Karate and Mental Health

‘Ding’ - you know the sound. The lightbulb moment when you understand or do something which you didn’t or couldn’t before. It's a great sound and an even better feeling - for the person and also the instructor. As a teacher I hear and see these moments more than most and it’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.

At Zenshin Dojo we enjoy these moments pretty regularly and it’s great to see. Unfortunately we also see and feel something else much more often. It’s teacher's’ worst nightmare. It stops learning, its stops happiness, it stops progression. It damages self esteem, slows down physical healing and affects mental health.

Lack of growth mindset, negative mindset, low self esteem - or as I like to call it ‘I’m rubbish’ thinking.

I know what your thinking - ‘over react much!’ but unfortunately it is not an over reaction, it is something which can really negatively affect a person. For some people this is not so much of a worry. You get along fine, meeting challenges, staying positive and being successful. But I think it is still important to be aware of the negative mindset, because it can take you by surprise. It can be as easy as thinking ‘I’m rubbish’ after only trying something once. For a classic over thinker like me however, it can often be a daily struggle to stay in the growth mindset and not get sucked into a negative one or worse depression.

I work with pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. I also have suffered with and taken medication for depression in the past. I, along with plenty of other people, experience stress from work and personal responsibilities. Others in the club may have more personal experience of other types mental health illnesses. Mental health is important for everyone to acknowledge, talk about and defend against as it can damage relationships, ruin lives and kill people.

‘karate is not just self defence from others, it can also be defence from the self’

Words of wisdom from Rob Jones at the 2016 Zenshin Dojo Summer School. Rob joked about defending against ‘lethargy’ and ‘drinking too much’. My first thought was ‘defending against the effect of eating too much cake’. All these things are important to defend against individually. But look a bit deeper into these habits to defend against and you might find the ‘I’m rubbish’ demon lurking behind all of them.

‘Another drink won’t hurt’ (I’m not social or funny enough without a few drinks)

‘I’m too tired’ (my energy should be spent on others - work/children/house - not myself)

‘that was rubbish’ (anything less than perfect is a failure)

Karate is a martial art, a physical self defence sport and a mental defence from the self. At Zenshin Dojo there are many aspects which positively affect the physical and mental health of its members. But I would like to focus on the mental.

The social events and friendly atmosphere is an important part of our club’s ethos. It is acknowledged, practiced, celebrated and easy to measure, through the growth in numbers, the smiles and the strong, international links with other clubs. Humans are social creatures and being part of a group can be a powerful tool in the defence against mental health. A new member at Zenshin Dojo feels welcomed, at ease, not judged for making mistakes and is given special attention and support, making them feel safe and therefore come back. People with injuries or who are less fit or have other health setbacks are included and encouraged. Higher grades are given responsibility and are asked to pass on knowledge. All members are valued and respected which encourages value and respect for ourselves.

I often find my head full from a busy day with a ‘to do’ list as long as my arm, grumpy, stressed or just in a negative mindset. A good practice in the dojo changes that. I have found that by focusing on the physical shapes and movement allows me to quiet my mind and forget about everything else. This has the added benefit of putting problems and negative thoughts in perspective. After practice when you can return to ‘real life’ the small stuff has been filtered out, real problems are now ‘challenges’ and the overwhelmed feeling is replaced by ‘bring it on’. This effect is well documented, all sport and exercise allows endorphins to be released in the brain which has been proved to improve mental health and self esteem. But there is something about Karate, possibly the repetition, the physical contact or the risk of getting hit, that satisfies the cave-dwelling brain in all of us.

Rob often talks about the karate ‘journey’ - the recognition that everyone is on the same path, but at different points. The journey is the important part - not the destination. The journey should be measured in the distance you have travelled not where you have started from or the time it has taken. All these aspects of the analogy support the the theory of growth mindset. There is always something to improve on whatever grade, what ever age. When you are able to accept that and continually use it, in karate and daily life, you will also be able accept, overcome and move on from challenges in life whether they are personal, work related, physical or mental.

Zenshin Dojo has has helped me get more physically and mentally fit. It has helped me overcome challenges, including unemployment and questioning whether or not I should continue teaching. It helps me deal with stress at work and enables me to keep calm and defend myself when dealing with challenging pupils. These are personal experiences which some people may not relate to, but if you reflect I think you will find the mental health benefits of Karate in your own life. So however you’re feeling, put on your gi, get a sweat on, choose a positive mindset and embrace the ‘ding’

Karate in Nepal, a local view.

