Last Updated on October 6, 2014.
Tiger Schulmann’s – The Best Stress Relief For Students
By Eesha Desai
Constant preparation for tests, quizzes, projects and presentations plagues the daily lives of teens with constant stress and anxiety. One would think that weekends and vacations give the students a good break from the pressures of school. However, even what is suppose to be time to recoup is coupled with endless mounds of homework. These pressures transform a healthy teen into a sleep deprived, moody monster who relies on toxic amounts of caffeine to stay awake (which gets especially embarrassing when the workers at your local Dunkin know your order as soon as you walk in…).
Recent studies have shown that the amount of stress placed upon today’s teen is unmatched to ever before and is continually increasing. Unfortunately, something essential to the development of a person (school) is also detrimental leaving many without time for themselves. An outlet for such high levels of anxiety is essential to the health of a student. The most perfect, unconventional, and fun way to de-stress is often forgotten about or not even considered– martial arts.
One of the great benefits of martial arts is that it provides a safe, healthy outlet to help easily cope with the stresses of school. Being able to step into your TS to train gives the most satisfying feeling. The second your foot passes through the door, all other thoughts are forgotten. When on the mat, nothing else passes through the mind besides reciting how to throw a favorite combination in kickboxing or how to gain an advantage in grappling. With every drop of sweat that hits the mat, all of the built up stress and anxiety is released. It is 100% accurate when people who train say that punching or choking someone out is the most relaxing part of their day.
The benefits of martial arts extend much further into school than just with helping to overcome stress. Training becomes a passion, something people want to be able to have time to participate in nearly every day. With this developed love, teens become more diligent with their school work and complete tasks on time so that they are able to make the trip out to train. Therefore they learns the skills of time management and, believe it or not, not procrastinating. This can help improve their grades and increase their focus dramatically (as it did for me). Another benefit of martial arts, is the ability to create and work hard to pursue fitness and competition goals translates into school as teenagers learn what it means to persist and strive to overcome a feat despite any struggles or setbacks they may face.
Personally, participating in martial arts has provided me with many more benefits than what I have written about in this single post. The impact that it has had on me throughout high school is something that I am continually thankful for and reminded of every day, especially now as I enter my senior year and apply for college. Finally all the subtle changes martial arts has made in my life come into perspective as I reflect on how much I have changed and improved academically since I began training in my sophomore year. Without the important lessons of taking time out for myself, de-stressing, being persistent, and managing my time that TSMMA taught me, I can only imagine how differently my high school experience would have turned out. It is not a good thing– trust me. The most ironic part is how much I did not want to try martial arts and dreaded taking my first class. Knowing that I can say that once someone comes in, they will never want to get out.