Martial Arts Improves Self-Esteem in Middle Aged and More

"Positive effects of regular physical activity on subjective well-being are well supported by a large and ever-increasing body of knowledge in the fields of exercise psychology and behavioral medicine. Traditional martial arts training as a holistic integrated activity has shown benefits that are especially pronounced and notable in older adults. Middle-aged folks (and younger) have been less well studied. Importance of Physiology, Psychology, and Philosophy"

"Subjective well-being, self-esteem, and mood have modulating and complex interactions, and Yan Li and Yanbin Hu from Chongqing Industry Polytechnic University and the University of Chinese Medicine in Beijing, China recently published research on this. Their recent study "Relationship between Tai Chi and the mood states, self-esteem, and subjective well-being of middle-aged and older adults: a cross-sectional study from China" is notable for the numbers of participants assessed and the focus on a little-studied age range of adults from 45-65 years old."

"Using a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based assessment, they surveyed almost 650 participants, two-thirds of whom were women. Participants were asked about the volume of Tai Chi Chuan training they participated in and were assessed using questionnaires that estimate well-being, self-esteem, and mood states. Using statistical modeling, the researchers aimed to understand the interactive effects of traditional martial arts training volume, gender, and psychological state."

A cross-sectional questionnaire assessed almost 650 adults aged 45-65, two-thirds women, measuring Tai Chi Chuan training volume alongside measures of subjective well-being, self-esteem, and mood. Statistical modeling evaluated interactive effects of training volume, gender, and psychological state. Results indicate a positive correlation between Tai Chi exercise volume and subjective well-being in middle-aged and older adults. Traditional martial arts as holistic activities yield pronounced benefits in older adults. Regular physical activity improves physiological and psychological function, and middle-aged adults remain under-studied compared to older adults, highlighting a need for more focused research in this age range.

Read at Psychology Today