What has martial arts ever done for us?

Can you remember that line in the Monty Python film where they ask, “what have the Romans ever done for us?” and then list off a long line of things.

For me, martial arts is like this. I often get asked what are the benefits of training?

The list of benefits goes far beyond what you learn in the class, for me the martial arts has impacted on every aspect of life. Being on the mats has taught me so much more than just fighting.

It has allowed me to see past the class system. Years ago, I was a decorator and I worked all week on building sites painting homes I could never afford to buy. But in the evening I would be mixing with doctors, lawyers, businessmen and bricklayers alike. When we walked through those big red doors at the entrance to our Dojo we stripped away the outside world. As we took off our shoes we also took off our egos. We trained and sweated alongside each other becoming firm friends which allowed us to see into each other’s lives. Growing up on a council estate and coming from a single parent family the chip I carried was enormous. Being given the opportunity to be seen as an equal and to be judged by merit alone is how it was on the mats and I try to make sure on my mats it’s the same.

It has shown me that other cultures, religions, and races are not things to be scared of but things to embrace and understand. On the mats we are all the same, students trying to be better versions of ourselves and that shared aspiration builds a community spirit that travels the globe. This is where I learned about other religions, not from the news or scaremongering headlines but from talking to my fellow martial artists. I remember talking at length with a guy about Ramadan as he was fasting. I knew nothing about the ritual and was happy to learn. Training was also where I learned about the articles of faith and why Buddhists believe what they do. I immersed myself in eastern culture even getting a haiku (Japanese poetry) tattooed on my back and learnt how to correctly use chopsticks. It was the training that brought about this need to try to understand it all.

It has shrunk the world. Due to the martial arts, I have been fortunate to have travelled to far-flung places and trained in the birthplace of the systems. We are lucky to have social media and the ability to reach people from all over the world and UK and it’s never been easier to connect. One of the greatest things about martial arts is that the heroes you see and aspire to are accessible and you can meet and train with them. It always gives me tingles when I meet one of these people who I have watched and read about for years.

Anything is possible. Everything I have accomplished, and I mean everything, is thanks to the martial arts. The training gives you the knowledge that you can do far more than you think you can and every success no matter how small sets a blueprint for the next. When I first walked onto the mats I never thought I would ever have done some of the things I have, and it was my instructors pushing me and not letting me give up that deserve the credit for that. To this day I am lucky to have people that give me guidance, support, encouragement, and a good kick up the arse when needed. I would not be doing what I am doing now had it not been for these incredible people. Every one of them a martial artist.

Makes a positive from a negative. Your kid won’t sit still. Your child has violent tantrums. Little Johnny or Sarah doesn’t listen. All of these things can become huge positives in a martial art setting.

I was a gangly kid with freckles that was bullied, and I had problems with anger and was socially inept. On the mats, those things went away. I saw that my anger and violence was channelled to a much more positive use, my awkwardness covered up by a shared interest. The bullying faded and as I improved so did my confidence which made me less of a target. Now I help other people to overcome some of these issues and it gives me a great feeling to see the kids grow and improve.

It has given me a passion. Whatever your passion is you should pursue it, and martial arts is mine. It has been a bumpy journey but now I don’t go to work, as every day I am doing what I am passionate about and I genuinely love what I do. Teaching and instructing for me is not work. Going into schools or training people to get the qualifications to feed their family for me is not a job but a privilege. Training on the mats has made me a much better version of myself and given me opportunities I would never have had otherwise. Martial arts made such a difference to my life so how can I not want to pass that on to others?

I cannot list all the things that martial arts training can give but it is so much more than just punching and kicking. Dedicated practise brings so many rewards and can impact on a person’s life far away from the training hall that you or I will never know the full benefits. All I can say for sure is this.

Stepping onto those mats for the very first time was the best gift I ever gave myself.

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