Learn the secrets of Kung Fu


Facts About Martial Arts for Kids (Part 5)

"Will my child become more violent fromof  far  worse  violence.
learning karate, jujitsu, or another martial
art?"All you have to do is watch the news,
cartoons, listen to the radio, or read a
In a word, "No." Children learn self-controlnewspaper, to see things worse than
by practicing martial arts; and the code ofunsupervised hand-to-hand combat. So, the
conduct that is enforced, within the studio,self-defense methods taught to children
is carried outside into every day life. Theactually pale in comparison to school
average martial arts school works withshootings, bombings, wars, and drive-by
parents, and academic teachers, toward theshootings.
goal  of  optimum  student  success.
Karate was created by unarmed civilians on
When you see a Karate demonstration teamthe island of Okinawa and was taught in
perform, that is not an indicator of the lifesecret among family members for their
skills taught within the Karate class. It ispersonal protection. The philosophy, within
the "flashiest" component of Karate training,a martial arts school, will not always be the
presented to capture the public attention.same, but the seeds of violence are not sown
Ten minutes of kids using ancient weapons,within  a  martial  arts  setting.
breaking, and working in synchronized
choreography, is more interesting to theAll you have to do is look around you to see
public, than a lecture, by me, about dealingmore, and far worse, violence than learning
with  bullies  without  violence.self-defense - integrated with constructive
life skills. The fact is a martial artist is
However, let's take a closer look at the tennot a "street fighter." If that were a
minutes of flash. The next time you see arequirement, we would recruit the toughest
martial arts demonstration team, rememberkids  in  North  Providence.
those children have to practice those
techniques over and over again. ThisAs I explain to the children in my Karate and
requires self-discipline, goal setting,Jujitsu classes, "Never forget the word,
perseverance, and each child being a team"artist," means to be creative, to be an
player.innovator, and to think for yourself."
Children who learn martial arts are more apt
There is no room for a "one way" personalityto be well adjusted and defuse a potentially
on any martial arts demonstration team. Suchviolent  situation.
a personality would work against a good
public performance. In a typical KarateOn top of that, most children who study
class, all of the above-mentioned life skillsKarate, or any other martial art, will not be
are  learned  and  much  more."trouble makers." The children we teach from
the Greater Providence, Rhode Island area
Children learn much more about violence onhave learned enough about leadership, in our
the television, playing with video games, andKarate and Jujitsu classes, to think for
dealing with daily life, than they will everthemselves.
learn in a karate class. Even if a Karate
teacher was the classic "evil sensei," thatFor parents, the gift of martial arts
you may have seen in the Karate Kid movie ortraining to their children has many rewards,
on Kung Fu Theatre, most children can thinkright now, and into their future.



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