Onderzoek naar de Body-Mind Connection en de oosterse krijgskunsten (Martial Arts).

The purpose of this study was to examine if martial arts philosophy and Practice have any quantifiable benefits for daily life and work. In order to measure these benefits, the Body-Mind Harmony Index (BMHI) was developed. The BMHI is a model designed to reflect the degree of harmony between the body and mind by means of a self-examination questionnaire. The research measured the effects of 12 weeks of martial arts training on the BMHI of test subjects in 2012. Methods: Sixteen test subjects in the Martial Arts Training Group (MATG) went through a 12-week martial arts training program consisting of theoretical and practical parts. In the theoretical portion, they learned about the history and development of (Asian) martial arts, the main common principles of martial art philosophies and the basic theory about the body-mind connection. In the practical section, they learned basic martial arts movements, abdominal breathing and active meditation. As a control group, 9 test subjects in the Non-Exercise Control Group (NECG) maintained their normal life patterns during the same 12 weeks. Both groups were required to fill out the BMHI-questionnaire at the start and end of this 12-week program. Differences between the pre-test and the post-test were analyzed with the sum of squares method. Results: The MATG showed significant higher scores on the BMHI of test subjects in comparison to the NECG. Conclusions: Martial arts philosophy and practice can result in an increase of the BMHI-score of test subjects even in as little as three months.