Stress, fear, and worry; these are common emotions that families are dealing with right now during this odd moment in our nation’s history. The Coronavirus has changed so much about how we live, how we interact, and how we see our future and it has brought about some stressful situations in the process. Parents have had to restructure their lives at a moment’s notice to accommodate distance learning and fast changing work environments; children have been learning to navigate this new normal while having to find alternative ways to interact with teachers, coaches, and friends. All of these changes have given rise to a level of frustration that has been layered into every part of our daily routine. So how can karate training possibly be helpful in times such as these? Studies have long shown that physical fitness is a great way to reduce stress and improve the immune system. Being able to join a karate class and allow your body and mind to focus on fitness, flexibility, and stress relief can be a great way to begin to eliminate the negative swell of emotions and thoughts that can bring us down. A positive self image begins to grow as karate students are able to take active steps toward health and well being, and they begin to develop a sense of control over a future that seems so foreign to so many at the moment. We have had many students tell us that it feels so great to be back to class again, especially during this high stress time in their lives. They have mentioned that they felt something was missing while being unable to train, and that their fitness and mental state had begun to slowly deteriorate. Now that we have reopened, students who have returned are feeling the benefits of karate again, and as sensei we couldn’t be happier. We believe that karate benefits a person in more ways than just self defense and fitness. There is a sort of mental decompression that happens in class. The mind is focused on learning a new skill so there is no time to think about all of the things that cause us to feel pressure or defeat. It’s a mental vacation of sorts, packed into a fun and challenging regiment of drills, skills, and exercise. It’s the perfect counter to the daily grind and it’s also a lot of fun.
If you’re interested in finding out how karate can help you feel stronger, and develop a more positive outlook we would love to help! In the interim, take a look at how some of our students feel about training at Ingram's.
"As a parent, it has helped keep a bit of our previous life's schedule." ~Leslie P.
"Karate gave us a reason to get up and be active while being at home. With eLearning and work there was a lot of time sitting in front of technology and it was nice to look forward to the connection with others and the movement." ~Craig R.
"Commitment and discipline that I learned in Karate, I use in all aspects of my life! Thank you Ingram Karate, I learned many lifelong skills during my practice!" ~Tammy S.
"Karate has instilled in her a love for fitness and the ability to complete projects." ~Vicky S.
"Karate is not just a sport it is a way of life. Commitment and discipline from the ground up continuing even in times of uncertainty." ~Tonya V.