You Need the Dojo More Than You Think
Missing Aikido class might not only impact your skill, but it might be bad for your health. A 2023 meta-analysis found that the potential hazards of social isolation and loneliness are comparable, and equivalent to “smoking 15 cigarettes a day.” The author of the study, Julianne Holt-Lunstad also co-authored the U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 advisory on loneliness, which stated that “people who are socially disconnected face up to a 29% higher risk of premature death.”
The dojo is also what we might consider a third space. A third space or third place is “a social environment separate from your home (the ‘first place’) and your workplace or school (the ‘second place'). Popular examples include coffee shops, public libraries, and parks.” In that same article, Holt-Lunstad stated that, “the gatherings most likely to build real connection are the interactive ones: dancing, roller skating, anything that asks something of the people there.” Thus, from the definitions, the dojo is one of those third spaces. Third spaces are important to our health because they can reduce loneliness, lower stress, or encourage us to be physically active. These physical and social environments give people a safe and neutral place to relax, recharge, and connect with others which help us manage our mental health. So, not going to the dojo can be hazardous to our health in immeasurable ways.
The act of doing Aikido is also beneficial to our health. When we grab someone’s wrist, something psycho-chemically happens. (Now, let me preface this as two people engaged in the mutual benefit of training and not so much when one person is trying to hurt the other). In this mutually beneficial exchange, the touch triggers the release of the bonding hormone oxytocin which helps to trigger the feelings of trust, calmness, and connection. Touch also lowers cortisol which is our body’s primary stress hormone. These hormones are the reason why we feel good after class even if we didn’t want to go in the first place.
Another benefit of doing Aikido is that its techniques and movements require the use of Type II skeletal muscle fibers. These muscles, when activated through vigorous exercise, stimulate biological processes associated with the release of myokines, popularly referred to as “hope molecules,” which research suggests may help build resilience to stress and improve mood.
The trick to using Aikido as a way to benefit our health is not so much in what we do to our training partners, but in how we do it. If the training environment is mutually supportive, that encourages others to come. If the training is done for mutual benefit, then our intentions must be correct so that the attack aka the touch can bring about a health benefit to our training partner. The class should also be fast-paced and challenging enough to engage our Type II muscle fibers and give us the physical benefits of vigorous training.
Doing a martial art is so much more than beating people up. It is a way to not only stay healthy but be a healthier person inside and out. Don’t miss class, your health just might depend on it.
Today’s goal: Take care of yourself—go to the dojo.
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