Doesn’t Your Child Deserve The Absolute Best?

As parent’s, teachers and coaches we understand women and children are taught specifically to be courteous and use good manners. This is a great habit but one that criminals and predators use to their advantage. Many, if not most, criminal and predator approaches, other than ambush, are based on the assumption that victims will place courtesy and manners before their personal safety.Be specific when teaching young people about using good manners. Reinforce the critical reminder that SAFETY ALWAYS COMES BEFORE MANNERS. Remind children and young people that adults do not need to ask them for help, they can ask other adults. Teach children specifically that they should be cautious and heighten their awareness when an adult, particularly an adult they do not know well or at all, asks them for help such as directions, getting packages to a car, getting mail to a mail box or help carrying something into their home or office.One of the common teaching myths we share with children is beware of strangers when in fact the great majority of predators of children are known to them - a neighbor, a regular service or delivery person, a relative, a sibling of a playmate or relative of a close friend. While children should be taught to be cautious of advances by strangers, they should be coached very specifically about unfavorable advances and things that make them feel uncomfortable by any adult they encounter. Teach children always to put their safety before manners.

An outstanding martial arts instructor develops good quality students by teaching with love, structure and discipline  in his classes.

An outstanding martial arts instructor never passes a student in class without correcting him.  If an instructor does not correct his students, they will develop bad habits.  As you know, bad habits are hard to break.  It is easier to teach a new student that has never taken a lesson than teach one from another school with bad habits.

An outstanding martial arts instructor makes his students earn their ranks.  A big mistake is giving belts away.  Nowadays, many instructors give away belts because if the student quits, they will stop making payments.

As my instructor once told me, “Not everybody is cut out to be a Black Belt”.   Martial Arts has become very commercialized and has lost respect. Many black belts are being awarded to kids and even adults that do not deserve it.  In the past, when you had a black belt,  you were not only skillfully and mentally tough but also had very high moral principles.  It is very sad that today it is very rare to find that.

It is not easy to earn a Black Belt at the American Karate Institute.  Out of hundreds of students,  we only have a few black belts.  My friends who own schools, say that my black belt test is too hard for kids.  I believe that if you demand excellence from kids, they will deliver.

by Angel Gonzalez - Master Instructor of American Karate Institute

Martial Arts: An Alternative Treatment for ADHD

Between 3 and 5 percent of American children today are diagnosed with Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (hereinafter referred as “AD/HD”).  Most of the current treatments for children diagnosed with this disorder is an aggressive drug therapy. Due to the unknown adverse effects of this therapy, parent and physicians have sought alternative treatments such as changes in the child’s diet and activities that center on behavior modification.  Not until a recent study conducted by Dr. Matthew Morand, a psychologist in Long Beach, New York, did the linkage between the practice of martial arts and AD/HD confirm the activity as an alternative therapy. Dr. Morand presented a study in the spring of 2004 for his doctor of psychology dissertation at Hofstra University in New York. This study was published by the University and can be found at www.tsk.com/promotions/adhd/interview.com.The 12-week study found that martial arts showed greater success as treatment for AD/HD children more than other forms of group exercise. Dr. Morand further found that martial arts improved academic performance, focus, concentration and decreased aggressive behaviors in children. 

As a martial arts instructor for over 30 years, I have personally observed the positive impact of martial arts on AD/HD children. Many of these children have tried other sports; especially team sports, and were unable to concentrate long enough to succeed as a team player. Many of these children sit the bench, which further decreases their self-esteem and confidence. Many of these children struggle academically further exacerbating their confidence and ability to participate in social activities with their peers.

 How can Martial Arts help?Martial Arts has a long history of discipline and focuses on working to reduce a student’s aggression. Students have shown that martial arts can provide a positive outlet for their excessive energy, working to change the AD/HD behavior from destructive to a creative/positive one. The core of martial arts training works on the basic traits of AD/HD symptoms:  Impulsivity
Distractibility
Hyperactivity 

Parents of young martial artists frequently report better behavior, improved academic performance, higher self-esteem and confidence and higher aspirations amongst their children. The physical demands of martial arts give children and parents tools into which hyperactivity can be channeled. Martial Arts provide a form of exercise, which tires the body. If a child is bouncing off the wall, a parent can encourage him/her to practice a form, work on his/her techniques by throwing punches, kicks, blocks or simply by doing pushups or sit-ups.

Another benefit of martial arts training is that it teaches relaxation techniques through stretching and breathing exercises. This teaches the AD/HD child self discipline of focusing his/her mind and achieving self control through a quiet state.

Martial Arts is an excellent activity in decreasing the “D”, distractibility, symptom of AD/HD. This symptom can be addressed in the classroom through education of a variety of techniques, exercises and skills which a child is exposed to in one martial arts class. The tasks or skill is changed often and quickly in a martial arts class. The AD/HD child only needs to concentrate on 1 task for a short period of time. Throughout an hour long class, the child is exposed to a variety of repetitive tasks which maintains the child’s interest and keeps him/her from being easily distracted. The child is taught to develop powers of concentration and focus in short bursts that are manageable. The child then learns the curriculum more successfully and is rewarded more quickly and often. This quick reward system is the positive reinforcement an AD/HD child rarely experiences in other activities.

The hierarchy and structure of the martial arts curriculum at American Karate Institute, works to channel more positive focussed behavior and offsets short attention spans and frustration. Students progress through a graded series of small steps to learn a complex skill. In our children’s curriculum, the requirements for rank are broken down into small, attainable goals with positive reinforcement at each level of accomplishment. (Stripes and rank promotion) This challenges each student, especially the children with AD/HD, to stay on task, to complete the goal, and rewards the focus and concentration necessary to learn the skill necessary to achieve the goal. The student learns at his/her own pace and children are individually challenged to their physical and mental ability.

