Martial arts Studies

Abstract

79 improved when tested post-exercise. Interestingly, a study on visually impaired judoka, conducted by Almansba et al. [2012], reveals that judo practice improved proprioceptive function (a sense of self-movement) for balance and was thus recommended as a valuable exercise for the development of balance and coordination for the visually impaired [Almansba et al. 2012: 157]. Interestingly, a similar study on the closely related art of Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) examined the effects of BJJ on older participants, revealing that sixty-two male volunteers, non-institution-alised and aged between 60 and 80 years old, were assessed over twelve weeks engaging in BJJ training [de Queiroz et al. 2016]. The treatment intervention consisted of applying BJJ training twice a week. Each 90-minute session was divided into the following stages: (a) 5 minutes of initial stretching, 20 minutes of warm-up with active stretching, and strength exercises; (b) 3 minutes of recovery and rehydration (water only); (c) 50 minutes of BJJ training that included unbalancing (e.g., takedowns and throws), submissions, positions adequate for the skill level of the participants (beginners), and self-defense techniques; and (d) 10 minutes of stretching for cooldown and relaxation [2016: 4]. de Queiroz et al. reported that: [I]n addition to strength, BJJ was also efficient in promoting an increase in flexibility levels, aerobic endurance, and motor agil-ity/dynamic balance. During BJJ practice, many moves require the use of isometric contraction of lower and upper body muscles , which may lead to neural and somatic adaptations, such as increased motor-units recruitment and muscle hypertrophy. This could explain the increase in strength after intervention in the present study. [2016: 5] Another study conducted by Belo et al. [2021] aimed at exploring the potential therapeutic effects of BJJ training by assessing blood pressure responses during and after technical sparring. The study consisted of seven BJJ practitioners (age: 24.0±3.5 years; height: 1.75±0.02 m; body mass: 76.0±4.2 kg; BMI: 24.5 0.9) who were required to perform three five-minute technical sparring rounds each day over a two-day period. The study confirmed that technical BJJ sparring induces signifcant post-exercise decreases in blood pressure which suggests that BJJ can be recommended as a non-pharmacological treatment strategy for the prevention and management of hypertension [Belo et al. 2021: 42]. A much broader study conducted by Johnstone and Marí-Beffa [2018], examining the neurological, physiological, and psychological effects of martial arts training, indicates that martial arts practice creates an excitability of the corticospinal motor system which improves alertness and overall executive functions. The literature thereby demonstrates that physical activity significantly improves executive functions with both judo and BJJ proving particularly effective. This provides substantial evidence supporting Kano's assumptions that his reformed jujutsu practice would assist practitioners in improving their skill acquisition, intellect, and active, healthy participation in society. While it is not the goal of this article to attempt to fill the gap between cognition and human experience, I am pushed to recognise that cogni-tive structures and the different pathways for embodied cognition are rooted in human creativity [Finke, Ward & Smith 1992: 2]. And to this, I believe it is necessary to provide a synopsis of these processes for how they relate to scientific evidence that judo practice positively contributes to a better self. Contemporary Scientific Studies into the Benefits of Judo Practice Recent neurological studies suggest that judo is an effective physical activity for the development of executive functions, and researchers consider the practice a legitimate method for self-improvement [Am-aral & Gabriel 2021]. A study conducted by Valdés-Badilla et al. [2021] of older participants in martial arts (mean age: 69.6 years) reviewed the disciplines of Olympic combat sports (i.e., boxing, fencing, judo, karate, taekwondo, and wrestling), as well as Brazilian jiu jitsu, measuring physical functionality and psychoemotional health. The findings from this study indicate that regular practice of martial arts improves balance, cognitive function, and mental health. To further understand this, Agrawal and Borkar [2021: 155] explain that martial arts demand high levels of cortical recruitment combined with complex repetitive actions that increases alertness and selective attention. In their study, Agrawal and Borkar observed a broader demographic that captured data from 969 martial arts participants aged between 18-40 years. Their systematic review examined the effects of martial arts on attention time span focussing on adults diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Results from the study claim that most participants displayed improved coordinated activation and rates of attention, and control over behaviour. In addition to this, Agrawal and Borkar [2021: 152] demonstrated that '[The] positive expectation in terms of sports performance leads to a high level of self-efficacy and that overcome[s] psychological obstacles'.