Thoughts on resilience – how martial arts training helps you push through tough times

No matter who you are, where you live or what you do, we are all living through an unprecedented storm. Covid-19 has brought not only a global deadly disease, lockdown, recession, and a human safari of bad and intolerable behaviour, but stirred up chaos and fear that is just simmering under the skin of many communities. There are thankfully small glimmers of generosity and goodness that we all hope will rise and prevail, but these are dark times.

I speak from experience – I lost my mother who was a dedicated NHS nurse to Covid in April. Shock and devastation doesn’t even begin to describe it. What has saved me, my soul and my sanity is my family and my training. My father trained with Master Han in the 70s and 80s (Taekwondo and Five Ancestors Kung Fu) – watching and mimicking him train as a young child heavily influenced my love of martial arts. My husband and I met through martial arts and we have been training together for well over a decade. My family have always been fighters.

You may think that the best form of self defence is learning how to fight and I truly believe that the martial aspect and heavy pressure testing in regular sparring is particularly important and cannot be lost or overlooked in any art but what I have learnt is that martial arts builds a resilience that serves you better than any kicking/punching combination. A resilience that is different to any other fitness training and even to any other competitive sport where you are not risking injury by getting hit. A strength of character and mental conditioning that means you know how to pick yourself up when you get knocked down, to carry on a fight in the face of adversity, to never give up. The ultimate warrior spirit.

Traditional martial arts in particular provide the structure and programming to achieve balance both mentally and physically. I do not believe that resilience is something that you either have or you don’t, some may naturally be gifted with a certain personality type that means that it is more inbuilt, but more importantly - just like any other martial art skill, you can train and develop resilience. With martial arts, you are constantly put in difficult situations that you must overcome: exercises that seem tough at first become easier the more you practice, traditional forms that you must remember and refine, application techniques that must be drilled into muscle memory, full contact sparring sessions that although are still restricted by rules, you must decipher, strategize and win. These are just but a few of the things that can be learnt and after years of practice, that resilience becomes part of you.

Resilience in martial arts means you learn to adapt to change, and that is the one thing in life that is certain – change is always around the corner. In Five Ancestors Kung Fu, we also have five elements – metal (gold), fire, water, earth and wood. They complement and counteract each other so you can flow from one technique based on a certain element into another very easily. Furthermore, each of the Five Ancestors, although distinct and separate can morph from one to the other or more subtly contain elements of all five in one. The ability for the mind as well as the body to move and change fluidly without getting caught up in any one particular thing or moment is an anchor in martial arts. You do not stare or freeze in a Hollywood style pose when you pull off a great technique as the next attack or person is coming. Similarly, you must learn to adapt your style or timing if what you have been doing simply does not work.

Resilience is a humble confidence. "Never look down, always look ahead of you". I still hear the words of my Master ringing in my ears as a teenager just before our regular bare fist sparring sessions in a line-up of grown, skilled men and I have carried that through in my daily life. Martial arts has taught me to always hold my head up high. I remember being out classed in many different ways but I always wanted to have my turn, to learn, to know that I could hold my own. I know I can push past my limitations if I try. I have done it before, I will do it again. Unfortunately, confidence is sorely lacking in today’s society and what is often mistaken for bravado and over confidence is usually masking some kind of insecurity. I sadly see it too often in a lot of women and young girls – too scared to have their voice heard or avoiding confrontation at all costs because it makes them feel uncomfortable. Likewise, with men who feel like they have something to prove but deep down know there is nothing there. Traditional martial arts forces you to stand up for yourself and others but know never to be cocky. Discipline, manners and respect which are the foundations of traditional arts will never tolerate arrogance.

Resilience is strengthened by a supportive community. If I look back at good friends who I can really count on, many of them have been made through training martial arts. A community of people who look after and trust each other, train hard, spend a lot of time together and encounter "mini conflicts” in the ring/gym all help build resilience. When you are able to train with the right instructor and community, your resilience is immediately strengthened.

You will face tough times, such is life. It is how you choose to live and your outlook that will determine the quality of that life. Think about how you will protect yourself by enhancing and building your general resilience. Martial arts training may just provide the light and focus that you need to get you through the storm.