Best 10 Martial Arts For Mental Health

Mental health is one of the biggest problems in the 21^st century, and millions of people around the world suffer from issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress.

However, activities such as Martial Arts can help a lot in fighting these issues, and if you are interested in defeating your depression, anxiety, or stress, this guide is for you.

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In this Disabilitease.com guide, I’ll share the best 10 martial arts for mental health. Let’s get started.

What is Mental Health?

Before we get to our topics, let’s quickly discuss Mental Health. So, the question arises, what is Mental Health? Mental Health is a broad term that includes our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. It determines how you relate to other people, interact, handle stress, and make choices in your life.

Now, if we look at the numbers, Mental health issues are on the rise, and millions of people around the world suffer from different types of Mental health issues. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), more than 52 million adults in the US alone suffer from different types of mental health issues. This report was published back in 2020, and this number is much higher in 2022.

Now the next question is: Does Martial Arts help with Mental Health? And the short answer is: Yes, Martial Art is one of the best ways to improve your physical and mental health. The best thing about Martial Arts is that they are both physically and mentally demanding, which will help you tone your muscles and mind.

If you are interested, keep reading because I’m about to tell you about the best 10 martial arts for mental health.

Best 10 Martial Arts For Mental Health

Martial Art is one of the most effective ways of improving your mental health, and you can choose any martial art. However, these are the top 10 best martial arts for mental health.

1. Karate

Let’s start with Karate which is arguably the most popular type of martial arts in the world. It was developed in the 20th century in the Ryukyu Kingdom (Present-day Japan). It’s basically a self-defense art where you will be using powerful striking techniques to disable the attacker.

As Karate is a very effective and lethal art, it’s very popular around the world, especially in militaries. Many armies train their soldiers with Karate so that they can fight their enemies even if they don’t have weapons.’

In this Art, you will be moving a lot which will consume a lot of your power, and it will boost your mental and physical health. So, if you learn Karate, it will help you improve your mental health and also allow you to defend yourself if anyone attacks you.

2. Kickboxing

Kickboxing is another very popular martial art that you can practice to improve your mental health. In this Art, you will be mainly using kicks to hit your opponent, but you can also use punches from time to time. However, you can’t use elbows and knees to hit your opponent.

Now, if we look at the effectiveness of Kickboxing, it’s without any doubt one of the most effective martial arts. It’s very lethal, and you can use it to disable your opponents. However, normally you will be using a hanging bag for practice.

As Kickboxing requires a lot of energy, it will help you a lot to improve your mental health. Many specialists also recommend Kickboxing to fight chronic diseases such as cardiac diseases, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

So, if you are looking for a highly effective martial art to improve your mental health, Kickboxing is a great option for you.

3. Wing Chun

Wing Chun is a very popular martial art that was developed in the Foshan region of China. It’s a self-defense art that focuses on using the strength of your opponent against them. In this Art, you will need strong arms and legs to defeat opponents as you will be using quick movements to attack your opponent.

Wing Chun is pretty popular, and some of the most famous names who practiced Wing Chun are Master Ip (Known as Ip Man) and Bruce Lee.

Like other martial arts, Wing Chun is also a very demanding art, and if you practice, it will definitely help you improve your mental and physical health.

4. Aikido

Aikido is one of the best martial arts for mental health. It was developed in the 20th century in Japan, and it’s practiced in over 140 countries worldwide.

In this martial art, you will be using the kinetic energy of your opponent to take control and defeat them. The Aikido learners focus on learning various techniques which help them take advantage of the kinetic energy of their opponents and use the energy against them. As Aikido is a big art, it has different styles, such as Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Aikikai, and Ki Aikido.

As Aikido mainly focuses on the energy of the opponent, it requires relatively less physical health, but still, it’s a pretty demanding Art, and if you practice, it will definitely help you improve your mental health. So, if you want a relatively less-demanding martial art, Aikido is a great option for you.

5. TaeKwonDo

TaeKwonDo is another very popular martial art that can help you improve your mental health. It’s one of the oldest martial arts, and it has been around for more than 2000 years. In this ancient martial art, you will be using sequences of kicks, punches, and open hand strikes to defeat your opponent.

The unique thing about TaeKwonDo is that it’s different from other martial arts as it mainly focuses on kicking techniques. In this Art, you will use “Poomsae”  (also known as Kata), which is basically a defined pattern of attacking motions.

As this Art requires you to learn a lot of sequences and techniques, it will keep your mind healthy. It’s usually seen that the TaeKwonDo fighters have a sharp memory and healthy minds. So, if you want to make your brain healthy and improve your physical health, TaeKwonDo is the right martial art for you.

6. Wing Chun

Wing Chun is a very popular martial art that was developed in the Foshan region of China. It’s a self-defense art that focuses on using the strength of your opponent against them. In this Art, you will need strong arms and legs to defeat opponents as you will be using quick movements to attack your opponent.

Wing Chun is pretty popular, and some of the most famous names who practiced Wing Chun are Master Ip (Known as Ip Man) and Bruce Lee.

