Karate and the Human Brain

“It is the habit of the wise, to speak to the most intelligent person in the room.”

Unknown

I take great comfort in the above saying, even if I didn’t make it up. That is because I find I am talking to myself more and more these days. I don’t know when I started the conversations with myself, but I do know that I often look up and say, “You’re talking to yourself. If someone saw you, it wouldn’t look good.”

I hope you all got the joke.

According to the May 8th, 2018 edition of The Conversation, (“Academic Rigor, journalistic flair”), there are at least 5 main benefits to studying martial arts, outside of the physical skills:

1. Improved attention

2. Reduced aggression

3. Greater stress management

4. Enhanced emotional well-being

5. Improved memory

6. Improved quality of life

Let’s take them one at a time and look at some possible exercises that we do, or should be doing.

Improved attention

Researchers have suggested that martial arts training is a form of Attention State Training (AST), which is all about developing a state of mind that allows for greater focus. This is different from Attention Training (AT) which is all about practicing a specific skill and getting better at it.

Interestingly enough, AT is based in Western culture and AST in Eastern culture. In fact, AST aims to improve one’s attention through changes in mind and body, and to allow us to bring the improved state to other skill development not specifically trained by the AT activity.

As I have said many times in the past, whatever you do in the martial arts, it impacts everything else you do. So if you want to be good at fighting, develop your kata skills. If you want to develop good weapons technique, practice your free-fighting and you one-steps. If you want to get good at kata, practice your jumping and flying kicks.

Reduced aggression

In a study of the Gentle Warriors Program, published in Psychology in the Schools (May 10th, 2008) it was found that traditional martial arts training not only lowered aggression in young children (254 children aged 8-11 years old), but enhanced self-confidence and self-control. It also engendered in many of the children an increased willingness to step in to help someone who was being bullied. Adolescents who were studied were also found to have decreased levels of physical and verbal aggression, and decreased levels of hostility.

For kids, scenario-based training around bullying could be very helpful.

At the beginning of every class, Maestro Mike Mulconery had his students repeat this bit of philosophy: “Above all else, to seek and train my mind and body to obey my will quietly. To seek and adjust myself to every condition, good or bad, that I may meet in my daily life.” Its been a daily mantra for me since 1974.

Greater stress management

All forms of martial arts place emphasis on controlled breathing; many also emphasize meditation. Training in Tai chi in particular, has been strongly linked with reduced feelings of stress, as well as greater capability in managing stress when it is present in young to middle-aged adults.

Older adults have also found the softer, flowing movements of internal martial arts make them ideal, low-impact exercises for older people.

Samurai Circle, in all its many variations, can be a good exercise for working with the stress management issue.

Enhanced emotional well-being

In a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, (20 February 2012), a study involving 45 adults between the ages of 67 – 93, the adults were asked to take part in karate training, or some form of cognitive training, or physical training (non-martial arts) for three to six months. The adults in the karate group showed lower levels of depression after the training period than both other groups. It has been put forward that this result was due to karate’s meditative aspect, but more research needs to be done about that. It was also noted that the adults in the karate group showed a greater level of self-esteem after the training.

Improved memory

Now, where was I? Oh yeah….

Italian researchers conducted two tests, one with a group of people who did pretty much nothing physical, compared to a group that did Karate, and a second one comparing Tai Chi to Western physical methods (strength, endurance and resistance training).

The test involved remembering and repeating back a series of numbers, both in the correct order and in reverse order. The complexity increased until the participant couldn’t continue. The martial artists in both of these comparisons lasted longer and could remember longer sequences of numbers.

As the researchers in these 5 examples concluded: “there is more to martial arts than just punching and kicking.”

Improved quality of Life

Soke Jim Lloyd suggested that I add this additional section, and I agree that it should be included:

"May I suggest a number six, the quality of life is drastically improved. One's heart beats stronger and one heals much faster. If we are blessed to have longevity, the quality of life in our old age is valued more than silver and gold. From a senior practitioner of more than 60 years, the limits of activity at my age are with small restrictions. Another major benefit in the study of martial arts.”

Now, what are all of you doing to work your brains? As I used to say, “They don’t make nautilus equipment for the brain. You have to do that work yourself.”

Take a foreign language. Paint. Study music and perform it. Practice some aspect of your martial arts EVERY day. That which we forget too easily must be re-learned through pain.