[ghfdrvtsyup]

I agree. The idea that a martial art can help with programming is a bit of a carryover from when they were considered 'mystical' or 'dangerous' in the mid-late 1970s/early 1980s. Having studied a few and wrestled in HS, I would agree that the real benefit they have is taking your mind off of work, getting exercise, and beating people up/getting beat up. It's fun , and that's what exercise should be.

So, do what you want and work hard at it. Don't try to think there's any mystical connection between the body and mind that a martial art can help cultivate.

[vitovito]

I went looking for the same thing and found it hard to separate the philosophy (and, with certain martial arts like wing chun, the internal politicizing) and history of the art from the practice of it. I found I wanted something deeper to be there, and there wasn't.

I occasionally row, and instead I did boxing for a while, and with both my focus was on form and mechanics over physical conditioning (yes, there's lots of form in boxing). The "exercise" is a natural outgrown of the deliberate practice.

I didn't work up enough physical conditioning that they let me spar, but I intend to go back for it.