The benefits of martial arts on mental health (& our goals for 2026 at TMS)
Every young person deserves a happy, healthy life, but that’s far from the reality for many young men we meet. 20% of young people aged 8 to 16 years old face ill mental health, according to NHS England. Young men in particular tend to suffer in silence.
Martial arts and mental health might seem an unlikely pairing. But martial arts can help many young men to realise their full potential and leave damaging behaviours in the past. Martial arts offers valuable community and purpose — and the benefits are huge.
Benefits of martial arts on mental health
‘Martial arts’ is a group of fighting sports and skills, including Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts/MMA (which combines various techniques).
It might look aggressive at first glance, but martial arts is all about discipline, respect, and self-control. For young men whose lives have been anything but under their control, Muay Thai and MMA offer a (genuinely) life-saving way to process emotions and find release.
Levi was depressed before starting Muay Thai classes with The Mental Shift. Now, he says, “When I was in training, I forgot about everything else. It’s like a safe space.”
Here are some of the ways martial arts helped Levi with his mental health, and could help other young men too:
- Martial arts teaches young men controlled movement and breathing, to help them stay calm under pressure.
- Sparring and drills are sources of ‘structured stress’. Learning to work with them can reduce emotional reactivity in daily life.
- It’s a disciplined form of movement that channels anger or frustration to limit impulsive behaviour.
- Each class is at a predictable time and follows a predictable structure. This provides young men with much-needed stability to navigate their chaotic or stressful lives.
- Mastering new techniques and achieving belts boosts self-belief and esteem.
- Encouragement and positive reinforcement from coaches can help increase confidence and improve positive self-image.
- By overcoming physical challenges, young men learn that they can do hard things, changing their internal narrative from “I can’t” to “I can”.
Martial arts is a mental and emotional exercise as much as a physical one. But the physical benefits are there too. The physical intensity of training and fighting activates the body’s natural stress-relief system and delivers endorphins. It’s a far healthier coping mechanism compared to the negative, risk-taking behaviours young men might turn to otherwise.
The practice of martial arts is thousands of years old. It’s deep-rooted in tradition and discipline that’s bigger than any one of us. That age-old culture promotes respect and accountability — both of which are protective factors for vulnerable teens.
When young men access martial arts classes through The Mental Shift, they also get access to positive male role models (like coaches or older students). These relationships help establish that level of respect and emotional maturity. A lot of the time, these training sessions become a trusted space for expressing big feelings without fear of judgment — a crucial advantage at an age where opening up can feel uncomfortable.
By signing up, young men are welcomed into a community of peers with similar goals and backgrounds. And the health habits they form in their teens can be carried into adulthood.
What’s new with The Mental Shift’s martial arts in 2026
We’re looking to partner with MMA gyms in the North of England to expand our ‘Inside the Cage’ project, supporting young men to improve mental health and prevent suicide. We’re hoping to work with local services such as councils, NHS trusts, and schools to reach over 1000 new young males through martial arts programs and sessions.
Can you help?
Do you have a space to host martial arts classes in Newcastle upon Tyne and the North East? Are you an MMA gym and want to support young men? Could you donate to help us do more of this work?
Get in touch with the team at info@thementalshift.org today.
