Violence is generally considered to be a bad thing. Many people even vehemently oppose its use in any situation due to their religious beliefs for instance. There are however, situations in which violence is the best way to respond and being able to use it in the right way can be a matter of life or death. Martial art training can provide a good way of attaining that expertise and this essay looks into some of the benefits of having that type of training.
The majority of the people you encounter on a daily basis will not ever try to harm you. This is very little comfort when the few people who wish you harm actually do cross your path. It is possible to lose property, be sexually assaulted or even killed just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. While martial artists generally train their students to be wary of guns, the ability to escape a situation relatively unscathed is considerably increased by having some experience with fighting.
One of the biggest dangers to people in developing countries actually comes from being exposed to high quantities of fatty foods in combination with a very sedentary lifestyle. This often leads to obesity which increases the risks of many life threatening conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and certain types of cancers. Being active in any highly physical discipline makes one less likely to suffer from these problems and martial artists who compete tend to be especially fit. There are different body types associated with different forms such that someone who practices Tai chi alone regularly will look different from someone regularly does Kung Fu. Still, both practitioners will be healthier than some one who is rarely physically active.
Training regularly makes a person better able to exercise restraint and self control. These make up a huge part of self discipline which make it easier to achieve objectives. This is a skill that is useful in the home, office and all facets of life. It can be honed over time to levels that seem impossible to people who have not experienced them personally.
Many try to excuse the martial arts by claiming that what they do is not violent but it often is. The difference is that the violence that they train to be able to unleash is used for the right purposes and therefore positive.