We have had the pleasure of interviewing Sanjeev, a Karate instructor based in Nepal. Sanjeev has been kind enough to answer our questions. We hope you find his answers as interesting as we did.

How long have you been practising karate and why did you start in the first place?

It's been 15 year's

How many students are in your club?

I have 50 students. Most of the students are from local area. 5 to 20 years old. We have morning and evening classes, 6 days a week. My club is in Biratnagar the second largest city of NEPAL and is the industrial capital of NEPAL.

Why is your club called Manakamana karate dojo?

It is named after Manakamana temple.

I am not alone in my karate my sensei helps me a lot to run my club he have never arrived in my club but he is always there when I need any help.

Describe the environment where you practice? Always outside? Or do you have an indoor space?

We have indoor but we practice mostly outside. I have to pay for indoor but from this session we are facing some problems. Actually I was having indoor class with aerobic teacher he used to teach aerobics and I was teaching karate but now the owner of that place wants to use that place for some other business purpose so we are outside now.

What do other local people, and the parents of your students say to you about karate?

For most of the parents they know the value of martial arts they think it's very good for kids in their overall development. Some parents send their children just because their children wants to learn otherwise they think it's dangerous sports. It is very difficult to convince those types of parents.

What do you find more satisfying, teaching or practising and why?

Practicing and teaching karate has become part of my day to day life. One day without karate it's very difficult to stay without karate.

Have you experienced any problems with the running of your club? If so, what were they and how did you overcome them?

Yes I did face problem while running my club. When I started my karate club there is already one club which was situated over there but it was not running regularly so I started my club and when I started my club the coach of another club who is also a senior master called me and tried to convince me not to open new club but u look after club (both club as one) as  an assistant coach but  we couldn't work together for long time so I decided to work alone but it became very difficult because he was a well established coach (government coach) and I am volunteer coach but trying my labour hard to bring best out of me and my students.

What has been your biggest challenge so far and what has been your biggest success (or what are you most proud of)?

For me success is not when my children get medals I find success when I teach them something and they do it better than me ,I find success when a new student who is not capable of kicking high or stretch full but try his/her 100% to learn , I find success in the smile of small children from their heart

Have you ever studied any other martial art apart from karate and, if so, how do they compare?

Yes I did try to learn other kinds of martial arts but I don't compare any martial arts with each other because for me each type of martial arts gives us opportunity to learn something new.

What are you most looking forward to over the coming months?

For upcoming month there are so many competition going to be held especially junior karate competition so I'm focused on that.

If you had any one piece of advice for a person starting out on their karate journey, what would it be?

For those who are going to start their journey of karate I want to tell them that every champion was beginner when he/she started their journey. No matter how many times u fell down always keep learning. Don't set your goal for winning medal rather than set your goal for learning and developing your skill.

Thank you Sanjeev for such an interesting interview. We wish you and all students at the Manakamana karate dojo, the very best of luck and good fortune in all that you do.

The mind was willing; the body not so!

 Zenshin dojo coach Phil shares his journey so far.

What's your position in the club and your graded level? 

My current grade is as a 2nd Dan, which I achieved in 2010 after going through ‘Hell Hill’ at Hartpury for the first ever 2nd Dan  assessment. It was certainly a challenge; however, after completing it I certainly felt a great deal of self  satisfaction at having pushed myself to the limit, and beyond, successfully. As for my position, after starting the Bath venue as joint instructors with Pete , in 2010, I now lead the Saturday morning session at the Grange School.
Lastly, I also assist with  arranging the assessments for blue belt upwards to try and help alleviate some of the work load on Rob. Rob, Liz or I will run the  assessments acting as the Grading Instructor on the day to ensure the candidates have the very best opportunity to gain useful feedback from those assessing their current level of practice.

How long have you been practicing karate and why did you start in the first place?

I've been practicing since July 2001. I started after my son Ryan had started earlier in the year. I remember the moment I decided to try  Karate - It was whilst I was videoing a bo kata at the Grange during their summer fete where the adults and junior groups were doing some demonstrations. After watching the kata I decided to sign up and later that month attended the Junior Summer School at Lancaster with Ryan and insisted I had a Gi to go with.

What do you find more satisfying, teaching or practicing and why?

