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Marital Arts are Not Just for Children

March 18th, 2010

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Many people come in contact with martial arts first as children, and it can be hard for them to shake the feeling that martial arts is just for kids. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, and as an adult, there are plenty of benefits that you can gain from stepping on the mat and taking a shot at something like kung fu, aikido or karate. Plenty of adults take advantage of martial arts classes in their area and you will find that these classes have plenty to offer you.

First and foremost, martial arts will help you develop physically. Rather than being a workout that only focuses on one aspect of your health and physical well being, martial arts takes a more full body wellness approach. You will receive instruction that helps you gain flexibility as well as muscle tone, something that can be very important if you work at an office or spend most of the day in front of a computer! Martial arts is a great way for you to get in shape and stay there.

Martial arts also has an impressive ability to help you maintain your body. Have you been plagued with a yo-yoing weight your whole life? When you work in martial arts, you will be able to maintain your physique. The constant regular workouts will provide you with a routine that you can use to stabilize your weight, something that is very important in terms of staying healthy as you age.

If you are missing a spiritual element in your life, you can find many schools of martial arts that will help you find it. Martial arts is about a wellness of the mind as well as of the body and you will find that there is a great deal that you can discover by working towards both at once. Many martial arts schools emphasize how equally important the body is to the mind and vice versa.

Finally, keep in mind that martial arts can make you a great more confident in the face of the world around you. A good martial arts class will push your physical limits and more often than not, you will find that you are a capable of a great deal more than you thought you were. With the confidence comes a degree of discipline you may not have had before. Martial arts can be demanding in terms of commitment, and the discipline you learn on the mats is something that will be carried through to the rest of your life.

The key is to finding a school that suits you. Unless you are planning to learn along with your child, skip the schools that have children as students; the atmosphere is totally different and whether you are interested in getting in touch with your spirituality or getting a real workout, having children around can change that. Go to a few studios in the area around you and check them out. The atmosphere you get from a school that focuses primarily on going to competitions is very different from the one that works on balance, centering and looking within.

Whether you’re looking for more self-confidence or more control, more flexibility or more strength, there is a good chance that you can find it in a martial arts school!

For more information on this article or others go to Articles on Martial Arts

Robert Jones runs three successful martial arts schools located in Bellevue, Lynnwood, and Federal Way Washington. He has been helping families make positive changes in their lives through martial arts for over 20 years. He has also written A Guide on How to Pick a Martial Arts School.

He can be reached at the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts. 800-508-6141. His schools can be found on the web at Bellevue Martial Arts and Kung Fu.

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Posted in Kung Fu Articles

Tags: Children Marital

Hyperactive Children – Martial Arts Can Help

February 25th, 2010

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Terms like ADHD, ADD, and hyperactivity seem to have become commonplace in today’s learning institutions. In fact recent studies have shown that elementary school teachers, with little if any formal training, are diagnosing children with supposed hyperactivity disorders.

I certainly don’t proclaim to be any sort of expert on the topic and my musings are based purely on personal experience and observation. But, it seems to me that only a highly qualified therapist with years of training and expertise is able to render a diagnosis that will potentially see children being subjected to drug treatments intended to change their behavior. Is it necessary? In some cases absolutely! But it has also become a crutch for inexperienced teachers that are confronted with children that don’t fit the “norm”.

Enrolling your child in a quality martial arts school where classes are taught by professional and dedicated instructors might be a good first step to take if your child seems to be a bit “wired”. Or, if you hear teachers starting to use terms like ADD or ADHD.

Martial arts training forces children to focus their attention; to respect authority; and to realize that misbehavior has consequences. Professional instructors are able to guide and handle children that are overactive and to channel that excess energy in a positive direction. It is not uncommon for parents to comment on the positive changes that martial arts training has brought about in other aspects of their child’s life. Especially in the way they view authority and interact with both teachers and fellow students.

As always, perform your due diligence and be sure that your chosen school is capable of delivering the results you are looking for. Martial arts training for children might just provide a natural solution for hyperactivity, ADD, or ADHD. But remember that there is no magic wand at the front of a martial arts school that changes your child’s behavior. It takes work and you need to do your part to reinforce the positive training they receive during their classes.

Be sure that only qualified individuals diagnose your child’s behavior problems. Martial arts is not a replacement for qualified diagnosis but is certainly something to thoroughly consider and to discuss with your health professional.

©Lloyd Fridenburg, 2007

Sifu Lloyd Fridenburg is a 3rd Degree Black Sash in Shaolin Kung Fu with nearly 20 years of experience. He is also a freelance writer and author of two martial arts books, “A Martial Arts Primer for Parents”, and “Middle Aged Warriors”. Please take the time to visit us at http://www.martialartsyoungandold.com

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Tags: Children Hyperactive Martial

Martial Arts for Children – A Note to Parents About Motivation Problems and Child Development

November 28th, 2009

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I want to address a common parental concern that I continue to encounter, both in my role as a martial arts teacher, and as a fellow parent. This is in the difficulty that many parents often encounter in getting their youth student to martial arts class only to be even more confused at their child’s enthusiasm when they are actually in class. “I have to fight to get them here,” or “He just wants to play with his friends,” are common complaints that I hear from frustrated parents.

Often, these parents consider letting their son or daughter quit but then come to find that’s not what the child wants. “How,” they ask me, “can he want to keep training but fight me when it’s time to come?”

They find it very difficult to understand the contradiction between having to fight to get their child to class and the fact that they have so much fun when they get there.

