How Karate Teaches Respect

I believe one of the most critical life skills that karate training instills in the student is respect. That is because when you learn how to truly respect the feelings, knowledge, and perspectives of others there is so much you can achieve! Karate students who show respect for each other learn more and can train harder because they can trust their partners. Everyone grows in skill and ability.  

But training does not stop at teaching respect towards others, it also teaches the student to respect themselves.

I don’t want you to confuse having an abundance of ego or arrogance for what I mean by self-respect. To me, self-respect is how you create opportunities to live a healthy, positive lifestyle by taking care of your mental and physical health.

For example, my karate training taught me to take care of myself though exercise, eating healthy, creating order in my daily routine, and by finding a more positive mindset. By improving these aspects of my life, I learned to better respect myself, which in turn greatly improved my self-confidence – leading me to be able to accomplish more of my goals.

The best part is self-respect and respect for others are not two separate entities. As you improve yourself, you tend to treat others with more respect and kindness – which further improves your mental state and positive attitude. This creates a circle of respect – with everyone involved in it growing in a positive direction.

As such, I encourage you to take the time to think about and take action on ways that you can show respect for those around you and for yourself. I think you’ll be pleased with the results.