Benefits of Martial Arts Training: The Expert Perspective
Any entrepreneur knows that it takes hard work and dedication to be successful. But many don’t realize the benefits martial arts training can have on one’s entrepreneurial venture.
In this post, we have gathered answers provided by martial arts experts across the nation to our single question:
“What do you think are the benefits of martial arts training for entrepreneurs?”
The Ability to Maintain a Calm, Analytical Mind
“Martial Arts teaches Entrepreneurs to suppress the panic response and maintain a calm, analytical mind in the face of chaos.”
Andy Bosiljevac, Instructor, Carlson Gracie NKY
Discover Your “Higher Purpose”
“All dedicated martial arts students learn a sense of “higher purpose.” This higher purpose helps guide entrepreneurs in their decision making process.”
John Moe, Instructor, Discover Judo
Build a Cross Discipline Network
“Benefits for Entrepreneurs in the Martial Arts: Self Defense. Often as an entrepreneur, we are alone in our business. Martial arts will give us situational awareness and confidence to deal with bad situations if they occur. Short Term Goal Setting. Martial arts has been the blueprint structure by which I have achieved everything in my life. I set short term, attainable goals on my way to the main goal, which builds TRUE CONFIDENCE. Networking! On the mats we have doctors, lawyers, delivery couriers, business executives, software engineers, you name it! Enrolling in a group activity like martial arts will help you build a cross discipline network!”
Cincinnati MMA Academy
Develop Perseverance
“There are many benefits of martial arts training for entrepreneurs. Martial arts training requires students to continually recognize how much more there is to learn. Entrepreneurs benefit from this reminder to re-embrace the learning process within their own business. To grow in martial arts, you need to become comfortable OUTSIDE your comfort zone; that is the same for any entrepreneur. Martial arts training develops the DISCIPLINE essential to any entrepreneur’s success. This self-discipline enables TRUE LEADERSHIP for any staff they may have. When facing the numerous and unexpected challenges of growing a business, an entrepreneur needs the kind of confidence that martial arts training develops. Martial arts training develops PERSEVERANCE, which is vital to any entrepreneur… that ability to simply keep moving forward when things get tough!”
Roberto Serrano, Senior Master Instructor, Martial Arts America Greendale
Keen Observation and the Drive to Finish
“Entrepreneurs who practice traditional martial arts learn patience, planning, keen observation and the drive to finish.”
Sensei Derick Martinez, Head Instructor, Shoshin Kai Inc.
Quality Family Time
“9 Benefits of Martial Arts Training: 1. Increase energy 2. Build up confidence 3. Promote positive attitude 4. Foster leadership skills 5. Improve physical health 6. Improve social skills 7. Stress reliever 8. Quality family time 9. Learning self defense. I could go on and on lots of good benefits, particularly in my school our adult program is geared towards physical exercise and improving oneself.”
Master Ong, Head Master and Founder, Ong Training Academy
Commitment to the Daily Grind
“A martial arts teacher can only guide one on the path. The individual must put in the daily grind to learn the material, become proficient in the movements, and embody the philosophies. Similarly, entrepreneurs can learn from those who have successfully blazed the trail ahead, but in the end it is their DAILY GRIND that makes those efforts come to fruition.”
Shane Muir, Shidoshi, Living-Warrior Dojo
Stress Relief and Clearer Thinking
“Martial Arts training is great for stress relief, helping entrepreneurs have clearer thinking during the day.”
Shawn Hammon, Founder, Worldwide Martial Arts
Seek Solutions for Survival
“Few things are more stressful to the modern human than a fist flying at their face. If you can comfortably handle that, you can handle most things. With enough training in martial arts, you’ll actually be able to handle a lot of high-stress and high-intensity situations a lot better. Sometimes, in a class, you might practice against a much better student (or maybe even your teacher). Learning how to simply live with that and try to make the most out of that situation is perfect entrepreneurial training. It teaches you to persist when something doesn’t go your way, to seek solutions for survival.”
Brian Kwong, Founder, Ving Tsun Kung Fu School
Learn to Manage Failure
“Martial Arts Training teaches you how to manage failure. Without failure you do not grow.”
Sensei Jeff Weber, Owner/Instructor, Sunrise Karate
The Benefits are Limitless
“Any form of exercise is of great benefit to an entrepreneur, however, Martial Arts would be a much more effective delivery method. Depending on the Martial Art, the stress release that comes from sparring or hitting targets really clears the head. The patience that is built up can be applied, the humbleness that is built into the training prevents hubris in the real world, the perseverance is essential to an entrepreneur, and the respect across the board in training can be applied to every customer, vendor, and employee. The benefits are limitless and enrich the life of the entrepreneur and everyone whose lives they touch.”
Andrew Gause, Owner/Master Instructor, Andrew Gause’s Martial Arts
Put Yourself in a Position to Fail
“Any entrepreneur in business certainly knows that there are a lot of struggles to be successful. That’s why most people fail. Rejection and failure is a tough thing to have to deal with. It can derail your whole plan for whatever business or task you might be working on. People are finding in martial arts, (especially jujitsu) that putting themselves in a position to fail helps many other aspects of their life as well. There is nothing easy about martial arts, and there are no shortcuts – just like in business.”
Pete Jeffrey, Head Coach, Tri-Force Training Center
Entrepreneurship is a Possible Outcome of Dedicated Training
“Entrepreneurial pursuit is not reason enough to begin studying martial arts, but rather a possible outcome that follows from one’s dedicated training. It can offer many benefits to the instructor as well as the student. Benefits include learning to defend one’s self, improved health, self-discipline, and meeting and helping others as well as yourself. I believe one truly begins to learn once they teach something to another.”
Soke John Cozatt, Shintai Ryu Martial Arts
Be Responsive and Flexible
“Now more than ever, entrepreneurs must be responsive to changing business opportunities and flexible in how they seek their goals. We often need to be collaborative yet independent. We may need to be persistent without being fixed in our intentions. As a woman entrepreneur, I find this perspective empowering. It enables me to pursue business goals without feeling a sense of hardening, narrowing, or needing to force something. Just as in the martial art of Tai Chi, I can open, be sensitively aware, and find true strength in interactions with clients, collaborators, and networks. This leads to better outcomes, and it also allows me to feel more fully myself.”
Mackenzie Hawkins, Teacher at Wuwei Tai Chi School
Would you like to contribute to help us answer this question? We’d love to hear from you!
Contact us (click here) to let us know your answer to our single question:
What do you think are the benefits of martial arts training for entrepreneurs?