Training in martial arts is far more holistic than merely going to a gym three times a week to run on a treadmill or lift weights. The martial arts demand mental, physical and even spiritual fitness. Mastering martial arts techniques can have a very uplifting effect on your attitude and, to some degree, even reshape your view of the world around you.
Martial arts require that students push back the limits of their own boundaries and grow in ways they may have never thought possible. Along with this personal growth comes a re-evaluation of our views of ourselves. Many students find that, over time, they are much more stronger, more capable and more flexible (both mentally and physically) than they previously imagined. Achieving this revised view of our self image through martial arts can have an enormously positive effect on our attitudes.
As we continue to study, learn and grow martial arts, we train ourselves to see the world in new and different ways. Often we find ourselves growing out of old attitudes and adapting new ones. Bruce Lee was fond of saying that in martial arts the students efforts are not directed towards some imaginary opponent but rather to an outdated version of themselves. I like that view. Consider martial arts as a fire if you will. By training hard we throw ourselves into that fire and forge new stronger bodies, new improved attitudes and new views of the world around us.