Health and Wellness

Mental Muscle

By Juanita Terry-Wentz

You ever pass by a martial arts school in the summer when their front doors are wide open, and class is in full session? Have ever wondered what goes on inside? Do you ever hear the yells and screams coming from inside the building? Or the rhythmic sound that echoes from inside those walls? What curiosities are inside?

Now you know from TV, movies, or magazines, that martial arts are physically strenuous, but there is another benefit to martial arts that I did not know existed: the training and/or retraining of your thought process. Yes, your brain! What you think and what you believe, have the opportunity to be challenged!

With the newfound strength in the knowledge of your mental and physical capabilities and disabilities, the inner strength of knowing you can defend yourself without a weapon. A personal growth of spirit, mind and body fosters slowly. So slowly that you may not recognize it for some time, or until someone points it out to you. Repetition of movements gives the mind the opportunity to wander off. Those thoughts can be spiritual or not, whichever you prefer. I aim for a spiritual connection.

I have a mixture of music playing in the background. Time flies by with every movement Each movement is followed by another and another. Each movement begins and ends with a deep breath, then slowly exhaling. My purpose is to correct the errors and hold a proper position, with slow methodical movements. I adjust for my body type, then repeat All the while I am building muscle memory, without a thought about what the training has done to my brain.

For me, Martial Arts helped me realize that I had become a mentally stronger person, Where there was once fear, doubt and confusion, now has been challenged to change with the newfound knowledge of Martial Arts. The mind has grown in spirit, as the body grows accustomed to the never-ending challenges of a Martial Arts lifestyle.

My journey for peace of mind may be different from yours. We may get to that peace of mind at different times in our journey. It’s what I strive for during my private classes. There’s a calming peace from within me A mental clarity, and sometimes even spiritually uplifting

There are so many different avenues to try out and see what’s a good fit for you. Work your mental muscle!

Juanita Wentz is a U.S. Army Veteran who currently resides in California. She is an international best-selling author and the owner/manager of Wentz Karate, where they provide both private and group classes and training in the Martial Arts.