Let’s talk about something really important today- mental benefits of martial arts. A lot of people see martial arts as a purely physical sport…. But it actually requires a lot of mental stamina and self talk. We help hundreds of people in our Amerikick Princeton community become confident and proud of who they are through the power of martial arts and self defense. Here’s how:
Confidence is a Huge Advantage of Martial Arts
Chances are high 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 you absolutely had to, would you know how to defend yourself against an attacker? Would you know how to protect the people you love?
These are scary questions, but they’re necessary, and fear can sometimes motivate you to act appropriately- nothing worse than 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 our mission is to teach EVERYONE in Lawrenceville 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 positive that you could handle any physical situation that came your way. Knowing how to keep yourself safe 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? Well, once you learn to respect yourself and your body, you start to make 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. Then you become even more confident because you’re doing right by your body, you have more energy to do things you love, 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 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
Picture this – 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 are not coincidences – 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 see how you can reach new heights in martial arts classes, and you gain a bravery and confidence you never knew you had.
Do you see now 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 the value you place on other people’s judgments is worth less than how it feels to respect yourself. 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 feel empowered to take risks, embark on exciting new adventures, and do the things you never thought you could do. It’s awesome!
One last thing. In the classic mental health sense, the benefits of martial arts are countless. 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 biggest advantages 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 Amerikick Princeton Adult Martial Arts classes that Lawrenceville is raving about- you’ll love them: Kickboxing
