There are often misconceptions about the ultimate goals and
benefits of martial arts. One of these misconceptions is that martial arts is
about fighting. At its core, nothing could be further from the truth. Martial
artists, as a whole, are not generally people who are looking to fight. In
fact, many martial artists never even enter into combat competitions or
tournaments.
Training in the martial arts offers many profound benefits. One
of the ultimate benefits of martial arts is that it generally helps people to
create and build better versions of themselves, becoming better men and women,
and even better moms and dads. Most people who train in the martial arts are
quick to tell you that their sport claims a big role in helping them grow be
more patient, dedicated, helpful, and aware human beings. Martial artists tend
be the people who end up diffusing situations and prefer to find ways to avoid
fights altogether. They certainly aren’t looking for opportunities to fight.
As far as personal development goes, martial arts is possibly the
best way to put yourself continually on the path of improvement and
development. From the get-go, you will find that your patience is constantly
challenged. Whether it be a move that your body just doesn’t seem to want to
do, a position or pose that you are working to hold for a period of time, or
even just the simple path of progressing through a belt system, patience is an
important aspect of martial arts. Without it, you cannot find success. As you
develop patience through martial arts, you will find that it pours over into
the rest of your life, as well.
Martial arts will also help you to be more aware. Awareness is a
key component in personal development and growth, as well as for bettering
yourself as an overall person. Awareness is developed as you learn to control
your mind and body connections, as you move around or even spar with another
person, or as you learn to interact with people from all backgrounds, ranks,
and genders. Becoming a more aware person will help you in your daily
interaction with others, including your family, neighbors, and co-workers.
Martial arts is the perfect sport to encourage growth in this area.
If you’ve ever struggled with dedication over the long haul,
martial arts is the sport to help you grow in this area, as well. Sometimes it
can be difficult to stick to hard things over a period of time. It’s easy to
want to quit, and our culture has even made it easy for us to quit. Our
relationships, be it with our spouse, children, friends, or extended family,
are well worth the effort of solid dedication. Martial arts has a unique way of
teaching the benefits of practicing dedication. As you progress in your skill
set and through the belts, you can see a visual representation of the affects
your dedication is creating.
Martial arts is not about fighting. If you were to ask any
martial artist, you would hear an incredible assortment of benefits found
through the sport. The fact that the goal of martial arts is to better yourself
as a person is one of the best reasons to join a martial art and begin
practicing and training. If you are looking to grow as a person and become the
best version of yourself, be sure to look into joining martial arts.