In martial arts, no child sits the bench. This is extremely important for some AD/HD children who lack the necessary attention, focus and concentration to participate in team sports.  As a student’s concentration improves, so does their self-control, which is a fundamental challenge for AD/HD children. In martial arts, children learn to control their physical bodies through the physical curriculum of punching, kicking, and blocking. They also learn to control their mental abilities by working with partners during sparring and self defense classes. They learn that they cannot defend themselves adequately when they are angry and out of control. They must learn how to control their anger and emotions so they can clearly assess their situation and control their environment to resolve conflict in a non-violent way. Our students are taught to set verbal boundaries and are given strategies to avoid conflict peacefully. They are to only use their physical technique as a last resort.

Finally, martial arts can benefit an AD/HD child because they are taught that the real challenge of martial arts is dealing with your inner self. Learning how to become a better person, treating others with respect and learning how to become an example to others are internal attributes developed through martial arts training. Our students are rewarded with stripes and belts when they do the right thing or make a difference in someone else’s life at home or at school.

Throughout my 30 years as a martial arts instructor, I have personally observed the benefits of  martial arts training on AD/HD students. While some of these children whom I’ve encountered appear to need medication, some children with less severe symptoms have been able to eliminate or reduce their medication in consult with their physician. Many of the parents of children I have taught with AD/HD, have found significant improvements in their child’s behavior, attitude and academic performance. Each case is different. The decision rests with the parent and the child’s physician. However the many benefits of martial arts for both children with and without AD/HD are well known and should be recognized as a safer alternative form of treatment.

Resources:

Morand, Dr. Anthony. (2004) The Effects of Martial Arts on the Behavior of Boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). Hofstra University

Thompson, Anna. (1996) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Parent’s Perspective. Phi Delta Kappan 77(6), 433-443.

National  Institute of Mental Health.  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  www.nimh.hih.gov

Vockell, Edward L. & Kwak, Han S. (1990) Martial Arts in the Classroom.
Clearing House. 64(1), 61-63. 

In the past, the martial arts were taught as a method of survival and warfare, and, as a by product, students became more confident, focused and self-disciplined individuals.   Throughout history, every culture has had a warrior class that rose to the top levels of that culture.  They earned their status because they literally had the power of life and death in their hands.  They looked at death in the face all the time; and that experience taught them to appreciate life in a much more meaningful way than the average person.  Many warrior classes lived by a code of ethics: Chivalry in Europe, Bushido in Japan and Hwarang in Korea, for example.

Our society is not much different than those of the past.  You can change the ages of the attacker and the victim and place them in different locations and time peroids, but it’s still person-on-person violence that has occurred throughout time.  

A proven therapy that eliminates bullying is a self defense program specifically designed to teach children hand to hand self defense with a non-violent philosophy.  With a skilled instructor and a specific curriculum, a child will build his confidence and the bullying will stop. 

When a parent enrolls their child in a Karate, TaeKwonDo or Mixed Martial Arts school, they assume that their child will be learning self defense along with the moral values that martial arts teaches.  Some schools teach the moral values but have taken away the elements of self defense and now teach the sport aspect of martial arts to compete in tournaments where there are rules and regulations.   On the other hand, some schools teach the fighting aspects like Mixed Martial Arts but they seem to lack structure, discipline and moral values.  It is OK for adults, but it does not have a children friendly environment.

Before you decide to enroll your child in a school, first ask your self these questions:
Do I want my child to learn self defense or become a tournament champion?  
Do I want convenience or a qualified school that is maybe 10 minutes further?
Do I want just another activity or do I want a program that teaches important life skills?
How long has the school been established?
Does the curriculum include only one style or a combination of different styles?  To learn self defense, the curriculm should include Brazilian JiuJit-su, Wrestling, Judo, Boxing and any kicking style such as TaeKwonDo, Muay Thai or Karate.

Once you have decided exactly what you want, then have your child participate in an actual class so that you can see the how the instructor teaches and what kind of curriculum is being taught.  Now you can shop around and compare the best program. Call us today at 305-385-8811 for your Free Trial Class

Easier said than done.  It takes years of trial and error and training in all styles of martial arts  like American Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,  Tae Kwon Do, Thai Boxing,  Wrestling, Judo, Yoga, Karate, Kung Fu, etc.  A good dedicated Martial Artist will look into all the arts to find their strengths and weaknesses.  

Tae Kwon Do has excellent kicking and  flexibility training but it is weak in hand techniques.  Boxing is excellent with hand techniques and  Thai boxing is famous for the knees, elbows and leg power but both are weak in the ground game.  That is where Brazilian JiuJitsu comes in.

If you want to develop true confidence, you have to have a program that incorporates the best techniques from all styles.  The one style school is the thing of the past.   Schools that teach only one style are limiting their students ability to defend themselves in a real street situation. 

Through our experience, we know that parents want their children to be more confident, to believe in themselves and their abilities, to be disciplined enough to follow through, to “Never Give Up” and to focus on excelling in school.  These are the cornerstones of our teaching.

Adults also benefit from our mixed martial arts training.  At the American Karate Institute our adult program has all the elements and is designed to enrich you physcially, mentally and spiritually and to help you use those skills to achieve your own personal goals.

The instructors at the American Karate Institute feel that teaching is a big responsibility and they take it very seriously.  They have the experience and also the desire to see each student succeed with lessons that they can practice anytime, anywhere that will give them a lifetime of positive results.

Enjoying a great reputation and teaching for as long as they have, the American Karate Institute is delighted to see the adults who trained with them as children now bringing their children and sometimes grandchildren to experience the same positive lessons and principals they received at an early age. 

 To experience all these benefits and to meet these wonderful instructors, call Regina today for your Free Trial class at 305-385-8811