Developing Mental Resilience

Developing Mental Resilience: How Krav Maga and Kickboxing Help You Deal with Setbacks

Everyone goes through unpleasant experiences in life. Your relationship falls apart, you lose a loved one, or perhaps you unexpectedly lose your job. We have little control over these situations, but what we can influence is how we deal with them. This ability is called mental resilience, and martial arts like Krav Maga and kickboxing can surprisingly help you with that.

What is mental resilience actually?

Psychologists often compare mental resilience to a kind of shield. Well, it might be a bit abstract, but you can imagine that this shield protects you from stress and setbacks. The stronger your shield, the better you cope with unpleasant events. For example, if you didn't receive enough positive reinforcement in your youth, your shield is probably a bit weaker. Your mental resilience is therefore smaller, making you more easily overwhelmed by stress.

Why Krav Maga and Kickboxing?

Okay, you might be thinking: how can Krav Maga or kickboxing help me with this? Well, to be honest, these sports are more than just kicks and punches. They require discipline, focus, and especially a lot of perseverance. I have personally found that when I push my limits in the gym, I find it easier to do this outside the gym as well. Krav Maga and kickboxing teach you to stay calm, even when things get tough.

Imagine your sparring partner approaches you with a series of quick attacks. At first, this may feel overwhelming, but over time you learn to stay calm and use your technique. This is exactly how mental resilience works in daily life. You learn to assess situations better, panic less quickly, and act effectively.

Krav Maga

Krav Maga is a realistic and instinctive self-defense system designed to neutralize threats quickly and effectively. It combines techniques from various martial arts to provide practical solutions to real-world situations.

Practical Tips to Increase Your Mental Resilience

Here are six concrete tips that have helped me a lot:

1. Accept your situation

Well, no one really wants to feel pain. Still, it helps to acknowledge and accept that pain. Then you can do something about your situation. Ask yourself: what can I do now?

2. Trust yourself

Don't think: 'I can't handle this.' Try to see yourself as your best friend. What would you say to him or her? Probably something encouraging, right? So say that to yourself too.

3. Observe your thoughts

Instead of immediately criticizing yourself with 'I'm a failure,' try saying: 'Right now, I think I'm a failure.' It might sound strange, but it really helps to create distance.

4. Seek support

You don’t have to do everything alone. Often, you will receive much more support than you expect if you are just open about your feelings.

5. Be grateful

It may be cliché, but write down one thing each day that you are grateful for. This helps to keep your mindset positive.

6. Vary your approach

Try a different reaction when you experience stress. Are you someone who gives up easily? Then persevere. Are you always very active? Then take a step back.

Krav Maga and Kickboxing: More than Physical Strength

Personally, I believe that Krav Maga and kickboxing are the way to increase your mental strength. They force you to face challenges and teach you how to deal with stressful situations. You might think now: well, I'm not that athletic. But that’s not necessary at all. These sports are suitable for everyone, regardless of age or fitness level.

You might still be hesitant, but just give it a try. Who knows, you might discover, just like I did, that training mental resilience can actually be quite fun – and that you also become physically fit as a bonus. Win-win, right?

So, if you are looking for a way to increase your mental resilience, give Krav Maga or kickboxing a chance. You might just be surprised at what it brings you.