The Barrow

The other day, I referred to fighting sports and their restorative properties to mental health as “microdosing violence.” I think this is a very apt comparison. Our brains can fall out of calibration with regards to our anxieties and our “fight or flight” responses. Showing your brain what these states are actually for can help realign this and ease anxieties and restlessness in the rest of our lives.

When you regularly show physical aggression, your mind is clearer, your rest is more restful and you have an easier time staying present. When we lead extremely sedentary lives, our impulses don't know what to do and thus pull us in many directions, much to our detriment.

We are intended to experience physical aggression and struggle. The benefits of a fighting sport or martial art will show in every area of your life.