Like other martial arts, Wing Chun is also a very demanding art, and if you practice, it will definitely help you improve your mental and physical health.

7. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is arguably one of the best martial arts to improve your mental health. It’s also known as gentle Art because it mainly focuses on using the technique to force your opponents to submit.

The main idea of this martial art is that the weak person can easily handle a powerful person with the right technique. It may seem harmless, but it’s the same martial art that is used by Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters use to compel their opponents to submit and win.

If you practice Jiu-Jitsu, you will learn a lot of powerful and effective defensive techniques which will help you to defend yourself if you get attacked. On top of that, it will also improve your physical and mental health. So, if you want to learn self-defense martial art and improve your mental health, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the right option for you.

8. Muay Thai

Muay Thai is one of the most lethal and popular martial arts worldwide. It’s Thailand’s national sport, and it’s also used in MMA fighting. In this technique, you will be using punches, elbow strikes, knee strikes, and kicks to defeat the opponent.

Muay Thai is also known as “The Art of Eight Limbs” because it requires you to use 8 points of contact and all body parts serve as weapons. For example, your hands serve as swords, and your knees and elbows serve as a hammer. Similarly, your shins server as armor to protect you.

As Muay Thai involves all major body parts, it’s an excellent substitute for a full-body workout, and you can practice it to improve your physical health along with your mental health. If you are looking for a physically demanding martial art to improve your reflexes and overall focus, Muay Thai is surely a great option for you.

9. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

As the name suggests, MMA is a type of martial arts which comes with a combination of different styles of martial arts along with some non-martial arts techniques. Some of the most common martial arts used in MMA are wrestling, boxing, Judo, Jujitsu, Karate, and Muay Thai.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a very physically demanding art, and it can help you tone your muscles and improve your mental health. It also works as a great anti-depressant and if you feel depressed, practicing MMA is a great way to defeat your depression.

10. Kung Fu

Kung Fu is arguably one of the most popular martial arts worldwide. It’s basically an umbrella term that is used for a wide range of Chinese martial arts techniques. In this Art, you will be mimicking the movements of animals to intimidate your opponent and defeat them.

In Kung Fu, there are different styles available that are used for different purposes. However, all of them can be categorized into two major categories. The first category is Internal, which focuses on “Qi,” which is considered a major part of any living entity, and in this category, you will be using breathing exercises. The second category is external, which is physically demanding and focuses on toning your muscles and improving your overall physical fitness.

If you want to improve your physical and mental health, I’d recommend that you practice both categories of Kung Fu art as it will help you become strong both internally and externally.

Frequently Asked Questions [ FAQs ]

Which Martial Arts Are Best For Mental Health?

Martial arts is a very effective way to improve your physical and mental health. Generally, any type of martial art will be useful for you, but some of the best martial arts for mental health are Karate, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

Is TaeKwonDo Better Than Karate?

Karate and TaeKwonDo are two of the most popular martial arts, and both of them are good. Karate mainly focuses on whole-body movement, and if you want to engage your whole body, Karate is a better choice. However, if you want to focus and improve your kicking, TaeKwonDo is a solid option for you.

How Do Martial Arts Help With Improving Your Mental Health?

Martial Art is a physically demanding activity where you will be using a lot of your energy, and when you use a lot of your energy, your brain releases certain chemicals which improve the health of your brain. Similarly, Martial arts also tone your muscles and make you more physically healthy. So, if you want to improve your physical and mental health, you should practice martial Art.

Do Martial Arts Help You Improve Your Confidence?

Practicing martial arts is one of the best ways to boost your confidence because it provides you the surety that if someone attacks you, you will be able to defend yourself. So, if you have confidence issues, you should learn martial Art because it will boost your confidence and improve your overall health.

Are Martial Arts Good For Depression?

Yes, according to multiple studies, people who practice martial arts have a positive effect on reducing depression. So, if you have depression, practicing martial Art will help you fight it. However, I’ll also recommend that you get medical help as well, as it will help you recover faster.

Can Martial Arts Effect Negatively To People Suffering From Depression?

Martial Arts is a proven way to reduce stress and anxiety. However, martial arts is a lethal art and if you are practicing it with another person, make sure that you both wear the protective gear because if you hit the opponent accidentally, it will cause guilt which will not be good for your mind. So, make sure that you practice under supervision and wear protective gear.

Which Martial Art Is The Best For Spiritual Connection?

Kung Fu is a great martial art for you if you want a spiritual connection. The internal category of Kung Fu focuses on Qi which is the inner energy, and it will help you establish a spiritual connection.

What Are The Social Benefits Of Martial Arts?

One of the biggest benefits of practicing Martial Arts is that it boosts your sense of personal achievement and helps you become confident. As you become more confident, you start to become more active in your social circle, and it improves your social life. So, if you want to improve your social life, you should start practicing martial arts.

Conclusion

Martial Art is one of the best ways to improve physical and mental health. In this guide, I’ve shared the top 10 best martial arts which you can practice boosting your confidence and improving your mental health.

If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments. Peace!