new goals each week- these are the basic building blocks of mental health that martial arts classes can provide. 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 taking your workout to the next level, learning a life-saving skill and transforming into a more confident person sounds good to you, come by the studio and see these benefits in action. Check out our Active Jiu Jitsu Adult Martial Arts classes that Spring Branch & Westchase is raving about – you’ll love them.