Seeking Insights from Martial Artists on Mental and Physical Resilience

[durrani007]

Hi everyone,
I’m a Muay Thai fighter and coach working on a project that combines martial arts training with mental resilience techniques, and I’m looking to gain insights from fellow martial artists on how they balance their physical training with mental discipline.

Specifically, I’d love to hear your experiences on how martial arts has helped you with personal growth, discipline, and handling challenges in everyday life. How do you maintain your mental resilience both inside and outside the gym?

If anyone’s open to a quick chat or sharing their perspective, I’d really appreciate it! Thanks in advance!

 

[Buka]

Great subject. A “quick chat” would be tough, though. A long one should be fun.

And Welcome to Martial Talk, Duranni007.

 

[jks9199]

Great subject. A “quick chat” would be tough, though. A long one should be fun.

And Welcome to Martial Talk, Duranni007.

Preferably over coffee, or even some adult beverages...

 

[Badhabits]

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but two big things I've noticed among martial artists that help in life in general (especially at a job, as an employer these two are biggies for me) -
MA tend to not get defensive when it comes to being critiqued or receiving constructive criticism.
MA also make a habit out of not quitting easily.
People who spent time in the military also tend to have these two qualities, love hiring those guys

 

[windwalker099]

What comes to mind..

You might try rock climbing....

Understanding that one could die, should they make the wrong move, or not know their limitations
has a way of helping people to focus, control their fear and understand limitations

The climbing itself would help to build tendon strength that could be
re -- integrated into their practice sessions..

The military has a lot of courses using obstacles that are rather high, helps people to understand and
face the above mentioned.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I don't think my experience would be applicable to most. I was taught in boot camp how to suck it up and drive on. That's what I did when I started training in karate. I did the best I could because I gave myself no option to quit. It didn't make me good or great. It meant I had perseverance and self-discipline. Time and repetition did the rest.

 

[Fungus]

Specifically, I’d love to hear your experiences on how martial arts has helped you with personal growth, discipline, and handling challenges in everyday life. How do you maintain your mental resilience both inside and outside the gym?

I put alot of focus to maintain focus and ignore disturbances, and this transcendes MA I think, but is useful to, and can be learned from MA. I practice to maintain focus, during cold stress in the winter and distinguish between "freezing" and "getting cooled down", the former is not a problem but getting cooled down too much can. In fighting I try to keep focus in the prescenes of pain form opponents attacks, I try to think there is a different between "feeling pain" and "beeing damaged". Feeling pain is not a problem, getting damaged is. Try not not let secondary emotions get you off balance, feeling unpleasant feelings is not a problem, but letting those feeling lead you astray is.

To get energy in different situations I try to think of how i deal with other situations. For example, is your collegue at work is driving you insane and you can't figure out how to stay calm you can think, "If I can take a shin kick to my ribs and keep fighting, I should be able to ignore this moron"... so cross-application motivation.

I have found that the mechanism of endurance is similar in the head, wether it is physical pain, cold, or mental pain. So, if I can walk in the snow and freeze and think about something else than "I want to get inside", then you are half way there also to eat heavy blows and still focus on the counter. It also helps me handle mental challenges say at work. I can think, "this annoying customer is nothing compare to that shin kick last kick" and that gives me energy to endure a totally different situation.

 

[isshinryuronin]

combines martial arts training with mental resilience techniques, and I’m looking to gain insights from fellow martial artists on how they balance their physical training with mental discipline.

You don't have to "combine" MA training with mental resilience/discipline. Proper training leads to discipline - they develop together. At least in TMA and of course the way it's taught is important.

I was taught in boot camp how to suck it up and drive on.... because I gave myself no option to quit. I had perseverance and self-discipline.

This is a big part. Putting up with pain, sweat, a little fear, repetition, all the while working on the many elements of execution creates the resilience and discipline. Don't be a slacker. Summon up the extra effort to improve.

For me, a very long-time practitioner, it's much like a job - you show up, work hard, deliver a good consistent product, take pride in your work, strive to do your best, be accountable to yourself and others and find satisfaction in it. Don't settle on mediocrity, demand more of yourself. Raise the bar and your self-respect. I like the "no option to quit." Once you make this commitment and become mission oriented, you accept and embrace the hard parts and just do it. That's discipline.

 

[Fungus]

This relates to the interesting topic of motivational psychology. You "need discipline" is true, but HOW is the question?

For me, it's all about CREATING internal motivation. I do not belive in "forcing" myself todo something against my will, or having an instructor "force me" into something. My own trick, not MA related, is that in a challenging situation there is often a hidden perspective where there is an opportunity to improve (something) and this is what gives me motivation. If I am in pain and what to quit; the motivation is that I see a chance to surpass myself, increase my pain treshold, get stronger or strik harder, or ignore more stupidiy than ever.

Buy I think your internal way o handling this is very individual. Discipline is also required in work, or academia, so not uniqe to MA.

 

[Gyakuto]

Specifically, I’d love to hear your experiences on how martial arts has helped you with personal growth, discipline, and handling challenges in everyday life. How do you maintain your mental resilience both inside and outside the gym?

I’m breaking my own rule by responding to an ‘only one post’ thread robot……no hang on…no, I won’t!

Now that integrity comes from training in the martial arts!

 

[Prince_Alarming]

As a kid, I struggled with discipline, was horribly bullied and consequently was always in the headmaster's office for fighting and had various substance abuse problems. I was put in that ultra-disciplined environment of the dojo, and I flourished there. I've seen the same thing happen to a lot of young men, and it's very positive.

 

[Badhabits]

On the subject of quitting is not an option- I feel like MA training has made a literal habit out of not quitting once something is started. Double edged sword. It now takes an act of will to quit something. And sometimes you gotta know when to quit.