FIGHT    HEALTH

 

Combat sports have been shown to decrease stress and enhance mood in a vast number of individuals, regardless of age or level of experience in the sport. The feeling of simply taking the time to engage in an activity which can redirect the mind away from the stresses of everyday life, may be highly satisfying for many participants.
 

 In relation to the topic of the positive mood effects produced by exercise, several studies have been identified that target combat sports specifically. In one study, researchers observed whether or not Taekwondo was effective at enhancing 6 mood "dimensions," including: Vigor, Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Fatigue, and Confusion. The subjects of the study included both men and women that were of college-age, and who had no significant background in the sport. The exercising group of the experiment completed an acute 75-minute bout of Taekwondo, and researchers measured their mood states before and after the exercise. These mood states were then compared to the states collected from the control group, and it was determined that the students who completed the acute Taekwondo class showed a considerable improvement in each of the 6 measured states (Toskovic, 2001). 

 

Furthermore, another article examined a collection of different studies relating to combat sports and their included benefits, and found similar results: improved mood, reduced risk of depression, elevated self-esteem, and heightened self-efficacy (Origua-Rios, Marks, Estevan, & Barnett, 2017). Each of these can be traced back to the idea that engaging in combat sports – and exercise in general – is beneficial for the body, and may be used as a healthy means of fighting stress and depression.

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WRITTEN BY: JASMINE HEREFORD

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*** Another way to mediate stress is to meditate. Check this "Science of Meditation" link for more information.