A Study on Yogic and Martial arts
Training's impact on Students' Focus
Dr. Girish Vasant Kadam*
M. A. Yogshastra, Yoga Therapist, Yoga & Fitness Guru,
Founder Director : Yoga Sanskar Sutra (Yoga & Fitness Training Kendra)
Thane 400601, Maharashtra
Abstract - Overall, martial arts training is beneficial because it promotes self-control, physical
and mental health, and respect for others. Incorporating yoga into training may be beneficial
for athletes since it helps them focus better, get in the proper mindset for competition, and
learn to control their emotions. The goal of this study was to look at how student instructors'
memory changed after four weeks of yoga classes. The Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire
(MMQ) was used as a demographic questionnaire in this experimental investigation. A total of
thirty female student instructors from colleges of education were randomly assigned to one of
two groups: the experimental group and the control group. For 30 minutes each day, for 30
days, the experimental group practiced Padmasana and Paschimottanasana as part of their
everyday yoga routine. At the end of the one-month trial, both groups were re-evaluated.
Keywords: Martial Arts, Physical Fitness, Yoga, Cultural, Violence.
INTRODUCTION
In the public and popular imagination, martial arts are frequently associated with spectacular flying
kicks, savagery, and superhuman ability. Martial arts are described as combat methods that have
developed and continue to exist in various cultural contexts across the globe. [1] Having said that, a
significant number of "martial activities" and martial arts in particular are also heavily focused on the
enhancement, preservation, and repair of the practitioner's health, from both an academic and an
experiential point of view. [2,3]
However, up until this point, the social science literature, particularly studies carried out within the
fields of "martial arts and combat sports (MACS)" and "martial arts studies," has contributed to the
creation of a picture of martial arts as primarily a terrifying activity that is characterized by aggression,
physical conflict, and violence. [] In this area of study, a significant amount of attention has been paid
to the origins, development, and applications of a variety of martial arts, as well as their
deconstruction. [5] Particular attention has been paid to the pedagogical contexts of the "culture of
combats," apprenticeship processes, knowledge transmission, embodiment, sensual involvement,
religious and spiritual foundations, and media portrayals of these aspects of martial arts. [6,7]
This body of work is paying more and more attention to theoretical advancements and conceptual
clarity, which has led to the introduction of numerous new ideas and perspectives that are aimed at
establishing, maintaining, and re-inventing the boundaries of martial arts studies, combat sports, and
the disciplinary boundaries of martial arts as distinct fields of study. [8] This is happening concurrently
with the growth, specialization, and development of the body of work. [9,10]
Nevertheless, the special issue titled "Martial Arts, Health and Society" brings to light the fact that
"[11] martial activities might be health-giving, dangerous or healing, therapeutic, and rehabilitative
activities connected to ideas on the body and medicine remain largely unaddressed."[12] This is an
important point of emphasis. The lack of research that focuses on health and other related subjects
within the realm of martial arts is, in my opinion, due to the widespread perception that martial arts are
essentially a combat art. This perception is held by both the general public and academics. [13,14]
However, new terms such as "martial activities" and "martialité" can assist us in comprehending the
manner in which particular martial arts and martial activities approach health theory, transmission,
and cultivation.[15] These terms bring together the study of martial arts with a wide variety of other
physical and non-physical practices that aim to cultivate the practitioner's mind, body, and soul in a
disciplined manner. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide a contribution to the current
body of research that has begun to examine the relationships between martial arts and health in
contemporary cultures in an acceptable manner. [16]
METHODOLOGY
The research team wanted to find out if student instructors' memory improved after engaging in yogic
practices. Thirty student instructors, ranging in age from 15 to 20, were chosen at random from a
selected colleges in Rajasthan, India, to carry out the research.
There were 15 martial arts teachers surveyed and observed: ten from karate, five from aikido. All of
the martial arts instructors consented to participate in the study. The teachers had a combined wealth
of experience in the martial arts (M=18.80 11.29 years) and in training (M=27.45 10.65 years), with an
average age of 47.50 9.31 years.
An experimental group and a control group were established using a randomized design for the yoga
practices testing. Group 'A' and Group 'B' were designated by the researchers after randomly
assigning fifteen patients to each group. For thirty days, members of Group 'A' practiced the yoga
postures Padmasana and Paschimottanasana for thirty minutes each day, whereas members of
Group 'B' did nothing unusual and continued with their regular lives. A popular tool for researchers in
the social sciences is the Multifactorial Memory Questionnaire (MMQ). We gathered the data. The
pairs' ratio was calculated both before and after the four weeks of training. The p-value was
determined to be 0.01.
