Let’s talk about something really important today: the mental benefits of taekwondo. A lot of people see martial arts as a purely physical sport…. But it actually requires 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 martial arts and self-defense. Here’s how:
Confidence is a Huge Advantages of Taekwondo
There’s probably an area of your life that you already feel confident in, like how you handle tough situations at work or your ability to be a supportive friend. You might already feel confident in your body and even crush it on the treadmill. But do you feel confident 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 save the lives of 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 is so important. It’s why our mission is to teach everyone in Forest Hills how to defend themselves against an attacker.
It’s not just because it literally saves lives, either: imagine how much more confident you could be if you were 100% certain in your ability to 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 taekwondo.
How These Mental Benefits Change Lives
So we all know confidence is great to have – but why is self-respect important? It’s because once you learn to respect yourself and your body, you begin making better choices. When you decide to take martial arts 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 for a hike with a friend. Then you become 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.
The voice in your head saying “Let’s eat better” or “Go for that run” is finally being heard. Bonus – when you respect yourself, you start to treat others with more kindness and patience 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. It’s kind of great, isn’t it? And it’s all because of this ancient practice we call martial arts.
Confidence & Self Respect – Join Us to Learn More!
We see it 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 their mind to a disrespectful colleague. These aren’t just crazy random happenstances – they happen because martial arts classes build confidence and self-respect. Period. Again, when you respect yourself, you also start to treat yourself better.
You recognize that you can reach new heights in martial arts classes, and you find bravery and confidence within yourself that you never knew you had. Do you see now how the mental benefits of taekwondo 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 martial arts classes, you’re not going to shy away from creating awesomeness in your own life. You feel empowered to make bold decisions in your life, embrace new opportunities, and do the things you never thought you could do. It’s awesome! One last thing.
In the classic mental health sense, the benefits of taekwondo for kids are countless. Staying active, engaging in social communities, and consistently accomplishing new goals each week- these are pieces of the mental health checklist that every martial arts class checks off. Your mood and health can improve tremendously right alongside your mindset.
