The physical benefits incorporated with martial arts are numerous, but have you ever considered the even longer list of mental benefits? Karate connects deeply with a balance of both the body and the mind. When it comes to improving one’s mental health, the balance is no different.

Douvris Martial Arts is a mindfulness forward dojo. We aim to improve one’s mental health daily through combating stress, incorporating physical exercise, and working to improve self-esteem.

Relieving Stress With Martial Arts

From the minds of senseis to students, stress and martial arts always go hand in hand. Martial arts has a unique way of tackling stress in two ways: one, through the mindful focus and calmness needed to excel in the art, and two, through the physical action of releasing stress through a series of movements. Most commonly, martial arts relieve stress through deep breathing, the implementation of stress meditations, and the concept of kata.

Stress Relief Through Deep Breathing

In martial arts, it is believed that much of one’s energy, focus, and calmness can be directly attributed to proper breathing. Taught in the dojo and often referred to as a sense of meditation, this simple process can incredibly affect how one performs in their art and life. Beyond the successes in the dojo, this transferable skill also directly affects one’s overall mental health. Deep breathing practices are also used as a technique to reduce levels of stress and anxiety. Although you may not realize it, by implementing this into your sessions at the dojo, you are working on your mental health at the same time.

Stress Relief and the Mind

Mindfulness is a key component of our dojo culture. The ability to be in control and in touch with one’s mind significantly affects one’s level of experience in the dojo. Our teachers complement many of our sessions with stress meditation and mindfulness training.

Stress Relief and Kata

Another element that follows closely alongside martial arts is kata practice. Kata is a Japanese word that directly translates to ‘form’ or ‘direction’. However, in a much deeper sense, this refers to the fundamental movements of martial arts.

Maintaining a proper practice of kata requires a deep level of concentration and focus, which can typically only be achieved with a calm mindset. With calmness comes focus, and with focus comes kata, which helps to maintain a clear and calm sense of mind.

Physical Exercise

Inviting physical exercise into your life is a near sure-fire way to improve your mental health. This is where endorphins come into play. If you are unfamiliar with the process, endorphins are released when your body gets moving. These are like little positivity triggers that float through the brain. They’re known to give you a buzz along the way and help improve your overall mental health.

In addition, physical exercise improves one’s physical health. With physical health comes visual progress. The ability to see one’s goals being achieved can be key to one’s sense of confidence.

Increasing self-esteem through martial arts as a whole is very structured and achievement-based. Both externally, physically, and more importantly, mentally. Much of one’s success refers to how one approaches situations in one’s mind. Oftentimes, students can achieve their goals long before they do; they just need the confidence to try and try again.

All of this stems from one’s self-esteem. Self-esteem paints a different picture for everyone, but the beauty is that the painting is never finished. Embarking on challenges that help one master new techniques and achieve new levels is an incredible way to boost inner self-esteem. Some common ways that this is achieved in the dojo are:

• Through the growth and achievements of belt ranks.
• Mastery of skills, sensei leadership, and student repetition can allow one to develop new skills that one can then confidently use in the dojo.
• With age and experience, students naturally achieve internal self-esteem without realizing it as they become more familiar with martial arts over time.

Final Notes

Martial arts’ physical benefits are easy to see, but it is always important to be aware of the many more mental benefits as well. Incorporating the proper balance that martial arts brings into your life can be a key factor in improving mental health. You can read more about our martial arts programs here.

Please note this article is based on our thoughts and has not been formally approved by a healthcare or fitness professional.