Analyzing TAMA Scores A total TAMA score was assigned to each martial arts teacher who was
questioned. Table 3 shows that the subjects were graded on a scale from 0 to 100 and then classified
as either "conventional" teachers, "educational sports" instructors, or "efficient" instructors. “The
majority of Karate teachers belonged to the efficiency group, whereas all aikido instructors were found
in the traditional group.
RESULTS
By comparing the means of the two groups, the paired 't' ratio aimed to highlight any significant
differences between the Control and Experimental groups of female student teachers.
Table 1: Comparing the Control and Experimental Groups on the Mean Yogic Memory Practices of
Student Teachers
Figure 1: Memory
Based on the data in the table, it is clear that yoga practice significantly improves memory levels
compared to the control group. The experimental group had a mean value of 64.56 and the control
group 52.16. The obtained 't' ratio for memory was 6.50, according to the table. With 1 degree of
freedom and a 0.01% significance level, the calculated 't' ratio was determined to be higher than the
required table value of 2.58. Therefore, its significance was determined.
Since they were not applicable to all types of martial arts, four items were determined to be removed:
kata, competition, dress code, and addressing the teacher. Just to be on the safe side, we changed
one little thing. It was the duration, not the seriousness, of the opening and closing ceremonies that
was taken into account. Using the video as a baseline, we timed the ceremony to determine how long
this product took. In its seven-part final structure.
Table 2: The TAMA framework is a method for teaching martial arts..
52.16
64.56
Control Group Experimental group
Table 3: Summative Results on the Martial Arts Instructors' Tama
Our ability to concentrate and focus, as well as our general intelligence, are both enhanced by these
findings. practices from yoga that influence the neurological system and brain to enhance focus and
memory. Both forward-bending and backward-bending postures, which extend the spine, engage the
spinal column and the neurological system. By bringing more oxygen and blood to the brain, inverted
positions are beneficial. Yoga asanas and meditation are potent methods of mental and neurological
enhancement.” When it comes to doing routine things, the brain is really crucial. When the brain is
healthy, it can react, understand, perceive, and operate properly.
The approaches used by aikido and karate teachers were examined and contrasted in this study.
Three separate educational perspectives emerged from the sample of martial arts teachers when
administered an evaluation tool the researchers developed themselves: the "Teaching Approach in
Martial Arts" framework (TAMA). The research questions posed in this study were addressed by
placing all aikido instructors in the traditional group and practically all karate instructors in the
efficiency group, with the exception of one who was found in the educational sporting group. That
means different schools of martial arts teach their students in different ways. Karate teachers can be
found in all three groups, whereas instructors of aikido in one. This might be the reason for this. From
this vantage point, it's reasonable to assume that karate teachers who specialize in a given sub-style
would follow a standard set of practices while teaching their pupils the art. The results of the present
research, however, indicated differently, placing shotokan karate instructors were spread out among
the educational, sports, and sporting groups. According to the results of this research, teachers who
use the three different approaches try to achieve different goals in the classroom. Students of martial
arts instructors who stick to more traditional methods often say that such methods are very important
to them. Furthermore, educating the public is one of their key objectives. While maintaining a respect
for tradition and pedagogy, a martial arts teacher with an instructional sports perspective views their
subject matter through a more competitive lens. The advantages of martial arts training for health and
athletic performance were their primary emphasis.
CONCLUSION
The outcomes of this research reveal that students who engage in yoga and martial arts education
have a significant increase in their ability to concentrate on the task at hand. Individuals have the
capacity to increase their general brain function and feel an instant boost in their own cognitive
capacities by doing certain yoga asanas that are designed to stimulate memory and cognitive
function. These asanas are found in yoga. In addition, this method is helpful in reducing the amount of
stress that one could be experiencing. Furthermore, the introduction of mindfulness methods into
yoga helps to calm emotions, which in turn creates an atmosphere that is beneficial to the
preservation of concentration and attention when practicing yoga. Students have the option to train
their attention via the practice of martial arts, which places a priority on discipline, concentration, and
control. In a similar vein, students have the opportunity to improve their focusing skills. Professionals
in the field have been able to become specialists in the art of focused attention as a result of years of
training and a dedication to following protocols to the letter.
