Thank you for your service…past and and present! At High Altitude Martial Arts, we are proud to be the home of many veterans. Our student body consists of many veterans and we also have several staff members who served as well! Martial arts are beneficial to everyone who trains them. But to some, there’s more meaning than just attending a class and gaining new skills. Everybody is fighting something, and martial arts is a healthy and constructive activity for veterans who have served in the military.
Read a first hand account of how beneficial martial arts can be. http://highaltitudema.com/brazilian-jiu-jitsu-bjj-therapy-for-ptsd/
Overall:
- Martial arts not only provide the structure and discipline that many military institutions do, but they also equip veterans to stay in shape and feel confident in their combat skills years after they were active in the service.
- Martial arts have intensity that other civilian activities lack, while still being safe and fun for veterans and civilians.
- Hardcore or extreme sports tend to be more enjoyable for veterans, since they are used to functioning under high stress situations.
- The top two martial arts that are recommended for veterans are kickboxing and Brazilian jiu jitsu. These two martial arts include striking and grappling, promote both mental and physical fortitude, and enable vets to practice techniques on the feet and on the ground.
Kickboxing:
- Kickboxing teaches basic striking, most of which veterans already learn in basic training or AIT (advanced individual training). While the basics of punching and kicking may feel familiar to a veteran, the details on how to refine hand to hand combat may be unfamiliar.
- Especially in the current technological age, many military members rely upon their weapons to defend themselves, rather than their bodies. (This is not to discount the brutal training each member of the military goes through, but there is emphasis on more effective means of self defense).
- Hand to hand combat is not only crucial for self defense, but also promotes cardiovascular endurance and muscular skeletal strength.
- In addition, kickboxing provides stress relief unlike any other sport. The impact and intensity of kickboxing provides a safe and constructive way to facilitate stress.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, while having many of the same benefits as kickboxing, focuses on different techniques to promote health.
- Wrestling based sports can be therapeutic to veterans who have dealt with high stress situations before.
- BJJ puts the body in uncomfortable and stressful situations while requiring the mind to stay calm and rational. This is nothing new to a current or former member of the military.
- Veterans are trained to make decisions in high pressure environments while maintaining composure.
Core Principles:
- Both kickboxing and jiu jitsu promote health and safety at all times. Very few sports can balance intensity with safety the way martial arts can.
- Both sports are individual sports that rely on the guidance and help of others. Veterans have had to perform individually, but they rely on their teammates in combat to help them through.
- A similar brotherhood and camaraderie exists in martial arts gyms to promote growth and protect each individual.
- Teammates push each other when they need to grow and take care of each other when they need it. Both inside and outside the gym, teammates are on your side.
- To non-veterans, martial arts can seem grotesque and brutish. But veterans know that it’s better to be prepared for battle than being caught off guard.
- Veterans also appreciate the difference between actively and passively defending oneself, a concept that is thoroughly explained during martial arts training.
The Fight:
- While veterans are strong and resilient, the unfortunate reality is that most struggle with PTSD following the years after their service.
- Martial arts is a coping mechanism for many who are fighting internal battles.
- While mixed martial arts isn’t therapy, it is therapeutic for veterans who struggle with the thoughts and memories they bring home from the field.
- Some emotions are so strong they can only be expressed and processed through dynamic movement. Talk therapy and self help books aren’t enough for some of the pain veterans suffer through.
- Rather than keeping anger, hurt, and regret pent up, veterans can safely release that tension through training and fighting.
- Many UFC fighters such as Neil Magny, Liz Carmouche, and Randy Couture served in the U.S Military.
- Many gyms give discounts to active military personnel and veterans as a way of thanking them for their service. Less financial pressure is ideal when starting an activity, and gives back to veterans who have given so much to others.
In honor of Veterans Day, all veterans are welcome to train at our academy at no charge! Please contact us at http://highaltitudema.com/contact-us if you would like to get signed up!
If you or someone you know is struggling with PTSD, there are resources to help.
Veterans who are struggling with PTSD, Anxiety, Insomnia, or Depression can call 303-351-5941 for support.
If you want to help veterans who endure these things daily, consider donating to charities that give back to those who gave up their lives for our freedom.
Wounded Warrior Project – https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate
Or buy merchandise from brands that donate proceeds to prevent veteran suicide.
Til Valhalla Project – https://tilvalhallaproject.com
