Cognitive Kali: How Filipino Martial Arts can Exercise your Brain 🧠

Many people new to Kali often mention how their brains feel “scrambled” after training. I love sharing this fascinating TED Talk titled "Cognitive Kali" by one of Guro Dan Inosanto’s students, which discusses the cognitive benefits of training in Filipino Martial Arts, especially double stick training. Learning new techniques requires significant mental energy, which naturally leads to mental fatigue – or brain scramble. 

This is where neuroplasticity comes into play. Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. The mental fatigue you experience is a sign of your brain working hard to adapt and grow. Each time you practice, you're not just learning a new technique; you're physically changing your brain, making it more adaptable and efficient at learning new skills, including martial arts.

To me, this is fascinating and exciting because we’re not just talking about being resilient – we’re actually changing our brains through the physical practice of Kali. Resilience isn’t just a concept or an idea passed down from our ancestors – it’s embodied in our movements as we rewire our brains!

Additionally, neuroplasticity is not limited to young brains; it continues throughout our lives. This means it's never too late to start learning something new or to become proficient in a challenging skill. Our training sessions, especially with techniques like double stick training, are great examples of how we can continually push our cognitive boundaries, expand past our perceived limitations, and practice adaptability and resilience.

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