Hmmm, a tough one as I enjoy both very much. I  suppose, as you come up through the grades, the learning is of course fun and fulfilling. However, I've  always enjoyed teaching, even as a blue or brown belt helping out in lessons. If I had to choose now I would go for teaching. Not only
because sometimes I find it difficult to practice to the level I wish to, because of the old knees and back, but mainly because I enjoy helping others to try and reach their full potential. If I can help others with the knowledge I've gained over the last 11 years and if they can one day be at a level which surpasses my own knowledge then, hopefully, I will have assisted in them getting there. Giving back is what it's all about!
I've also found that  teaching is also a great way to learn. Having to explain and think about how and what to teach to all  different grades opens up a whole new thought process and understanding for all aspects of our karate.

Describe how .you yourself understand our karate journey.

Each and everyone's  journey is their own. No two are alike and you forge your own path by how you study and commit to the task in hand.

What has been your  biggest challenge during your time at Zenshin and what has been your biggest success (or what are you most proud of)?

My biggest challenges have been recovering from a back fusion, hip operation where my femur was split lengthways for a clean out and two operations on each of my knees again for a clean out. I still suffer regularly from the pain of these and struggle through most weeks. I  continue to try and resolve these issues but it is a  constant uphill struggle.

My proudest moment was when my son, Ryan, got his junior black belt back in 2005 at the junior summer school in Lancaster.
As for my biggest  success - learning how to teach, hopefully! It's an art which not everyone finds easy and is a skill like all others, which must be learnt. It is also an ongoing  experience, constantly changing and I'm always learning from the  experiences.

Have you ever studied any other martial art apart from karate and, if so, how do they compare?

No I haven't.

Do you have a favourite or favoured karate  technique and, if so, why do you like it so much? 

I don't have any particular technique I favour. I  suppose my favourite is whatever is needed at the time.

Do you enjoy martial arts movies and if you do, do you have a favourite?

I do enjoy watching martial art movies, but none in  particular.

If you had any one piece of advice to give a pupil just starting out on their karate journey what would it be?

To always try your best and put everything into every practice.

What would you have  written on your karate headstone? 

The mind was willing; the body not so!

Karate - What's in a name?

Mention the word karate to most people outside the karate world and it probably conjures up images of breaking bricks, strange howling noises and aggressive posturing. To some it might even suggest the Olympics. But in our experience most people are unaware of the breadth and variety of karate styles and philosophies. The phrase “horses for courses comes” to mind. If you want to win medals, break bricks or hit ten bales out of each other, then there are clubs that can offer those experiences, but not all karate clubs are the same.

Of course we practice all the necessary elements for learning a vibrant and effective self defence system, designed to deal with domestic physical violence, but the sometimes overtly aggressive image of karate can surely be a big put off for a large portion of the general population. We suggest that generally, fighting and the more romantic elements to Japanese martial arts, such as etiquette and the Samurai, or budo tradition, predominantly appeal to the young, usually young men. This is not to say others are not attracted by the allure of martial arts, of course many are, but we’re talking about the greater population, people who may possibly once have heard of Bruce Lee but that’s about it. People who refer to karate, judo and Tae Kwon do as,  “it’s all the same… isn’t it?”

We’re convinced that the power of karate could touch more people’s lives if they were just not turned off by the word karate, or those media induced misconceptions.

In today’s world it’s easy to lose focus.  For parents of a certain age, mums and dads, perhaps their children are getting older, flying the nest, for others maybe their job isn’t providing the buzz it once did, or never did. For sporty types maybe their sporting ambitions or aspirations have reached their natural conclusion, because the legs, or body, aren’t like they used to be!

But regular exercise, intellectual focus and spiritual direction continue to be important if we want to make sense of the world and remain stable when things occasionally fall around us.

Karate practice can offer that stability. Metaphorically karate, like life, is a path. Sometimes the path is easy to navigate; other times its muddy and unpleasant but the message is a simple one, stay on the path and keep moving forward whatever the weather. But like all paths this one needs a destination, an objective. 

The wise Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland recognises this as Alice arrives at a fork in the road, “where do you want to go?” asks the Cheshire cat, “I don’t know” replied Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which road you take!” said the cat smiling.

Karate can provide a map for a person’s path, and offers a chance to, keep motivated, healthy and push beyond personal limitations. We know we’re bias but frankly karate is so much more than hitting a piece of wood, or bowing to a sensei. Our art needs smart, intelligent advertising which broadens appeal reaching beyond the twenty somethings into the hearts and minds of mature adults who can fall in love with this martial art, just like we did!