Combat Sports and Emotional Intelligence

It is often my privilege to train with several athletes in the executive and ultra divisions (ages 33 and up), one of whom has numerous medals (including gold) from the international stage. During a recent training, she and I paired together to do sparring drills. Surprisingly, our coach stopped the training to comment on our performance. My ego was temporarily puffed up when he complimented me on not backing down despite her being the bigger, better, stronger, faster, younger, more experienced athlete.

As I was thinking about this later, I was reminded of an intriguing idea I came across while doing research for an article on tolerating discomfort. It turns out that it was likely her skill that enabled my bravery.

Taekwondo athletes require trust to improve their skills

I was quite proud of myself in that moment of positive feedback from the coach; however, was I really that brave, strong, or determined? It occurred to me later that the real reason I was able to stand in there and do those drills could be explained in one word: TRUST. The truth is that I knew she wouldn’t hurt me. I trusted her to have self-control in the situation, knowing that I was the weaker, older, less-experienced athlete. This unlikely phenomenon allowed us both to get better.

Research has shown that combat sports have positive effects on emotional intelligence

This idea that participating in a combat sport can improve fragile social necessities, such as trust, had me wondering if there is research to support it. Sure enough, a 2024 study using Judo as an intervention program for middle school students showing aggressive behavior had positive outcomes.

  • 24 sessions of Judo instruction, lasting one hour, improved emotional intelligence relating to aggressive behavior
  • Aggressive students were more likely to practice self-control, leading to a decrease in the risk of violent events escalating
  • Activities that require self-control can reduce aggressive behavior overall

These results have been repeated in other studies (here and here) demonstrating that athletes participating in combat sports (Judo in this case) have higher emotional intelligence scores than other study groups.

Public perception is often wrong

Just the term “combat sports” conjures mental images of fighting and, well, aggression. However, the real story is that their practice has the opposite effect in the real world. This is likely because practicing martial arts necessarily requires a type of discipline that is rare in other activities. In Taekwondo specifically, this is summed up by the 5 tenets: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit.

What does this mean for parents?

While the public often has the (wrong) perception that martial arts necessarily lead to aggression, the reality is that kids who participate often have greater levels of emotional intelligence than those who do not. That, combined with the positive benefits of regular physical activity, makes martial arts, such as Taekwondo, an important option for parents considering activities for their children. As an older martial artist myself (one who started late in life), I can say with a degree of confidence that you may be providing them with a lifelong passion.

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