| Some people feel martial arts training is just for those | | | | nut and bolt and passes it on. Eventually this |
| rare moments when you or a loved one is attacked, | | | | movement, through repetition, is sent to a lower part of |
| but what if martial arts could be used everyday of | | | | the brain closer to the spinal cord. A learned reflex is |
| your life...? | | | | also referred to using a very inaccurate term muscle |
| Would that interest you more? Is being more aware of | | | | memory. Muscles have electrical and chemical |
| your surrounding, faster, stronger, better balanced, | | | | reactions, not memories. The proper term is learned |
| better reflexes and the ability to think clearly under | | | | reflex. |
| stress important to you? | | | | Although reflexes are primarily specific to the activity |
| Then martial arts is the perfect activity for you! | | | | you're practicing, martial arts has such a wide variety |
| Warning, always consult with a physician before | | | | of reactions trained within us, I personally find myself |
| engaging in any physical activities. Let me tell you | | | | reacting quickly to anything from leaping out of the |
| about some of my personal experiences that could | | | | way of a car in which the moron is turning right while |
| benefit you.... | | | | looking left at traffic or catching a pen before it hits the |
| Environment Awareness | | | | floor. |
| Spend some time with surprise attack drills and multiple | | | | I find both blocking drills and evasive drills excellent drills |
| attack drills and see if that doesn't increase the overall | | | | for increasing reaction time or learned reflex speed. |
| awareness of your environment. | | | | Thinking Under Stress |
| Faster | | | | It's dark. I'm traveling down highway 16 in Illinois with a |
| I have good reflexes, but I've also just become plain | | | | female friend of mine. The car ahead of me is going |
| faster. Part of my increase in speed I must credit to | | | | awful slow. |
| the Honolulu Sparring Club. A bunch of great | | | | NO WAIT! |
| tournament fighters who taught me how to look stupid | | | | IT'S STOPPED! |
| by not letting me get away with things in which I had | | | | I slam on the breaks then begin pumping them to |
| become accustom to getting away. | | | | maintain control of the car. |
| Training with people faster than you and doing speed | | | | I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE IT! |
| drills will increase your overall speed. | | | | I veer left and avoid the car while breaking. |
| Stronger | | | | ANOTHER CAR STOPPED IN THE LEFT LANE! |
| I am definitely stronger from some of the solo martial | | | | I veer right to avoid that car, finally stopping. |
| arts drills I've developed and practice. | | | | The emergencies over, my body was relaxed, yet |
| The strength itself comes not only the expected | | | | ready to spring into action, my adrenaline was pumping. |
| places, arms, legs etc., but to unusual places as well. | | | | I made note of these physiological responses as |
| For example, my inverters and everters, which are the | | | | though I were a third party looking inside myself. All |
| muscles which turn my ankles in and out, gained | | | | these emergency functions subsided in 30 seconds to |
| strength from executing multiple kicks while balancing | | | | one minute after we had stopped safely. |
| on one foot. I've taken steps off unseen curbs and into | | | | My friend on the other hand couldn't settle down for |
| unseen holes that should have sprained my ankle, but it | | | | half the night. |
| just doesn't happen. My back is stronger too from | | | | But wait, I told you everyday uses right? I'd be a pretty |
| back kicks. | | | | bad driver if I did that everyday. The same exact |
| Better Balanced | | | | training, to think clearly under stress, is used every day |
| As you read earlier, executing multiple kicks is a great | | | | at work. Deadlines and sales presentations, the ability |
| balance exercise. I seem to feel my center of gravity | | | | to think clearly and outside of the box are not only a |
| better than the average person. I also attribute this to | | | | part of martial arts training, they're a sign of leadership |
| evasive drills. Even if I do trip I catch myself. | | | | abilities! |
| Better Reflexes | | | | Conclusion |
| There's a difference between being faster and having | | | | Yes, you can find other activities to give you all of |
| faster reflexes. A reflex is a reaction to a stimulus. A | | | | these everyday benefits, but there is not one single |
| reflex can be learned or involuntary. Pulling your hand | | | | activity that I can think of which encompasses all of |
| away from heat would be an example of an | | | | these benefits into one activity AND teaches you to |
| involuntary reflex. A learned reflex, which is what I'm | | | | protect the physical and mental shape in which you're |
| discussing here, is gained through repetitive movement | | | | trying to stay. |
| such as a factory worker who screws on the same | | | | |