Heart rate goes up, blood pressure rises, adrenaline dump
Anger can also trigger the fight or flight syndrome but is it a good thing to be angry?
Make yourself look angry in self-defence
In self-defence if someone tries to assault you, even just a small push, or they may come towards you in a dark street and start talking to you. You sense they are about to rob you. To portray yourself as angry and potentially violent can be a good thing in this case. Grit your teeth, stand tall, tense your body and shout at them to go away very quickly, maybe do some swearing as well. You’re simply portraying an image as a form of self defence.
But anger is bad
Anger is natural and normal but it should be controlled. It’s OK appearing aggressive in a self-defence situation or even in Martial Arts sparring competition. Make your competitor or a potential mugger scared so you have the upper hand. It’s good in these scenarios to look angry but you don’t actually want to be angry.
Anger, particularly in an aggressive form, should be controller by yourself.
Wikipedia has a good description of Anger here
Red Mist
Red Mist is where a person looses control in a rage of aggression which can sometimes result in an assault, damage to property and having a negative impact on someone else’s life. Mental illness, alcohol and drug misuse can often make the situation much worse.
How can Martial Arts help?
People often ask “How can Martial Arts help in controlling anger and aggression when it is teaching you to fight”. The problem occurs when a person has difficulty controlling anger. It can lead to issues with personal and professional relationships, and a deterioration in your quality of life. Learning how to control anger before it turns into outward rage and negative aggression, is vital to living a productive and peaceful life.
Controlling aggression is especially important for people who work professionally in situations involving conflict such as police, security, military, social workers and nursing staff.
Martial Arts can assist in managing anger and aggression by focussing and controlling the body and mind simultaneously. A good physical cardio vascular workout is well known for being good for you mentally, controlling your mood and feeling of wellbeing. In addition to this Martial Arts training often involves specific breathing techniques and meditative practice to focus on mental discipline and self control.
Activities such as perfecting your Martial Arts stances or exerting your negative energy into a properly formed kick or punch on the training bags can melt away those emotions before you have a chance to lose control. In addition, with focus on the mind and body, martial arts can improve your ability to find the inner peace and patience to be triggered into anger less frequently.
If you’re not into jumping around and hitting punch bags really hard then Tai Chi is an excellent alternative to managing anger, aggression and stress. The slow meditative moves and slow controlled breathing is very beneficial.
Relaxed and in control
In Martial Arts, one of the primary elements is to relax and be soft. If your mind and body are relaxed without tension and anger then you can react faster with more focus and insight.
Further reading
Below are some articles I have researched from different perspectives:
Can Martial Arts Help with Anger Management and Aggression Issues? by The Peaceful Dragon, Tai Chi, Kung Fu and Qigong. An explanation of how Martial Arts can assist in controlling anger and aggression.
Emotional Healing with Tai Chi – Anger by Sifu Carlton Hill and Kashmira Shaw Raj. Approaching Anger from a Chinese Tai Chi and Qigong point of view.
The Red Mist – What Happens in an Angry Brain by Dr Jenny Brockis. How to use control to manage anger in every day situations.
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