We all know that martial arts can be a beneficial platform. This website is about starting to train in martial arts and improving our lives. However, one question came to mind one day: what is the effect martial arts have on people on the spectrum?
Martial arts will benefit people with autism, as they provide a platform to overcome the typical obstacles people on the spectrum experience on a daily basis. For instance, martial arts will include a social setting, which can be especially beneficial for children with ASD who experience social anxiety.
The social setting is a great example. Many people with autism face daily social problems, such as wanting to be alone more than with others.
So, if you don’t want to experience the discomfort of the social setting martial arts classes bring, you can start with private lessons. I’m confident you’ll want to move into the real class once you learn the basics.
Many questions may come to your mind. These are the same questions that came to my mind. For instance, which martial art is most suitable for my child who has autism? Or, what is the safest martial art? Should I sign up if I think I’m too old? What are the benefits of martial arts for people on the spectrum?
Let’s answer all your questions one by one.
The benefits of martial arts on people with autism
This topic particularly piqued my interest. I know the many benefits martial arts have on people, such as increased confidence and self-esteem, reduced stress and aggression levels, and learning to fight.
What launched this article was a question that came to my mind: could martial arts help people with autism? Likewise, I wondered whether learning to fight can boost kids’ confidence on the spectrum.
So, I stumbled upon a few interesting resources. I was surprised to see the positive benefits immediately. It seems that martial arts, in all its glory, can be quite beneficial to people with autism.
Here’s an example of a study that proves my point:
Study findings demonstrated that martial arts-based interventions (internal and external styles) had positive influence on ASD-related symptoms (e.g., social interaction/communication skills, self-regulation, memory, postural control, and cognitive function) with effect size ranging from medium to high.
SOURCE
Likewise, it seems that martial arts benefit children on the spectrum. So, if you’re a parent, you can sign your child up for a private fighting lesson without worrying too much!
Here are some of the benefits people on the spectrum might experience from martial arts:
- Better balance
- Reduced social anxiety
- Less stress and aggression levels
- Reduced violence levels
- Higher self-confidence
- Better self-esteem
- Improved basic motor skills
- Better communication skills
- Self-regulation
- Improved memory
- Better cognitive function
- Better postural control
- Exercising and improved physical shape
I hope you’re excited now because I sure am!
These benefits are life-changing. People work for years to achieve each, and it completely transforms their lives.
You can gain all of these by training in martial arts. It doesn’t matter whether you or your child is on the spectrum, you can start training today and experience some of these benefits soon!
The best martial arts for people with autism
There are many martial arts out there. So, as you can imagine: some are safer than others. Likewise, some are more dangerous than the rest.
Thus, familiarizing yourself with the best ones for your goals—is critical for your long-term consistency.
Here are the best martial arts for people on the spectrum:
- Karate
- Kung fu
- Judo
- BJJ
- MMA
- Kickboxing
These are the ones I saw real people with autism having success with. I’m sure other martial arts, such as boxing, are also beneficial. However, I did not see enough evidence, so I left them out.
Let’s start in order:
Karate and kung fu are martial arts that teach many fighting techniques. Their history originates way back, and their purpose is to teach people how to fight.
Naturally, if you want to read more about the reasons to learn kung fu, you can follow the link to another article of mine.
Here is some of the evidence I found:
Results showed that Kata techniques training significantly reduced stereotypy in the exercise group. Following participation in Kata techniques training, stereotypy decreased from baseline levels by a M of 42.54% across participants.
SOURCE
Eventually, I saw more evidence with all the other martial arts. Likewise, all of them are safe if you sign up for a safe martial arts gym. Thus, I call you to do your research in your local area before signing you or your child up for any martial arts class.
Final words
There’s no better way to end this article than with a call to action. However, before we get to that, I want to remind you of the benefits martial arts can have on people on the spectrum.
Martial arts improve mental and physical toughness. They reduce stress, aggression, and violence levels – and will positively influence children and people with autism. Likewise, they’re fantastic exercises that will benefit people on the spectrum by allowing them to exercise regularly.
Don’t hesitate to start learning martial arts if you’re on the spectrum. The benefits of fighting and of martial arts are endless.
Your life will change completely due to starting your training right now. So, step out of your comfort zone and start training.
I’ll see you in the ring.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you’d also enjoy reading about 11 valuable reasons to learn martial arts for.