Why are more women than ever taking adult martial arts classes, especially moms? It’s simple- these classes are about so much more than just punches and kicks. Read on to learn more!
Relieve Stress and Tone Up With Women’s Martial Arts
Moms are so awesome. They give and give of themselves for their kids and everyone in their lives, sometimes without any expectation of return. That selflessness is huge! We want to start by saying that we seriously appreciate all of the work that goes into being a mom in any capacity… and we also understand just how much of that work can weigh on you. If you’re a mom that stays at home, that’s stressful. If you’re a mom that works, that’s stressful too. If you’ve got one kid, stressful. Ten kids, stressful!
Every person is being confronted with stress in the modern world we live in, and we’re all looking to deal with stress better so we can show up better. We can say with confidence that karate has helped plenty of women in our Tacoma community melt their stress and become the best version of themselves they can be. How? Two words- kicks and punches.
Oftentimes stress is a mental pressure we put on ourselves, pumping ourselves up and kind of catastrophizing into the future. Again, it’s easy to be stressed out as a mom- your brain is thinking about your life stuff, and then switching over to your kid’s art project, and then your other child’s got a diaper change, etc. Moving your body in any form will help get that adrenaline out of your body and reduce stress pretty much immediately, but karate is special in that you kick and punch your way to stress-free thinking. Getting your frustrations and anxious energy out through these focused channels is super healthy and just feels amazing.
But that’s not all – martial arts is a full-body sport. That means you’re working every muscle to coordinate your body and get the moves right. You’re toning all your muscles, not just the ones you use for kicking and punching. A lot of our members choose women’s martial arts as an alternative to the gym because they’re constantly moving in class (no more boring workouts!) and having fun. The cool thing too is that martial arts is an individual sport in a group setting, so while you’re working on your self-defense combos, every other mom in class is cheering you on big time. That sense of community and women supporting women is what helps a lot of our moms in karate classes release their stress and embrace their awesomeness. So relieving stress and getting fit are key reasons we see moms start martial arts. But another reason is that they’re learning a really important life skill- self-defense.
Get Fit Fast Through Self-Defense
Because of the unjust world we live in, a woman will often require self-defense skills on more occasions than a man. As all of us look to change that fact on a societal level, more and more people are realizing that self-defense is one of those things you don’t ever want to “wish you’d learned” sooner. A lot of moms (and all women in general) have found it gratifying and confidence-boosting to learn self-defense skills from our classes. Some studies have shown that women who take self-defense training feel more confident in their bodies and more confident (less scared) in public places.
Also, ever heard of “mom aggression”? It’s this primal feeling moms get when they sense a serious threat headed straight toward their child. Moms protecting their young in the wild, like bears and lions, will go berserk on these attackers and most likely kill them. Human moms are restrained by these little things called laws that prevent us from mauling each other, but God forbid someone ever comes after you or your kids, you’ll be grateful to know how to protect your life and theirs through self-defense.
One more thing- you’re constantly showing your kids the best way to live – how to use a fork and knife properly, what to say to comfort a loved one. If we lived in a world where everyone knew how to defend themselves as a last resort, what would life be like, especially for our daughters, our future women? You never know what ripple effects this life-changing skill can have. Pass down one of the best skills you can- the ability to defend yourself in any situation. Your kids may thank you one day.
Mental Benefits of Women’s Karate: Confidence and Self Respect
This is a big one for a lot of women taking our martial arts classes, especially moms. Again, we live in an unjust world, so women are often taught to criticize their bodies constantly and even “hate” certain parts of their bodies in ways that men don’t have to deal with. This translates to women being way less confident in their physical bodies and their mental capabilities than they deserve to be.
As our classes help you tone up, get fit, and have fun, they’re also helping you build an inner confidence that no outer appearance can touch. Yes, really! Think of it this way – if you knew that you could handle any physical situation that came your way, wouldn’t you feel more confident in yourself? If you just smashed your fitness goals and pushed your mind and body in ways you never had before, wouldn’t you hold your head up high coming out of your karate class?
Our instructors are world-class teachers that will show you everything you need to know about self-defense and martial arts. But they also know a thing or two about perseverance, discipline, and other important life skills that took them from beginner to master. (One of our favorite sayings- a black belt is a white belt that never gave up!) This is where real, untouchable confidence comes from – believing in yourself, even when you have proof that you shouldn’t, and getting it done. Reaching new heights. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway. When you know you’re truly remarkable because of your own opinion of yourself, you automatically become more confident, and you glow from the inside out.
And, again, parents are passing things down to their kids all the time. Why not give them the gift of a confident role model with a healthy dose of self-esteem? Why not show them through your actions how confident women can be? We know it sounds pretty cheesy, but it’s true: We help create bully-proof kids in our kid’s martial arts classes, and in our adult martial arts classes.
Conclusion
So stress relief, physical fitness, self-defense, and confidence- four reasons that more moms than ever are turning to martial arts to try something new! We have a risk-free (yes, really risk-free!) Barner’s Blue Dragons trial at a fraction of the cost to help you dip your toe in and soak up some of these amazing benefits. Try it today and see for yourself how martial arts are changing the lives of moms in our Tacoma every day! Free Trial!