There is a possibility that the training in deep concentration and attention that may be obtained via an
understanding of the intricacies of martial arts and yogic practices might be useful to both the
teachers and the pupils. It is possible for individuals to gain and maintain attention via the practice of
a wide variety of disciplines, ranging from the tranquil flow of yoga to the strenuous training of martial
arts. As a result, this ultimately improves their cognitive capabilities and makes it possible for them to
develop into mature humans. Because of this, the use of these strategies in the classroom has the
potential to aid children in developing more competence, self-direction, and resilience of character.
Yoga postures that are designed to improve our memory are called asanas. In a flash, it can enhance
one's mental capacity. Better brain function may be achieved by lowering stress levels. We are mostly
concerned with finding a means by which we may enhance our flexibility and power while also
preserving a balanced body. Memory training has the potential to change the structure of the brain.
It's possible that we might better balance our emotional well-being if we learn to monitor our thoughts
and emotions without reacting to them. In contexts that are related to the development of young
people, martial arts have been used for a very long time. On the other hand, in order to make
educational opportunities available, it is necessary to address a great number of significant aspects,
such as the kind of supervision that is provided. Since there has been relatively little research done on
the issue, this study was an early effort to address a gap in our understanding on the features of
martial arts training. This gap has been a problem for quite some time. The objective of the
researchers was to create a taxonomy for martial arts instructors that would be based on the various
methods of training that they use. Nevertheless, since TAMA is a "work in progress" that is still in
progress, further study is necessary to investigate (a) the many forms of martial arts instruction and
(b) the various methodologies that are used by these instructors within the field.
REFERENCES
1. Bonura, K. B., & Tenenbaum, G. (2019). Effects of yoga on psychological health in older
adults. Journal of physical Activity & Health, 11(7), 1334-1341.
2. Cummings, E., Greene, A. L., & Karraker, K. H. (2020). Life-span Developmental Psychology:
Perspectives on Stress and Coping, 92.
3. DeBono, A., & Muraven, M. (2021). Rejection perceptions: feeling disrespected leads to
greater aggression than feeling disliked. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 55: 43-
52. Retrieved from Wikipedia.
4. Dolan, E. W. (2017). Martial arts training shows promise in reducing aggressive tendencies in
youth. Aggression and Violent Behavior.
5. Dwivedi, U., Kumari, S., Akhilesh, K., & Ngendra, H. (2017). Effect of Yoga Practices in
Reducing Aggression and Counterproductive Work Behavior: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 8, 21-31.
6. Foster, Y. (2018). Brief Aikido Training versus Karate and Golf Training and University
Students' Scores on SelfEsteem, Anxiety, and Expression of Anger. Perceptual and Motor
Skills, 84(2), 609-610.
7. Govindaraja Setty, A. G., Subramanya, P., & Mahadevan, B. (2016). Effect of Yoga on Human
Aggression and Violent Behaviour- Review of the Indian Yoga Scriptures and Scientific
Studies. Social and Educational History, 5(1), 83-104.
8. Harwood, A. G., Rassovsky, Y., & Lavidor, M. (2017). Reducing aggression with martial arts: A
meta-analysis of child and youth studies. Aggression and Violent Behaviour, 34: 96-101.
9. Howell, K. E. (2019). An Introduction to the Philosophy of Methodology. London: SAGE
Publications Ltd.
10. Javnbakht, M., Hejazi, R. K., & Ghasemi, M. (2019). Effects of yoga on depression and
anxiety of women. Complementarey therapies in clinical practice, 15(2), 102-104.
11. Kelly, M. M., Tyrka, A. R., Price, L. H., & Carpenter, L. L. (2018). Sex differences in the use of
coping strategies: predictors of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Depression and asnxiety,
25(10), 839-846.
12. Kirkwood, G., Rampes, H., Tuffrey, V., Richardson, J., & Pilkington, K. (2020). Yoga for
anxiety: a systematic review of the research evidence. British journal of sports medicine,
39(12), 884-891.
13. Lamarre, B. W., & Nosanchuk, T. (2021). Judo- The Gental Way: A Replication of Studies on
Martial Arts and Aggression. Perceptual and Motor Skills,, 88(3), 992-996.
14. Layton, C. (2018). Anxiety in Black-Belt and Nonblack-Belt Traditional Karateka. Perceptual
and Motor skills, 71(3),905-906.
15. Li, A. W., & Goldsmith, A. W. (222). The effect of yoga on anxiety and stress. Alternative
medicine review: a journal of clinical therapeutic, 17(1), 21-35.
16. Marinov, T., Gencheva, N., Angelcheva, M., Ignatov, I., & Dimitrov, V. (2017). Influence of
Yoga Practices on Stress Coping Strategies. Journal of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics,
39, 57-63.
