Tim was the most rigid and uptight person I had ever met in my life. He was a business executive who’s mental stress consumed him to the point his body had physically resisted movement and flexibility. He was so tight he could barely bend enough to sit in a chair.
He wasn’t plagued with a disease or deformed from a birth defect… Tim was stressed. And sadly, it is the best example of how stress affects the mind and body together.
What is Stress?
Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. And if there’s one thing our society is great at, it’s creating stress in our lives. School, work, family, money. We’re constantly setting deadlines, creating events, and dealing with issues that generate anxiety and large amounts of stress on our minds and bodies.
Tae Kwon-Do alleviates both mental and physical stress through what we call an active meditation.
Stretching, calisthenics, and intense cardiovascular workouts are all part of our training, and are forms of stress-reducing exercises. While training, you’re focused on the activity in front of you, concentrating on your body’s movements. As the mind and body work together, you’ll soon forget about the day’s stressful irritations.
Become More Flexible
Tae Kwon-Do teaches you how to breath properly so that you fully oxygenate your blood. You are focused as you stretch and breathe. This reduces stress by relaxing the body and lowering anxiety.
Physical and mental stress work together to bring you down. They’re related, yet the same principle holds true when combatting stress. If my body is in a better place, it allows my mind to go to a better place. The mind and body will communicate and help one another.
When I first worked with Tim, just adjusting his hand position was like twisting a piece of metal. He had zero flexibility. I taught Tim to meditate by showing him how to focus on his breathing and stretching. Along with the help of Tim’s chiropractor, his body became more and more flexible over time.
And in the process of relieving his stress, Tim became more flexible in his life.
Master Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do offers a trial program for individuals and families in Buffalo, NY and the surrounding areas that allows you to get a feel for the different classes, meet our instructors, and experience our dojang. It’s a great way to see if Tae Kwon-Do is right for you. To learn more or to sign up, register online or call (716) 836-KICK (5425) and a member of our team will follow up with you on next steps. We look forward to helping you achieve your goals. Pil-Sung!
