ABSOLUTE ASCENDANCY

Commencing operation . . .

Overview

The benefits of undertaking regular martial arts training are vast. I have trained in karate for over two decades and in more recent years; I have branched out into other disciplines such as kickboxing, so I can very much speak from experience. In my honest opinion, everyone should be doing martial arts of some nature. The benefits are vast, and I believe it is a life skill to have the ability to defend yourself. Below I list three benefits for taking up martial arts.

1) Self-Confidence Shoots Through the Roof

Seriously, I live a life with virtually zero fear. I know I am equipped with all the skills and abilities I need to navigate through life’s many obstacles. On the off chance that a challenge beyond my initial capabilities confronts me, I know that for every problem, there is an answer – I just have to find it. Rather than fault finding and blaming others for whatever predicament I am in, I instead seek solutions to find a favourable outcome to the problem.

Having the means to defend yourself will ingrain self-confidence within you like nothing else. You become less fearful and more in control of any situations that may arise. You will also learn discipline and self-restraint if you choose to take the basics further and attend regular martial arts classes. 

I have been fortunate enough to have not had any nasty confrontations on the street or whatever. There have been a couple of occasions where things could have gotten hairy. Still, with a combination of deft diplomacy and standing my ground, I have been able to avoid any potential combat situations from escalating into an actual brawl.

I am free to do as I please; I don’t need to continually look over my shoulder while roaming around at night, nor skulk around in the shadows to avoid drawing attention to myself – okay I do like to do this at times I admit it! I am not afraid of getting attacked on the streets because I rule the streets with an iron fist and a resolve of steel! I can boldly take centre stage without fear. I don’t go looking for trouble, but if it should find me, it will be sorry it did.

2) Promotes Physical, Mental and Spiritual Health

I can’t think of any other activity that covers the three main aspects of your health as effectively as martial arts training. Physical exercise is an obvious benefit to undertaking regular martial arts lessons. It is a full-body workout, so it is fantastic for shredding fat off your body. Doing a thousand crunches a day is less effective than daily martial arts training to burn fat. When you heavily target one area to burn fat, the body will displace fat removal throughout the body, though with less effectiveness than simply working the entire body in the first instance. Not to mention crunches help facilitate the muscle development of your abdomen rather than eliminate the fat from your stomach.

This is why vigorous full-body exercises like martial arts and swimming are so effective at toning your body. The whole body is worked, and the body subsequently converts fat into extra energy throughout your entire body to promote recovery processes, which of course require energy from the body to do! You will become both strong and flexible with the martial arts. This will only benefit you as you age into your later years, as a stable and flexible body is more resilient to the ageing process. You will be able to enjoy your youth for longer.

Physical exercise also promotes mental health. I don’t know about you, but I usually feel pretty uplifted after finishing a workout or training session. Also, there is something damn satisfying at a primal level about striking a punching bag or sparring an opponent of a similar calibre. This might just be a primal urge for men though, the desire to whack something! Us guys can be simple creatures, but I know that there are ladies out there who also enjoy smashing some pads. The Dojo I train at has several ladies classes throughout the week, focusing on pad striking. You can find out more here.

The spiritual side of the equation is where things are not so obviously refined. I don’t mean spiritual in a religious sense but rather in the sense of embracing something greater than yourself. Many martial arts have traditions, certain etiquette, and ceremonial procedures to follow. Integrating myself into these customs has built a sense of spirituality within. Following the opening and closing salutations during each class, bowing in and out when entering and leaving the mats, and showing respect to everyone at the Dojo, especially your training partners. All of these aspects promote a good sense of morality and spirituality within the individual. Training in the martial arts dives you deep into an ancient realm where the techniques you learn were first refined. Think about it. Most martial arts can be traced back a long way through history, and you have the opportunity to become a part of that history, by taking up the arts. It’s pretty mind-blowing when you think about it, at least for me it is.

Martial arts also promote a very humbling attitude among students, especially those new to the arts. I am a beginner at Brazilian Jujitsu, and it very much brings me down to earth when I train in it once a week. There’s no room for ego on the mats, and when you end up getting submitted repeatedly, it is a humbling experience.

3) Improves Focus, Concentration, and Stillness

Despite the highly dynamic nature of martial arts, you will also gain a supremely high level of concentration and calmness within the mind. When performing a Kata, or while sparring an opponent, your mind has to be entirely in the present moment; otherwise, your technique will be sloppy for the former, or you’ll get hit in the face, for the latter. There isn’t any real room for the mind to roam around while undergoing such training within the martial arts. This, in turn, develops stillness within the brain, which is very much needed, especially in today’s hectic and overly connected world.

The amount of focus and concentration required to do a lot of martial arts training is far more significant than pretty much any other venture you would do in day to day life. This means that if you can master the level of mental fortitude required for martial arts, then by logical deduction, you have the mental ability required for everything else in your life. Seems like a damn good benefit to martial arts training to me. The discipline gained through the martial arts has been an invaluable asset for me, to push me onward when times were tough, or I didn’t feel like it.

Conclusion

I believe the best investment is self-investment because the dividends are paid to you until you draw your last breath. When you up-skill yourself, the knowledge and techniques gained, serve you for the rest of your life. No other kind of investment compares to investing in yourself. Martial arts are one of the best self-investments because you immediately gain the perks from the undertaking. The benefits may come to you gradually, but they are instantaneous. As you are training, you receive the boons. This is why I continue to train regularly and will do so until the day I die. Sure, I will have to adapt my training methods as my body ages, but I will be training in some form or manner.

I have paid large sums of money into my training to date, but I do not regret a thing. Perhaps I could have used all of that money to buy a bunch of luxurious possessions, but these things are very much touch and go. All of the training and conditioning that my body and mind have persevered through martial arts will stand by me until the end of my days.

Have I convinced you that martial arts are worthy of undertaking? Have I lit a fire and spurred you to action? Good! You may be wondering which martial art is best suited to your requirements, and this is a topic I intend to cover off very soon, so stay tuned!

Mission complete – Overlord Drakow signing out.