GUEST POST | FOCUS AND DISCIPLINE: HOW LEARNING MARTIAL ARTS CAN BREAK BAD HABITS.

One way to deal with digital overload is to decompress and learn martial arts online.

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In our digital and hyper-connected era when many of us are glued to our gadgets and can't seem to put them down for a second, it can be hard to retain concentration and focus on what we're doing. For children, it can be particularly difficult, as parents battle to keep smartphones and tablets out of their little ones' hands so they can do their homework, get ready for school or go to sleep.

It's no wonder a growing number of people are putting aside their gadgets, at least for a while, and undergoing a mind-clearing digital detox. It's not always easy, however, especially with endless thoughts of what your friends are up to on social media and who might be messaging you right now with something you’ve just got to know. 

Taking a breather from our attention-seeking devices can certainly be an exercise in refreshing and clearing the mind, and in doing so allow us to focus on things that really matter, whether at work, home or play. But how to go about it?

Martial Arts to the Rescue

It turns out that there's a lot we can do to kick our bad online and other habits, and learning something like the ancient sport of martial arts can go a long way towards instilling much-needed discipline in people of all ages, according to a leading kung fu practitioner and star of many Asian martial arts films. 

"Practicing Chinese kung fu not only gives you the ability to learn the combat skills and techniques, but [it] also keeps you healthier physically and mentally," Bruce Leung Siu-lung, who displayed his martial arts prowess in Hong Kong films in the 1970s and 1980, said. The 71-year-old said that these days, many children are overindulged by their parents and addicted to their smartphones and other devices, and are so wrapped up in the online world that they often find it hard to cope when they go out into the real world. 

"There are a lot of children who are spoiled by their parents and lack independence in real life, and there are some who struggle to face setbacks and even commit suicide," said the retired martial arts actor. "Chinese kung fu is more than just a set of skills and techniques. It is full of profound Chinese philosophy and core values, which focus on the spirit of love, kindness, tolerance, perseverance and strong will."

Learn Martial Arts Online

Due to the popularity of the many forms of self-defence and attack disciplines — which also include karate, judo, Jeet Kune Do, Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, jujitsu, sumo, kendo and others — it is now possible to learn martial arts online and find out everything you need to know so that you can become an expert, and way more disciplined in every aspect of your life. 

One of the benefits of learning martial arts online is you can have a look at and study several before deciding which one is best suited to you. And whichever discipline you choose, you can be happy knowing that it will help you to develop a healthy lifestyle and positive outlook on life, as well as giving you lots of self-confidence.

You'll get in great shape while enjoying the many moves of martial arts and will most likely lose weight too. What you'll also get is an appreciation of everything around and a strong sense of stillness, awareness and focus — you'll see and hear things you might not have noticed when you were stuck to those digital devices that are no longer the centre of your universe.

* This is a guest post, but all content published on Tea With Gi is still kept relevant to this blog. *