At Ascend Martial Arts, we offer a range of different styles and forms such as Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Karate and MMA. But what's the point of learning a martial art, why should you commit to keep learning, and perhaps most importantly, how do maintain the motivation to keep learning? You'll find all the answers below!
Why Learn A Martial Art?
This may have a fairly obvious answer for some, but for others, martial arts may have no perceived value, or even seem like it would be detrimental to your health and well-being with the stigma that often comes with many martial arts. Here's just a few of the many reasons why learning a martial art will benefit you:
1. Fitness, Strength, Flexibility And Weight Loss All in One Package
If your goal is to improve your physical health by building up your strength or losing a few kgs, then you won't want to look past martial arts. Learning any martial art is going to help you build strength and lose weight, and half the time you won't even realise that you're doing it. Martial arts is a physically and mentally stimulating task that will keep you engaged and offer you fun ways to get fit with something new each class.
2. De-stress And Disengage From Everything Else In Life
When life gets tough, as it does from time to time, it is essential to have a getaway where you can forget about everything else and focus on something fun. As mentioned in the point above, martial arts is not only incredibly physically engaging, but it is also a mental challenge as you figure out and develop these new skills. You'll find that your mind will stay focused on the task at hand, helping you to de-stress from everything else that might be going on in your life.
3. Unlock New Levels Of Confidence For Everyday Life
If you've ever found yourself lacking in confidence, or feeling like you aren't quite enough, then martial arts is for you. Martial arts not only builds fitness; martial arts allows you to become fully in control of your own body. By learning the various techniques in martial arts and using them effectively, you'll develop a newfound respect for yourself and your body, and this self-respect and confidence will permeate into every other aspect of your life, making you a healthier, happier and more confident you.
How Do I Keep The Martial Arts Journey Fresh And Exciting?
So, you've done a few months worth of classes and you're starting to get a hang of the basics, but what's next? At some point in your journey, you're bound to ask this question. Without a goal, you may find your passion dwindling, but luckily there are a few goals that you can aim for that will always keep your passion for martial arts burning and fresh!
1. Gradings
Gradings are a great way to measure your progress through a martial art and are a great way for you to reflect on how far you've come, and where you can go. Most martial arts have a way for you to measure your rank, either through belt or armband or singlet, and provide a direct reflection of your commitment to the martial art and your understanding of the form. By always having your sights set on that next rank, you'll always have a reason to keep training and expanding your skill set.
2. Competition
Whilst you can certainly go your entire martial arts career without ever competing, there is no better way to truly test your skill and understanding of a martial art than by competing against someone else. Competition is a fantastic motivator, as you'll find that as soon as you have a date set to compete, you'll be endlessly determined to make sure that you give it your best. On competition day, you'll get to find out what you're good at, and more importantly what you can improve on. The other big benefit of competition is that it builds a lot of character and confidence in yourself as you take on this very impressive feat.
3. Aspire To Train Others
Not everyone wants to be a competitor, and that's completely ok! However, another way that you can continue to push your understanding of martial arts, as well as get involved with the excitement of competition martial arts is to become a trainer/coach for others. Athletes are always going to need training partners and mentors that can offer up help and advice. You can aspire to be someone that others look up to and go to for advice on improving their skill set, which comes from rigorous practice and dedication to your art!
At Ascend Martial Arts we want to encourage everyone to find their reason to keep training and pushing forward. Whilst these aren't the only reasons people train, they are certainly good places to start if you're worried about starting or not sure about continuing.
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