Exercise is well known as a tool to help us regulate our emotions, especially when it comes to anger and rage. Some of the improvements in emotional regulation could be down to the time-out that sports give us, the opportunity to step back from stressful situations in life and put them into perspective. Another factor that many have considered is the idea that sports allow people to be aggressive in a socially acceptable safe place and that this helps them channel their aggression in a healthy way. Here, we'll look at the top 5 sports that might help channel any aggression you feel safer.

Boxing

Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather
Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather

Boxing isn't all about violence and doing as much damage to another person as you can. Indeed, in training and at an amateur level, there is minimal contact with anyone else at all. Supervised boxing, where participants are encouraged to develop a disciplined training routine and perhaps pummel the punching bag occasionally, can ease aggression. Check out the health and fitness section of our website for tips about getting started in a new sport.


Martial Arts

Martial Arts
Martial Arts
Martial arts teach participants how to defend themselves. They give people the skills to fight if they need to, but also instill in them that these skills should only be used in defense. People proficient in martial arts often say that they don't feel like they need to wander through life displaying aggression because they feel safe and secure in the knowledge that if they were to explore threats that they could adequately deal with the situation. The biography of Craig Jones, a Jui Jitsu black belt, is an excellent read if you are inspired to try martial arts.


Powerlifting

Powerlifting
Powerlifting
What safer way is there to use up your aggression than on an inanimate object? Many experts claim that aggression actually helps powerlifters perform better, so if you feel that you have anger that you need to take out on something, maybe this could be the sport for you. It's a very solitary sport, where you often spend time at the gym on your own, but sometimes we do need to be alone with our aggression to really let it out.


Basketball

Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is very much a team game that requires cooperation, and as with powerlifting, it is a sport that involves an element of aggression for players to be at the top of their game. By letting out aggression in a safe way while being monitored by others on your team, you can free yourself of attack that might affect you in your day to day life.

Tennis

Tennis
Tennis
Tennis is another sport that requires aggression to be the best of the best. Have you ever seen the speed at which players return balls? Tennis is a great sport to help you deal with aggression as and when it happens. You can just head off to the tennis court by yourself and practice your serving. Hit that ball as hard as you can and really release that pent-up physical energy, you will feel much better when you head off of the court.