How martial arts can reduce stress.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored guest post.
There are going to be times where we are going to feel particularly stressed and as women, along with everything else that is stressful we become even more stressed about appearing stressed in our facial features. The mind and body are linked throughout our lives and it becomes an ongoing cycle, therefore we must learn to respect both our emotional and physical needs. Learn to be able to balance ourselves and adapt with our feelings. Experts say that women feel particularly stressed more than men, and this is because more women have a career outside the home and struggle to maintain the perfect wife and mother standards whilst still having a 9-5 job. It is said that the majority of women often spend less time nurturing their own emotional and physical needs because we want to please others. Dealing with stress is the only way to have a healthier and happier lifestyle and martial arts undoubtedly decreases your vulnerability to stress.
It’s incredibly easy to get into and traditional martial art teaches you the spirit of the art and calms your fears. It improves your decision-making and develops your coping mechanism against anxiety and stress. Certain martial arts of the slower forms like Tai Chi will enable you to clear your mind and focus all your physical and mental attention on this practice. Tai Chi is a mixed art that incorporates both soft and hard attributes and through controlled techniques you will learn to focus your breath and by doing this it relaxes your muscles. Tai chi combines movement, meditation and controlled breathing and is a mind-body practice with techniques that move the body slowly, gently and with awareness. This practice can effectively help your digestive system and actually improve how your organs function.
Whilst keeping your body fit and healthy, it will enhance the blood and oxygen flow around your body which creates a sense of well-being both physically and mentally. A calm mind is a key deterrent for stress and this can help to control your thoughts and plan your next move. Other types of combat martial arts that have a high form of cardiovascular practice, such as karate, taekwondo and jiu-jitsu which you can explore more about on Martial Tribes are good stress relievers too. Sometimes there’s nothing more satisfying than punching something. All martial art forms consist of strength training and these can be done through punches, blocks, kicks and sparring which are great for stress reduction. Speed and muscle strength will increase and other benefits will shine! Your body will become more flexible and your mind more focused after just a few sessions.
Martial arts is becoming a popular sport to train and I can see why! Being fun, dynamic and having all the benefits from reducing stress and lowering your tension levels, to becoming more flexible and boosting your immune system. Not to mention having a fantastic toned body in the process of it all. I don’t think there’s another sport out there that can project all these advancements like martial arts can, so for that reason try it out and maybe you will be surprised how life changing it really can be.
Xoxo,
Helen