By Rochelle E. Brenner
Whether it’s a left-handed block or a right-handed strike, martial artists train both sides of the body with intensity. Neuroscience studies show that this kind of movement improves coordination, reaction time and stimulates brain power even more than regular exercise.
Karate movements are dynamic, creative, graceful and powerful:
- Weapon drills like bo, sai, or tonfa require coordinated use of both hands and strikes reach from the left to the right, up to down, front to side to back
- Kata (forms) often mirror movements on both sides and include facing all directions, reinforcing neural pathways and spatial awareness
- Crossing the mid-line (left arm with right leg, and vice versa) enhances communication between brain hemispheres
- Target drills with partners require martial artists to anticipate the action and react with the opposite action
The youngest karate students do not know left from right, but they can learn to switch legs, use both legs at the same time, and be directed to have one leg bent and one straight in a karate stance. These lessons are part of the building blocks of their development. They also use (foam) weapons to further enhance their functional strength. Holding a weapon improves grip strength, coordination, control and muscle activation. This strength is used for everything from hanging on to monkey bars to hand-writing. It also helps to use an external object for brain stimulation, and using tools demonstrates intelligence.
For adult karate students, even as beginners- every lesson includes footwork, a balanced stance, maintaining composure while moving, level changes from high to low, strikes from upper body to lower body, and adjusting position from right to left. And each time you flow through a series of moves, you’re not just training your body, you’re sharpening your mind. Studies have found that martial artists wearing gloves or holding weapons are increasing brain activity. Martial arts is also used around the country to mitigate the symptoms of degenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and memory loss.
Training both sides of the body works on so many levels – crossing the midline, creating angles, and being aware of the 360 degrees of your surroundings. Students who are left-handed often enjoy this part of the training the most because they get to use their dominant hand – and their classmates are also alternating sides. Research has shown left-handed people test better in some intelligence tests because they are so often challenged to adjust to a right-handed world.
Using the non-dominant hand has been shown to:
- improves problem-solving
- boosts neuroplasticity
- aids executive functioning
- Increases adaptability and creativity
In conclusion, the stronger you get from martial arts, the smarter you are.