To solve the ‘mystery’ and eliminate the misunderstanding we must first understand the way a child thinks and the way their brain has developed to this point in their young lives.

What makes them resist coming to class but enjoy it once they are here? The answer is…

…timing.

And this, is linked to the physiological development and growth of their brain.

Quite frankly, children (and some adults) have not developed an understanding of the concept of scheduling and timing. That is to say that, once they have become involved in something, that is what they want to do. Anything else, regardless of how pleasurable or necessary, at that moment is seen as a hindrance to ‘this moment’s fun.’ Whether it is watching TV or playing with their friends, or whatever, once a child becomes involved in something, anything, that “thing” gets ALL of their attention – period.

Don’t blame the child or think that you must be a bad parent or the only one dealing with this sort of thing. It is completely natural. The reality of the matter is that…

…your child cannot do what you ask because…

1) He or she is NOT an adult in a smaller body

2) The parts of the brain that process this type of information and data, quite literally, hasn’t developed yet, and…

3) He or she has been ALLOWED to get involved in something that you know will capture his or her attention before you need them to go to class.

And, therein lies the secret for overcoming both the frustration and the confusion. Just don’t allow your young martial artist to get into anything that you KNOW will make him or her not want to stop when it’s time to go to martial arts or karate class.

Won’t they go stir-crazy? What’s a child to do while waiting?

Good question. And the answer is…

…practice “preparing for class.” This simple step will actually help your child to develop the skills you’re looking for and promote brain growth in those areas.

So, instead of letting them drift into TV Land or whatever, at least for the hour or so before you’ll be leaving for class, have them “get ready.” Make it a rule that they have to make sure that they have their uniform, belt, and equipment. Have them practice their moves by “showing you what they learned last class” or “what their favorite techniques are.”

We as parents and teachers, must help our children over these moments with gentle reminders of other commitments and necessities until they learn this for themselves. Unfortunately, until a child learns to project their thought processes forward to specific time periods (as opposed to the general “can we ____ sometime?” or “when will it be tomorrow?”) they will have to be taken away from things they are engaged in ‘at the moment.’ I know it’s rough, but it’s also “natural.” And, no amount of wishing for an easier job as a parent will make your child’s brain work any differently. The fact is that, until this skill develops, YOU will have to be there as a stand-in to help them through.

So, the next time you have to do something like coming to martial arts class, try giving your child a “heads-up” before they become involved in any activity. Once they get in the habit of thinking ahead and preparing for a future event, they will do more and more of it on their own. Until then, it will take a little nudging, prodding, and reminding. But then again, if it didn’t, we parents would be out of a job!

Jeffrey M. Miller is the founder and master instructor of Warrior Concepts International. He specializes in teaching the ancient ways of self-protection and personal development lessons in a way that is easily understood and put to use by modern Western students and corporate clients. Through their martial arts training, his students and clients learn proven, time-tested lessons designed to help them create the life they’ve always dreamed of living, and the skills necessary for protecting that life from anything that might threaten it. To learn more about child development and other subjects related to the martial arts, self-defense, personal development & self-improvement, visit his website at http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com To subscribe to his online newsletter, go to http://www.warrior-concepts-online.com/newsletter.html

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Tags: Children Development Martial Motivation Parents Problems

Martial Arts for Children – How Young is Too Young?

November 26th, 2009

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A common question that parents wrestle with is what age is best to enroll their children in martial arts. It’s not uncommon for a head instructor to get calls from parents wanting to enroll three year olds so they can learn to defend themselves. Some parents, and even some instructors, share the view that no child under the age of 10 to 12 should be allowed to enroll in the martial arts. The real answer is that it depends on many factors such as:

• The personality of your child.

• The type of programs offered by a particular school.

• Your reason for wanting to enroll your child.

• Your expectations.

Early childhood martial arts training should be viewed more as “street proofing” than it is as a serious forum for learning martial arts skills. Don’t expect a four year old child to absorb and apply skills at the same rate or proficiency as older children. Martial arts training will definitely boost their self confidence, increase their awareness of dangerous situations, and instill social skills and values that are absent from much of today’s society. Enter training with this in mind and you’re off to a very positive start.

One question to critically ask your self is, “Why do I want my child to study martial arts?” If you think they will learn how to subdue a 200 pound attacker think again. A quality school will teach young children basic techniques that they can easily learn and become proficient with. The techniques they learn should be oriented towards escaping from an attacker but more time should be devoted to teaching avoidance and awareness.

Before enrolling your child in a martial arts school take the time to watch how classes are taught for the age group of your child. Many martial arts schools are happy to take your money but offer little of real value to your child. Due diligence is the key; don’t be afraid to ask questions about the curriculum and the qualifications of the instructors. Much time should be devoted to teaching values, skills, and self defense in terms and in ways that young children can relate to.

You should expect your child to feel safe and secure when they attend their classes. As a parent you should feel comfortable allowing your child to be taught by the instructors. And, you should feel your child is actually learning something of value…not just how to punch and kick.

So, how young is too young?

• Under the age of four – definitely too young.

• Four to six – maybe; but it depends on the child and the school.

• Over six – definitely; but the curriculum should reflect the differing needs of children at different ages.

Keep your expectations realistic and your child will enjoy a long and rewarding journey into the world of martial arts.

Sifu Lloyd Fridenburg is a 3rd Degree Black Sash in Shaolin Kung Fu with nearly 20 years of experience. He is also a freelance writer and author of two martial arts books, “A Martial Arts Primer for Parents”, and “Middle Aged Warriors”. Please take the time to visit us at http://www.martialartsyoungandold.com