KICKING GOALS
WHY MARTIAL ARTS IS THE NEW BLACK (BELT)
Far from promoting aggression, traditional martial arts are a form of physical and mental exercise that often carry a ‘no first attack’ policy. Karate, judo, jiu jitsu and boxing are great forms of self-defence, but there’s more to martial arts than meets the eye and you don’t have to be aggressive to take part. Here’s how you can use these ancient techniques to improve everything from brain function to fitness and beyond.
IMPROVE YOUR LIFE SKILLS
Tiffiny Hall is a 6th Dan taekwondo black belt and her take on martial arts is this: “The training you do in the dojang [hall] prepares you to be more resilient, confident and emotionally fit to deal with life.” There’s a yogic adage that says, “The way you do anything is the way you do everything”. Learning martial arts is a great confidencebooster for women and if you can handle the physical and emotional challenges on the mat, you’ll likely do better in other areas of your life, too.
KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS
Rhys Dykes, founder of Point Break Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, says: “BJJ doesn’t depend on strength, but leverage. It’s the pre-eminent martial art for women because it’s primarily based on strength and structure of a person’s hips and thighs.” Learning to use the energy of your lower body can be extremely empowering for women. “Just three to six months of continuous training in BJJ can enhance a student’s core strength, flexibility, conditioning, intuition, balance and confidence in dealing with most physical confrontations,” says Dykes.
FEEL MORE CONNECTED
David Ley, clinical psychologist and black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, says, “Many people today are starved of physical contact … without knowing it, students of BJJ offer each other a powerful, affirming, accepting and biologically mediated experience simply through the body-to-body contact that occurs throughout BJJ. Such contact triggers the release of neurochemicals in our brain and hormones throughout our body, which make us more aware, focused and connected.” Dykes agrees: “The grappling techniques observed in BJJ are about containing and enveloping an aggressor with the aim of protecting ourselves and even the antagonist from harm. The English translation of the Japanese word jiujitsu is ‘the gentle art.’”
BOOST YOUR FOCUS
If you’ve ever met someone who practises martial arts, you’ll notice they often have a steady gaze and quiet confidence. “Taekwondo can transform the body to be powerful and fit, but I also love the mindfulness of this art,” says Hall. And if you’re still not convinced, take it from actress Brie Larson, who recently smashed the box office with her portrayal of Captain Marvel in Avengers: Endgame and trained in taekwondo, judo and boxing to prepare for the role. “There were moments where I cried, there were moments where I thought it was too hard, where I got pushed beyond my comfort zone, but those were ultimately my favourite moments,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “At the time you’re like, ‘Why is this happening to me?’ And then afterwards you feel so proud of yourself.”
FIRE UP YOUR FITNESS
If that’s not enough then the final incentive is that you will get fit, fast! Martial arts burn off kilojoules like nothing else. One hour of taekwondo will steam through 3158kJ. Compare that with power yoga, 1226kJ, and weight training, 1533kJ, and there’s literally no contest.