This is one of the reasons why I love the strength training aspect in martial arts. Be it in the form of weights, or a resistance exercise of some sort. There’s a feeling of completion.
This is very important for the mind. It lets the mind know that you can work through resistance. In addition to the physical strengthening you get from it, the mental strength training that it develops should not be understated.
The strong feeling of accomplishment can be the building block for developing confidence. Typically, the more you believe in yourself, the more you can put into whatever it is you do. And the more you are able to do that, the more you end up believing in yourself. It becomes almost a positive, upward cycle.
This is why resistance training is very important for me, and why I’m taking my students through it. The meta of it might not be explicit, but it seems like for a lot of people (depending on how a teacher presents it), it can actually be fun!
As of late, we use a lot of medicine balls for training Tai Chi techniques. It’s one of the best things, ever! You definitely feel a sense of accomplishment, when you’re able to flick the medicine ball up and out, with your Tai Chi technique. And then, when your partner catches it, and flicks it up towards you and you catch it - well! That becomes like a game!
Who says strength training can’t be fun?? :)