Learning mixed martial arts isn’t just about punching, kicking, and grappling your way to the best physical and mental shape you’ve ever been. It’s a surprisingly effective way to improve your communication skills and forge strong social connections.
That’s right, tapping people out in the gym can lead to life-long relationships and even kindle the flames of romantic ones!
Builder Stronger Connections With Martial Arts
Many people struggle with making friends as they get older. The older you get, the more awkward meeting new people can be. You might struggle to create icebreakers or lack time to socialize outside your daily obligations like work.
Things are different inside martial arts studios since positivity, respect, and politeness are promoted in these spaces. Some of the ways martial arts training helps to widen your social net include:
1) Builds Community
Training alongside others creates natural connections, with shared goals making interactions and camaraderie flow effortlessly.
The shared desire to train also makes connecting with your new training partners easier when you walk inside a gym. You’re all in the same boat trying to learn how to perform the techniques your instructor demonstrates, and you’ll serve as support systems for each other.
Unlike other activities where striking up a conversation might feel odd, talking to someone at the gym is as easy as asking them to help you with a technique or to pair up with you during drills. Conversations come much more naturally than when you have to say something about the weather to break the ice.
You’ll enjoy many laughs with your training partners on your martial arts journey, and the camaraderie of training and sweating together will create strong bonds.
2) Teaches The Language Of Respect
“In martial arts, respect is a value that’s deeply imbued in every aspect of training—whether it’s bowing before stepping onto the mat, listening attentively to your instructor, or showing humility towards training partners.
Martial arts gyms are big on students respecting each other and their instructors. You’ll bow to your instructors and training partners when you walk onto the mat, and you’ll bow and clap each other hands before every sparring session.
The respectful environment martial arts training fosters will reshape how you see the world. You’ll realize that your teammate who holds pads for you is equally as important as the instructor who teaches you new moves.
You’ll have more success forming bonds with new people when you respect them. You get to build stronger bonds that are based on mutual admiration and trust, not superficial things. Your training will force you to trust your teammates to let go when you tap out to a submission, and it’ll do the same for them. That’s a solid foundation to build friendships.
3) Embraces Awkwardness
Martial arts training brings shared laughs from awkward moments, like grappling in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, fostering a unique sense of camaraderie.
Martial arts training sometimes leads to awkward moments, like wrapping your legs around someone’s torso for the first time in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes. These moments often lead to shared laughter in the gym since you’re all in it together.
You find yourself having laughter-filled conversations with your training partners about how awkward some positions and techniques feel. These shared experiences will give you a sense of belonging you might not find in other areas of your life.
4) Encourages Teamwork
Martial arts beautifully blend individual focus with teamwork, as you master techniques on your own while relying on teammates for drills, conditioning, and sparring, creating lasting social bonds.
One of the beautiful things about learning any martial art is that it’s an individual and team activity. It’s up to you to pay close attention as your instructor breaks down techniques in class and drill them until they become part of your muscle memory. However, you often work with your training partners when performing strength and conditioning exercises, drilling techniques, or sparring.
The sense of teamwork is one of the foundations that fosters the development of strong social connections. Your teammates will support you, push you, and challenge you. They’ll also be there to help you work through any challenges you face.
Connecting with people is easy when you sweat, struggle, and survive training together. It’s kind of like being stuck with someone in a trench but without bullets whizzing past your head.
5) Offers Opportunities To Bond Outside The Gym
Martial arts training often extends beyond the gym, with vibrant social events that transform teammates into a supportive second family, creating bonds that enrich both personal and professional aspects of life.
Learning martial arts isn’t just about learning techniques at the gym. Many gyms have vibrant social scenes, from impromptu dinners after training to weekend seminars. You’ll have many opportunities to hang out with your training partners in more social settings.
These social events are often where you get to know the people you train with much better. You might learn that the quiet person in class is actually the life of the party outside the gym, and these events will bring you closer.
The more you train, the more you’ll realize you’ve gained a second family. Your teammates won’t just support you in the gym; they’ll be there for you in other aspects of life. They’ll become part of your social network; some might even help open doors to other opportunities, such as career prospects.
6) Develops Real Confidence That Translates To Real Life
Martial arts training steadily builds confidence through mastering techniques and physical transformations, making you more self-assured and approachable both in and out of the gym.
Martial arts training helps to develop your confidence brick by brick. You feel terrific when you pull off a technique on your training partners for the first time or get a belt promotion.
Before you know it, you’ve become a competent martial artist who can defend yourself if needed. The physical transformation that takes place when you start training also gives you something to be proud of.
You’ll observe you’ve become more self-assured since you started training, and people around you will also notice. Confidence is one of the most attractive traits a person can have. It makes people gravitate towards you, making it easier for you to build new connections in and out of the gym. Next thing you know, striking up a conversation with a stranger won’t seem as intimidating.
Fostering Global Ties
You become part of a global community when you sign up for martial arts classes. You can walk into a martial arts gym anywhere you find yourself and instantly have something in common with all the people there.
Martial arts training transcends even language barriers. You’ll find yourself bonding with people you can barely converse with. The community of training partners and instructors you inherit will open opportunities to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. It’s a great way to make new friends anywhere you find yourself.
Come to one of Evolve MMA’s introductory martial arts classes to see firsthand how training widens your social circle.
Book your complimentary trial class with our World Champions below!
If you have any other questions regarding Evolve MMA and the programs we offer, you can get in touch with our membership executives at the following locations:
Evolve MMA (Far East Square)
26 China Street
Far East Square #01-01
Singapore 049568
Phone: (65) 6536 4525
Evolve MMA (Orchard Central)
181 Orchard Road
#06-01 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Phone: (65) 6536 4556
Evolve MMA (KINEX)
11 Tanjong Katong Road
#02-52 KINEX
Singapore 437157
Phone: (65) 6288 2293
Evolve MMA (Star Vista)
1 Vista Exchange Green
#02-26A The Star Vista
Singapore 138617
Phone: (65) 6539 9590
