“5 Life-Changing Values Martial Arts Will Instill In You”

“5 Life-Changing Values Martial Arts Will Instill In You”

I believe that martial arts is a gift to the world. It teaches us so many things about life and how things work, it’s no wonder why many people turn to martial arts to give them direction and purpose.

Along with those tireless days and nights in the gym, when we spend hours upon hours honing our craft and practicing our techniques until we have them perfect, we learn many great lessons. It takes a special kind of determination to be a real martial artist. The strengths and positive traits we pick during our training journey stay with us throughout our lives.

Yes, the physical endeavor is rigorous and demanding, but it is equally important to recognize that on our journey, we are set to learn the true essence of our discipline. By the time we are skilled enough to call ourselves real martial artists, we will have been imbued with martial arts’ true values.

Today, I share 5 Life-Changing Values Martial Arts Will Instill In You.

1) Continuous self-improvement

Martial arts comes with a strong drive towards continuous self-improvement. It doesn’t matter whether you are a martial arts novice, or you have years of experience under your belt. There is always room for improvement.

You can make your punches a bit shorter, your stance a little narrower. You can improve your form, or rid yourself of bad habits. Technique takes years of practice to master, and even some of the most experienced martial artists have yet to perfect their skills.

And it isn’t just the physical aspect that real martial artists strive to consistently enhance. A large portion of martial arts is developing the mind and the spirit. This is done through constant meditation, improvement of focus, and developing a more positive outlook on life.

There are so many aspects of our lives that we can improve, and it isn’t limited to just work in the gym. In every minute of our daily lives, we can show the world what it means to be a real martial artist by striving to give a hundred per cent of ourselves in everything we do.

2) The value of loyalty

Loyalty is a value that is often lost upon us in this day and age. It is one of the most important qualities that an individual can have.

Be it in romantic relationships, at the workplace, in friendship, or at the martial arts gym, loyalty is incredibly hard to come by. We should all make loyalty a top priority by staying true to ourselves and respecting our colleagues and superiors.

In the martial arts gym, loyalty plays a big role in a harmonious environment. Every day, we work with people that place their trust in our hands. It is up to us to cultivate that trust and transform it into an unbreakable bond between people. It is often said, that if we give loyalty, loyalty is what we receive in return.

In the gym, when we are loyal to people and give them the due amount of respect, they, in turn, will invest in our well-being and personal development. This is important because part of being a successful martial artist means we have to look to others to help us reach our highest potential.

3) Perseverance and a never give up attitude

The greatest structures in the history of the world weren’t built in a day. A baby requires nine months of constant care and attention before it can be born healthy and even more years before the baby is grown into a respectful human being. Carbon particles and minerals take millions of years before they develop into diamonds.

You get the idea. The greatest things in life are never rushed. They are cultivated through consistent hard work and perseverance. You may be at a time in your life right now that isn’t where you imagined yourself to be.

But before we reach that level of self-accomplishment, everyone has to go through various trials and tribulations. Perseverance and a never-give-up attitude can help us reach our end-goal.

Throughout our martial arts training, we learn the value of perseverance because we constantly push ourselves to the limit, discovering our potential and exploring what we are capable of. It is an amazing feeling at the end of the day to be able to say we have conquered the challenges set before us.

4) Respect for life and the ability to protect it

Martial arts imparts us with many great things, not the least of which is the ability to physically protect ourselves and those around us. Through martial arts, we are given the power of self-defense, to use whenever the need arises. Yet along with this great power, comes great responsibility.

When we learn martial arts, we gain an uncompromised respect for life and an ability to protect it. We are empowered with self-confidence and are taught a great deal about respecting others’ choices. In turn, we unconsciously allow the people around us to shine, bettering our own lives as well as those we love.

Self-defense is an incredible skill to possess and one that every human being has a basic right to. Through martial arts training, we learn the essential skills necessary for self-defense, and as a result, we must then treat our power with respect and responsibility.

5) Discipline and self-control

Last but not least, martial arts instills in us unwavering discipline and self-control.

To be successful in life, we must be disciplined. Whether it is sticking to our diet and exercise routine to achieve our health and fitness goals, or going to school and giving a hundred per cent of our effort to studying and learning, or putting in the hours necessary at our workplace to accomplish our tasks. It takes an extraordinary amount of self-control to be able to achieve our goals.

The most successful people in life exhibit discipline on a daily basis. The same can be said about martial arts training. Without discipline, we are not able to maximize the full benefits of martial arts.

Discipline is vital to everything around us. It brings structure and stability to our lives. Without it, everything would be in complete chaos. In the martial arts gym, we maintain discipline by listening to our elders and instructors who have more experience and can impart with us the knowledge that we need to continue on our path to greatness.

Remaining disciplined is essential to becoming a real martial artist.

If you’re at a point in life where you are looking for ways to level up and grow as a person, martial arts is for you. Take the plunge and try out martial arts today!

Rich