Why do some people who practice the martial arts also meditate? I can’t tell you why they do it, but I can tell you why I do. For me, meditation is an essential step in cultivating a mind and body that acts in unison. Only when your mind and body act together can you unleash your peak performance. Let me explain.
I was in great shape when I first started training in jujitsu. However, despite my cardio conditioning, I became gassed within minutes each time I entered the clench. Out of breath and sapped of energy, I quickly tapped. My instructors continually told me I was too tense. “Relax, relax,” they would say. Why was it so important that I learn to relax?
The answer is simple. When you enter a sparring or grappling match without relaxing, your adrenaline surges, your heart races, and breathing becomes erratic. This causes your muscles to become tense and deprives them of the oxygen they need to operate. Once that happens you get sloppy and make mistakes on the mat. Meditation teaches you to relax the body by stilling your thoughts and focusing your breathing. Making yourself relax and staying relaxed takes more effort than you think. Actually, it’s hard work. With practice, you can bring yourself into a relaxed state on command. Once you learn to relax in a state of quiet repose, you can bring yourself to relax while in engaged in physical activity.
So, the question is, do you have to meditate to learn how to relax your body? No, there are probably other ways. But meditation is the probably the easiest way. Mediation is to learning to relax like training wheels are to learning to ride a bicycle. There may be other ways, but none are as practical. The amount of time you spend in meditation depends on your goals. I strive for ten minutes when I wake up in the morning and ten minutes before I go to bed at night. Sometimes, I only get the evening ten. Consistency here is the main key. It’s probably more important to have a daily regiment of ten minutes, than doing twice a day every other day.
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