Universal Taekwondo Federation

'Psychological Benefits of Martial Arts' by Davinia North

All sports have many psychological benefits whether it be at an Olympic Level where the sense of achievement and life long ambitions can be met, or a five year old child swimming their first 25metres. Martial Arts is no different however, being a form of self defence the increase in belief that you can defend yourself must be one of its greatest psychological benefits. This essay is going to look at what psychological benefits you get from many sports but specifically Martial Arts.

The benefits from exercise are unquestionable, not only is it physiologically beneficial as it has been proven to reduce the risk of many diseases like Cardiovascular Disease, it can also better weight control and enhance functioning of the metabolic, endocrine and immune systems. All these factors indirectly have psychological benefits as if someone is healthy they are almost certainly to be in higher spirits than if they are ill. More direct psychological benefits include reduced tension, depression and increased self-esteem. So does Martial Arts coincide with these benefits that exercise is supposed to enhance. Some forms of Martial Arts like Tae Kwon Do are highly physical with a great deal of contact, the need for fast reactions, flexibility and little hesitation is vital making it a sport not for the weak hearted. This therefore limits to certain extent who can actually get involved in the sport, however for the people that are physically strong enough to take part in the sport the psychological benefits mentioned earlier are extremely relevant.

One of the largest psychological benefits which is more specific to Martial Arts is Self-confidence, as within today's society the threat of being attacked from other people is forever rising, whether it be walking down a street or in a public house. Therefore being prepared to be able to handle these situations is an ever increasing need. That does not mean in any argument you should automatically start throwing punches, Martial Arts is a controlled sport with ranks for ability and this should not be misused. However the psychological benefit of having the self-confidence will always enhance your performance, "when you feel confident, you are more likely remain calm and relaxed under pressure". (Weinberg & Gould, 1999). This is extremely important as it helps to keep the situation under control, as the state of the body is aggressive as well as assertive. Confidence also enables you to worry less about the situation around you and concentrate more on what is happening. However being a black belt in Martial Arts may lead to overconfidence, this is where they take their ability for granted and as a result may end up with them being injured.

Martial Arts is a discipline involving the whole body as it concentrates the mind as well as conditioning the physique. It is a form of escapism as you focus on the moves you are making. When the physical and mental state are as one and the they control the same movement, the bodies muscles will be in their entirety and the mental state will benefit. Learning how to control your movement into a fluid and adaptable motion will also benefit other areas of your life, such as the ability to understand one's own mind better. It has also been proven from studies that "exercise appears to be associated with positive changes in mood states and reductions in anxiety and depression". (Weinberg &Gould, 1999). It is not fair to rule out that this exercise has to be aerobic exercise as activities such as weight or strength training are also beneficial however, aerobic exercise seems to maximise these positive effects on mood and psychological state. As Martial Arts involves in high aerobic exercise where the activity of the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems are increased, it is fair to say that it is a sport that should involve these psychological benefits.

Other psychological benefits of Martial Arts are that it is a great controlled way to release aggression, that builds up through the day. As it gives you an immense feeling of power which may be lacking in your everyday life, this leads to you being more relaxed after you have finished. However, not all forms of Martial Arts involve physical contact Tai Chi is a form generally undertaken purely for relaxation purposes, in order to allow the mind and body to release its build up of tension. This is also an effective way to meet friends and socialize as they are often done in parks involving walking either as a warm up or warm down in order to help prepare the body. Meeting people in a relaxed atmosphere is a great way to stimulate relationships which are psychologically beneficial to the mind.

It is clear that Martial Arts is extremely psychologically beneficial, not only does it make you physically stronger, it is also a fantastic way to increase your self-confidence, in everyday situations even if it is as simple as carrying out conversations with colleagues in a business meeting. If you feel good within yourself this will automatically come across in your aura. Martial Arts also has its non-physical side, mainly based on relaxation which is extremely important in today's society, this is being shown more and more as the popularity of sports like Tai Chi and Yoga are forever increasing.

References:

* Weinberg, R.S. & Gould, D. (1999). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Champagne IL: Human Kinetics.
* Aitken, V. & Jellicoe, H. (1996). Behavioural Sciences for Health Professionals. London: Saunders Company Ltd.

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