3 Benefits of Martial Arts Training In the First Year

Many people are drawn to martial arts for the physical fitness component, which makes sense. But they quickly discover that martial arts training really isn’t just about fitness. It’s an entire lifestyle. That’s because so many of the things you learn on the mat apply so beautifully off the mat. And the thing about a lifestyle is you tend to stick with it over the long-term, which often pays off. Here are three benefits of martial arts training in the first year.

Establishing Healthy New Habits

It’s not always easy to avoid bad habits. Whether it’s an unhealthy diet, too much stress, not enough sleep, too much alcohol, not enough exercise — or some combination of it all — most people could stand to make a few changes for the better. Enter martial arts. It’s essentially a huge reset button, because it encourages you to make healthier choices in your life. Things like good nutrition, staying hydrated, getting adequate sleep, and practicing on your own time all support your efforts on the mat, which make you more likely to do them instead of slipping back into things that just aren’t serving you. You also begin to prioritize consistency in your training in an effort to see improvement and reach your goals.

The thing about building habits is that they take time. And once motivation begins to wane — and as an emotion, it certainly has its ups and downs — you can lean into the habits you’ve been building. What’s more, you start to crave the consistency. Martial arts has spiritual and mental health aspects, and when you combine that with the physical element, you have a wonderfully holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle.

BUILDING A stronger, fitter physique

All those people who find their way to martial arts because they’re motivated to lose weight and get stronger have the right idea. Unlike traditional workouts that can get a little stale, martial arts training is always evolving. You’re routinely being challenged to grow and develop new skills, which makes it a really sustainable approach to fitness. Sustainability leads to consistency, and that’s the secret sauce to any fitness progress. You can’t progress in martial arts if you aren’t putting in the work, and putting in the work is how you lose weight and get stronger.

IMPROVE CONFIDENCE

Just as your body gets stronger, so does your mind. Throughout the first year of your martial arts training, you’ll fail countless times. But learning how to keep persevering, how to push past your limits, how to move past all the barriers of self-doubt builds confidence and self-esteem. That alone is immeasurably valuable. We all deserve to be confident in ourselves, and this is one of the greatest gifts of martial arts. The structured nature of this kind of training, which smaller, more achievable goals moving you down the path to your bigger long-term goals, is incredibly motivating. And as you train, you really do grow physically, mentally, and spiritually.