Anger or rage can be your worst enemy.

Here is my latest article submitted for the FMK newsletter. Enjoy!

Anger or rage can be your worst enemy. Everyone feels angry or frustrated at one time or another. There are many situations that students encounter when studying karate that may result in feeling intimidation and even inspire feelings of anger or hostility. Part of being a good karate student is learning how to control anger. Anger can hinder your fighting ability as well as cloud your judgment. The key factors that can control feelings of anger are managing stress and self control.

Anger, fear and anxiety are natural human responses to stress. Fighting is stressful because the risks are significant and the outcome is unknown. As you build familiarity and skill in martial arts, unknowns become known’s, and you gain control over the outcome of conflict. As you clarify and shape the probable outcome of conflict, your stress decreases.

As your stress level is reduced, emotional extremes become superfluous and will subside. These are natural processes that manifest in authentic study of martial arts. Through practice, you can reach emotional equilibrium and greater levels of self-control.

In addition to these natural processes that occur through the study of martial arts, stress can also be reduced through proper diet and rest. Having a healthy state of mind and body can help improve your abilities and is essential to excelling in Martial Arts. You can not train well if you’re tired. If you do not have energy you can not think straight. The more rested and healthier you are, the better control you will have over yourself.

Anger will prevent you from fully employing your hard-earned skills. Why waste all of that time and experience that you have earned by replacing it with anger. Timing, precision, coordination and sensitivity decrease during emotional peaks. If you are fast and strong, this may not be a problem; if not, you will be left with no means to defend yourself.

With a loss in sensitivity comes an increased tolerance for pain. This is deceptively appealing, and very dangerous: if you don’t feel the pain, you won’t avoid the damage that often follows it. Pain is a gift, accept it graciously.

We learn and grow from painful experiences, both physical and emotional, as they are usually the ones that are the hardest to forget. Clearly no person enjoys being hurt, and there is only so much physical damage the body can take. As martial artists we are held with a tremendous level of responsibility to use karate for self defense only. This can be difficult especially in a situation where there is a high degree of stress or conflict. Clear thinking and ethical decision making separate a good karate student from a bad one.

Karate should be a release from stress and frustration. Sensei continually reminds us to relax our bodies and tighten our stomachs throughout Kata practice and class exercises. We should be as relaxed and as clear headed as we can be. Our bodies and minds are connected free from stress and anger.

Karate gives students a safe and structured solution for managing anger. Studying karate should alleviate all stress and pressure as they are left at the dojo door. The act of removing our shoes symbolizes this commitment. When meditating, do not think about all of the things that are bothering you. Let them go.

Like anything that requires concentration Karate takes a high degree of mental discipline, self control and focus. If your emotions are out of control, so will be your ability to defend yourself. Anger and rage can be used to intimidate an opponent, but in the end are poor substitutes for clear thought, applied knowledge, skill and intense focus.

Attempts at intimidation will not succeed against every opponent. They are likely to work only on those who are physically and mentally weaker than you. Opponents who know they are stronger, or who believe they are stronger, will not be cowed by these psychological tricks.

Being angry accomplishes absolutely nothing. Trying to intimidate someone by putting on a show of rage and anger only wastes energy. A person can only rage for only so long they burn out quickly and become vulnerable to attack. Anger and tension limit muscle movement. Karate skill should be spontaneous and natural. Movement while fighting should flow as a reflexive action.

We continually practice katas over and over so that movements are ingrained in our long term memory. Studying karate takes patience and time. Patience inspires inner peace, the antithesis of anger and hostility. Instead of anger, focus and control should be the driving forces behind training. There is a large difference between anger and intensity. Anger has no control, intensity requires control.

Through this exploration of anger and its negative effects on karate training, it is clear that it is better to be the person who is in control, focused and calm. Apply principles of stress management and self control to your training, and the positive results can be quite surprising.

Sources taken from Holding Hands With Zen: The Martial Arts Connection
Anna-Maria Goossens and © 2006-2007 Martial Development

Still miss boomer. I love my family and friends so much for being so supportive during a tough time in my live.
:)