Two practices that often come up when one or the other is mentioned are martial arts and meditation. Though they may seem wildly different from one another — a physical practice of strikes and grappling vs. a still and solitary practice — they actually have much more in common than one might think.
A Practice of Focus and Concentration
Both martial arts and meditation require those practicing them to work on their focus and concentration. Though this is obvious of meditation, a clear mind and sharpened focus are vital to martial arts, as well. Those who practice one often find themselves more capable when attempting the other, as the similar mental aspects oftentimes have the same result.
It All Takes Practice
In order to get better, students of martial arts must spend time on the mat, learning and applying the skills that they’ve been taught, as well as making mistakes and growing from them. The same applies to meditation. If you want to meditate more effectively, it takes a certain amount of practice and devotion to reach a point that it becomes second nature.
A New Mentality
Whether it’s martial arts or meditation, the mental benefits of either have been shown to lead to better concentration when it comes to focusing at work or school. Though these two certainly complement each other, either one should be adopted in order to increase focus, properly manage stress, and reduce anxiety through physical and mental means.
If you’re looking to find out more about the mental benefits of a martial arts program, contact us at Karate Families today. We have programs for both kids and adults that have been shown to provide a clearer mindset in a work or school environment, and we can support our students in achieving better results on and off of the mat.
