Health is composed of, and may be assessed through evaluation of, mental, emotional, spiritual, environmental, social and physical factors.

Developing an accurate understanding of what constitutes a healthy individual allows them to set worthwhile goals, prioritise daily tasks and develop values that provide them with a sense of meaning.

Health, when accurately understood and clearly defined, should therefore be sought after by everyone as the fundamental life goal.

The following will investigate the broad context of the majority of students who practice martial arts, explore traditional and contemporary philosophies addressing the purpose of training from Judo Founder Jigoro Kano and Boxing trainer Cus D'amato as well as specifically address how martial arts may be used to great effect in efficiently cultivating healthy outcomes across the lifespan of a practicing student.

From an outsider's perspective it would appear that a martial artist is someone who trains every day, tests themselves in competitions, eats a perfect diet, cultivates their mind and is in excellent physical condition.

The reality is that most people who train in martial arts do not compete, are unable to train every day due to other commitments and have not come close to reaching their physical or mental potential.

This is the beautiful thing about martial arts, they facilitate the positive growth towards these types of ideals - they do not require them. Martial arts is for everyone and should be undertaken as a means to improve yourself through disciplined hard work.

Judo is well known as a traditional martial art that was founded by Jigoro Kano in 1882 as a means to integrate combat training with mental and physical education.

The fundamental principle of Judo philosophy is Waza which implies “Maximum efficient use of mind and body”.

As headmaster of the Tokyo University of Education off and on for 25 years Kano laid the basis of modern Japanese education.

It was his belief that “Nothing under the sun is greater than education. By educating one person and sending him into the society of his generation, we make a contribution extending a hundred generations to come.”

The purpose of Judo practice is for it to act as a means of preparation for the challenges of one’s daily life.

Boxing is more commonly referred to as a combat sport as opposed to a martial art.

One of the greatest boxing trainers of the 20th century was Cus D’amato who led Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres to World Championship Title victories.

He believed that the mark of a great fighter was not skill alone - but rather skill plus character. He had a distinct philosophy surrounding fear and famously stated that “The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs. It’s the same thing, fear, but it’s what you do with it that matters.”

This is analogous with the purpose of Judo; Boxing practice prioritises the development of the student’s character as the primary aim - not the acquisition of the skills themselves.

With an understanding of the aim of martial arts and combat sports practice defined, what is it that a martial arts student or combat sports athlete does precisely that improves their character?

They develop a routine that requires them to arrive at a place of training at a specified time prepared to do something that is difficult.

This is an extension of the utility in having a child make their bed in the morning. You must impose a level of self-discipline upon yourself and sacrifice other things that you could be doing in this time in order to attain something in the future - a stronger character who is able to make disciplined sacrifices in pursuit of a goal.

This act alone cultivates mental, emotional and spiritual health implications as you are moving towards the goal of becoming an individual that can do more, one that is more competent, and one that is able to be of value to their family, friends and even the wider community.

As practice begins you prepare your body for contending with resistance, provided to you in the physical form from your training partners who will benefit mutually alongside you through the act of combat.

The resistance your opponent’s give you represents the obstacles that you will have to overcome in your wider life. These obstacles must be overcome through the development of skills which are created through analysis and evaluation of the obstacle in order to create a solution before testing this proposed solution against the obstacle itself and repeating the process through a cycle of trial and error until finally the obstacle is able to be overcome.

This is the exact meta-process that must be undertaken to overcome any obstacle in life. Therefore a student of martial arts develops the most valuable skill of all: overcoming resistance - whatever that resistance may manifest itself as in their wider life. 

A session of practice in martial arts is a micro manifestation of the Hero's Journey, the Knight does not go to fight the Dragon without preparation, he wears armour and wields a sword and shield.

A martial arts student wears a mouth piece and wraps their hands. The Knight is aware of the threats the Dragon presents and has an intelligent plan to overcome the clear disparity in physical power. The martial arts student is also only able to overcome an opponent of greater size and strength with the intelligent use of techniques, tactics and strategy.

The Knight faces a very real threat requiring him to move forwards in the face of fear, separating him from the men who cannot and with success earns him the title of hero. This grants him the prize in which the dragon had obstructed from him.

The resistance a martial arts student faces is also a very real threat, they will be punched, have ligaments torn, bones broken and be choked unconscious, but just as in the hero’s journey, if they are able to be move forwards and contend with this resistance despite the fear they will be rewarded with the skill of overcoming resistance and develop a character that is strong and valuable.

Aiming at this target of health provides you with a strong sense of meaning and the ability to produce this sense of meaning in your life is what it truly means to be healthy.

The common thread across martial arts philosophies of self-improvement through the development of character cultivated through disciplined commitment to hard work provides students with mental, emotional and spiritual health benefits.

The nature of the work in and of itself provides students with both physical and social health benefits and by paying attention to a their own development and taking responsibility for their actions an appreciation of their connectedness and role in the wider environment and community will grow.

It is for these reasons that martial arts training should be undertaken by everyone in order to provide them with the most effective tool contemporary society has for promoting, facilitating and developing a healthy life with meaning - not an easy or happy one.