Beat to smithereens… That’s how I felt a couple days ago, following some intense ninjitsu training and cardio kickboxing. Mat burns, bruises, sore muscles from head to toe… I had the works!
The plus side? I felt good afterward! My energy was spent, yet I felt calm, centered, focused, and free of stress. To be honest, this is how I feel after almost every class (not always “beat up” though!). I’ve experienced other benefits from martial arts as well, which I’ve covered to some extent in this earlier post about the top 6 benefits of mixed martial arts for ADHDers.
The fact is – martial arts has been a warm embrace for my ADHD mind, both today and when I did it back in my military days. Many ADHDers, both young and old, will say the same.
With ADHD, there are common negative symptoms like restlessness, inattentiveness, and impulsivity. If you re-frame these into positive ADHD traits, though, you’ll quickly see how easy it is to embrace your ADHD with martial arts. For example:
Restlessness = Energy & Explosiveness
Martial arts requires a lot of energy, especially if you’re doing any sort of MMA, grappling, or cardio kickboxing. This translates to an amazing release of energy for the ADHDer who has no other way to exert that energy. Plus, it offers explosiveness during scenarios when you need it most.
Inattentiveness = Creativity & Flexibility
The ADHD mind bounces around a lot, even when it appears we’re fully engaged. I remember being aware of this a couple weeks ago when I was learning a new defensive move that somehow turned into an advanced move while practicing it. I was thinking about the move itself, and then wandered off into the mental “what if?” game. “What if he moves his arm there?” “What if I spin that way?” I was probably just getting ahead of myself, but in the process, I opened myself up to other avenues and techniques for dealing with that situation.
Muah – doing a little cardio kickboxing
Impulsivity = Enthusiasm & Eagerness
Having ADHD, I’m no stranger to blurting out inappropriate things or sometimes doing that don’t make any sense at all. During my ninjitsu class, though, my impulsivity comes across as enthusiasm. I jump into demonstrations as a test dummy, start moves occasionally without thinking, and quickly rebound from failed moves so I can try them again. It’s not that I’m being careless or don’t care about the technique. On the contrary, I’m extremely eager to learn, and even more eager to demonstrate what I learn. This actually facilitates the learning process.
Now, you see just how compatible your ADHD mind is with martial arts. Plus, you’ve seen how easy it is to embrace your ADHD by simply re-framing those negative symptoms into positive ones. Now, it’s just a matter of seeing which activities are a perfect fit for your positive ADHD traits.
Do you embrace your ADHD with martial arts? If not, how do you use your positive ADHD traits?
