Did you know that there are mental benefits of kickboxing aside from feeling amazing after a workout? Most people see kickboxing as a purely physical sport but to be successful at it, you need quite a bit of mental stamina and self-talk. We help hundreds of people in our STRIKING 101 community build confidence and self-respect through the power of kickboxing and self-defense. Here’s how:
Confidence is a Huge Advantage of Kickboxing
It’s likely that you already feel confident in one area of your life- your job, your role as a parent, or your studies, for example. You might already feel confident in your body and even crush it on the treadmill.
But how confident do you feel in your ability to protect yourself? If it came down to it, would you know how to defend yourself against an attacker? Would you know how to protect the people you love?
Self-Respect: A Little-Known Benefit
These questions are not fun, but you know what’s less fun- not knowing self-defense in an emergency and wishing you did! Learning self-defense to keep yourself and the people you love safe from harm is so important. It’s why we have the goal of teaching everyone in the Forest Hills community how to defend themselves against an attacker.
It’s not just because ly saves lives, either: imagine how much more confident you could be if you were positive that you could handle any physical situation that came your way. Knowing how to keep yourself safe would just be one more thing for you to hang your hat on. It’s a huge mental benefit of kickboxing.
How These Mental Benefits Change Lives
So we all want to be confident people – but why is self-respect important? Well, once you learn to respect yourself and your body, you start to make better choices. When you decide to take kickboxing classes, you may notice you feel more energized. You may start to want to eat healthier and think, “My body doesn’t feel so great when I eat pizza- maybe I’ll choose a salad tonight instead.”
You may also find yourself wanting to take a walk in the afternoon or finally making time to teach your kid how to play soccer. This just makes you even more confident because you’re doing what’s right for you, you have more energy to do things you love, and you feel in alignment with your best self. That little conscience in your head guiding your decisions is finally being heard.
Another thing – when you respect yourself, you start to treat others with more kindness and empathy because you see and respect them, too. This makes others more confident because they feel your kindness, and then they pass that feeling on to others… and there’s a compound effect in the community. And then the world becomes a better place. It’s all because of this ancient practice we call kickboxing.
Confidence & Self Respect- Join Us to Learn More!
This happens all the time – a new student will come in to start training, and within months, they’ll get promoted at work. Or negotiate a better salary. They may even get the courage to ask someone out on a date. Or speak up for themselves in an unhealthy friendship.
These are not coincidences – they happen because kickboxing classes build confidence and self-respect. Period. When you respect yourself, you also start to respect other aspects of your life as well.
You begin realizing that you deserve better treatment from others, professionally and personally, and you find the bravery within to stand up for what you want. Do you see now how the mental benefits of kickboxing can seriously change your life? Just these two benefits- the mix of self-respect and confidence- can help you realize that other people’s judgments can’t touch you.
When you know how awesome you are because you’re kicking major butt in your kickboxing classes, you’re not afraid to confidently create awesomeness in your own life. You feel empowered to take risks, embark on exciting new adventures, and do the things you never thought you could do. It’s awesome!
Okay, one more thing. In terms of textbook mental health, kickboxing provides serious benefits. Staying active, being a part of a community, consistently accomplishing new goals each week- these are pieces of the mental health checklist that every kickboxing class checks off. Your mood and health can improve tremendously right alongside your mindset.
