For decades, many martial artists have used meditation to improve focus, mindfulness, and mental fortitude. It helps the mind and body achieve a deep state of relaxation and calm. And for some martial artists, meditation doesn't always look the way you might think it does. Kata, basics, or even shadow boxing can carry a meditative tone for some.
State of Calm
When you meditate, you generally focus on your breathing and the thoughts that come into mind.
Learning to focus your thoughts can also help you redirect yourself to positive thinking and relieve the tension you are feeling. Even during sparring, your body and mind have a big role in how well you can perform. If you properly execute both defensive and offensive actions by concentrating on your breathing, and by learning to remain calm to focus on your skills and technique, you may gain an advantage on your opponent.
Sharper Focus
Meditating for a few minutes a day trains you to be more focused.
Meditation can help you enhance your form and physical performance during competitions. Staying sharp and focused gives you a competitive edge, since you can focus on techniques and allow yourself to think strategically or perform at a higher capacity.
Breath and body control
Breathing control is a crucial part of martial arts training. It connects to the body and mind to be able to execute a move appropriately. Your body control and reflexes can also be trained if you focus more on your movement and breathing.
Improvement of physical and mental strength
Aside from its benefits to your cardiovascular and respiratory health, meditation along with training strengthens your physical and mental wellbeing. Mindfulness meditation trains your mind to focus on the present now, making you less prone to anxiety and depression.
Since meditating focuses on the present and state of calm, this allows your heart rate to be on its normal level reducing stress and keeping a normal blood flow.
Mental visualization of techniques
There's no good reason not to sit and discover what meditation can do for you. May it be to your physical, mental, or emotional health, meditating regularly can truly benefit you and your body.
Go give it a try to see whether you want to practice sharpening your focus, reducing your stress, eliminating bad thoughts, or even just for fun. Sit down, relax, focus on your breathing, and imagine how you can execute the skill and techniques martial arts has taught you. Try it out!