Masters of Health Magazine May 2018 | Page 82

The fact is that a certain hormonal status may, through biological processes in the brain, condition the occurrence of various and even depressive disorders in women. Practicing martial arts helps women greatly to overcome such health problems. Women often heal their inner discomfort, a certain fear, sadness, concern, or a disease like depression, with yoga, thai chi or some kind of meditation. Unfortunately, it is less known that one of the best ways of treating such conditions in women is fencing (modern or kendo). The discipline requires certain calmness, concentration, focus on a particular moment, all of which encourages women in self-confidence, and removes fear as well as indisputable concern for some event in the future.

Exercise of the kata (forms) will also help with such depressive conditions, as well as the katas with various tools or weapons that are aesthetically appealing to women. Women also feel much stronger and safer if they hold some of the tools or weapons such as swords, spears, tonfas, some knives, and so on.

Practicing various martial arts also helps children in eliminating various depressive states. If a child is in training or somewhere else, uncontrollably aggressive, irritable, listless and confused, do not immediately conclude that he/she is simply undisciplined because he/she may be ill and suffering from depression. Such a child's condition will be immediately recognized in the training,and the trainer(instructor) will help the child with his example, as well as with the conversation with the child. The child will be directed to controlled aggression and also to a certain correct control of his/her emotions, and in particular there will be certain exercises to enhance his/her self-esteem.

Although depression can be cured in more than 50 percent of cases, it is recurrent. In the prevention of relapses, it is important, together with the use of appropriate and carefully dosed medications, to work on oneself, to induce certain lifestyle changes, reformulate and set up new and realistic goals, or apply a whole range of psychological and social interventions. Then a person will certainly be greatly assisted with some of the martial arts skills.

Martial arts help people not to get into a state of depression, they help in its elimination, as well as in preventing the relapses of the disease. The treatment of depression lasts for a long time, but it can be greatly reduced if a person undergoes proper training of some of the martial arts skills.

David „Sensei“ Stainko

Prof. of kinesiology

7th Dan MMS (mixed martial scientists)