Martial Arts and Meditation

**lordbd** · Posted On: 4/27/2012 6:10pm

We all know that sports involve a mental game. As a psychologist I often use meditation or meditation-like practices (e.g. hypnosis; guided imagery) to help Ppl improve their mental health and even physical health. As a noob I'm curious if and how mental disciples are used by the fighters on the forums here.

**crappler** · Posted On: 4/27/2012 7:17pm

Originally Posted by lordbd

We all know that sports involve a mental game. As a psychologist I often use meditation or meditation-like practices (e.g. hypnosis; guided imagery) to help Ppl improve their mental health and even physical health. As a noob I'm curious if and how mental disciples are used by the fighters on the forums here.

I use constant continuous visualization. I imagine kicking people in the face who are sitting down when I walk by them. I imagine fighting and attacking people all the time while I am going through my day. That is mainly because I am insane, however, not because I am training myself mentally.

**blue-dragon** · Posted On: 4/27/2012 7:46pm

I fail to see the point here. Once when I was a noob I would imagine that if I would meditate like some grandmaster from some foreign land I would become a force to be feared. Time and experience has taught me otherwise, that actually training properly would work just fine.

On a serious note a positive mindset should be something close to "just enough confidence to feel good about what your doing and just enough fear to keep you safe" If you have to meditate to get there so be it.

**vaquero de las nalgas** · Posted On: 4/27/2012 9:20pm

Originally Posted by lordbd

We all know that sports involve a mental game. As a psychologist I often use meditation or meditation-like practices (e.g. hypnosis; guided imagery) to help Ppl improve their mental health and even physical health. As a noob I'm curious if and how mental disciples are used by the fighters on the forums here.

Where did he touch you? Can you show me on the doll?

**lordbd** · Posted On: 4/27/2012 10:30pm

Originally Posted by blue-dragon

I fail to see the point here. Once when I was a noob I would imagine that if I would meditate like some grandmaster from some foreign land I would become a force to be feared. Time and experience has taught me otherwise, that actually training properly would work just fine.

On a serious note a positive mindset should be something close to "just enough confidence to feel good about what your doing and just enough fear to keep you safe" If you have to meditate to get there so be it.

I was thinking more in terms of improving focus and helping to get into that flow state that people talk about.

**shotfghter** · Posted On: 4/27/2012 11:55pm

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJPv544LkL8

There is a documentary called "In a single blow" with a Kendo dude named Eiga. Man, that is one of the most inspirational, most philosophical videos I have ever seen.

That documentary showed me that the mind plays an important role more than any BJJ/Judo Video could ever show me. Somehow its always the Japanese who "Think" as well as fight.

**dflanmod** · Posted On: 4/28/2012 2:03am

Originally Posted by crappler

I use constant continuous visualization. I imagine kicking people in the face who are sitting down when I walk by them. I imagine fighting and attacking people all the time while I am going through my day. That is mainly because I am insane, however, not because I am training myself mentally.

You too huh?
I'm standing in line at the bank thinking to myself... I throw an elbow to that guys fac, the kick that girl in the side of the knee and follow it up with a hair grab and downward punch to the face.

Or, I wonder how fast the 60 year old lady in front of me would go out if I just decided to RNC her.

**ZenMMA** · Posted On: 4/28/2012 4:31am

This was discussed in the "Zen in MMA Thread".

The purpose of meditation is to relax your mind and body, if your mind and body are in a relaxed state then you tend to act in the moment rather than over thinking.

**lordbd** · Posted On: 4/28/2012 7:39am

I think there is some good evidence out there that meditation practices do more than just relax you. Mindfulness practice might help improve ones ability to focus on some stimuli and ignore others. How this might apply to combat sports hasn't really been studied. A pretty good paper came out in '08 in the journal of clinical sport psych called 'Buddhas extra scoop.' Is my nerdness showing? Anyway my opinion is ki-fire-balls no. Improved attentional control yes.