Martial Art Harmony

Martial arts are a very particular style of “sport” that originated from self-defence and attacking disciplines. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of styles from across the world. Each one originating in their own unique way, location and adaptation. Some of the more popular styles in North America include Karate, Judo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Boxing, Kickboxing, Aikido and Hapkido.

Thanks to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) there’s more and more spotlight falling on different disciplines, most notably is MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Some who have trained in traditional martial arts don’t believe MMA is a true style, but it is effective when it comes to stepping into the cage. However, fighters need to have a well-rounded set of skills before entering the match.

There are some main types of martial arts that can be grouped into unarmed or armed. Obviously, the one that’s unarmed will predominantly focus on strikes with body parts (like feet, hands, knees or elbows). Those that use weapons as their main implement are going to be swordsmanship, archery, kendo, spearsmanship, staff, etc.  

While it’s not necessarily spirituality, many of the eastern martial arts are heavily influenced by Daoism and Zen Buddhism. This helps the mental state of the practitioner become one with the body and react in harmony with itself.

Monks weren’t always martial artists, they mostly focused on spirituality and meditation. However, that left them defenseless and lacking a balance. They began training in martial arts and now it’s commonplace for people to associate monks as practitioners of the arts. They also found many other reasons to incorporate the combative sports into their lifestyle.

Often, meditation is used as a means of learning concentration (among other things) and this aspect of martial arts may or may not be included in classes. Meditation is a way of connecting the mind to the body, and is also being linked to improved immune function.

Artists may find themselves more focused on the skills they’re learning that day, calmer after a stressful situation, and less inclined to act aggressively. In fact, one of the fundamental teachings in traditional martial arts is to avoid fighting. One of martial arts philosophies is to reduce harm and promote peace and harmony, both within and externally.

Remember what Lee said? He told us to be formless, to be like water, and to empty our minds. When this state occurs, we are in a moment of peace and tranquility, we are listening to our bodies and able to be formless, to move like water — which always finds a way.

By practicing martial arts, you’ll find yourself beginning a whole new journey of health and wellness. Because of the impact on practitioners mentally, physically and spiritually, students will come out of classes with more self-discipline. This in turn can help you make better choices, including rest and nutrition.

Because it’s an overall body workout it helps you reach peak physical performance. There’s a reason many athletes choose to cross-train in martial arts. Not to mention, your body is going to work on removing the extra fat storage while building up lean muscle mass. This works in conjunction with the better choices of nutrition to help melt away the extra pounds.

Stress! The internal killer… You’ll find yourself more relaxed after taking a class. Physical exercise also burns off the stress hormone, cortisol. Whether it’s pounding out the frustration on a bag or meditating your way to a state of better understanding, or a combination, that level of stress in your body is going to decline. Training places students in a state of present moment, which helps that tension from the day melt away like ice cream on a hot summer day. The body is also releasing endorphins as it moves, which will increase your mood.