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Who is karate for?
Martial arts are for anyone. There are martial arts students
who are underweight and there are students who are
overweight. Some martial artists are very athletic and some
start out as real klutzes, some are flexible and some are
not. I have seen good martial artists as young as 4 and as
old as 82. Men and women, girls and boys all participate in
martial arts classes around the world. While practically
anyone can do it (consult your physician if you have medical
concerns), not everyone can teach it.
Can my kid do it?
Research has shown that children derive tremendous benefits
from doing karate such as: focus, self-esteem,
discipline, increased responsibility and an ability to set
and accomplish goals. It has also been proven that children
who are hyperactive or attention deficit often get
breakthrough results through their participation in the
right karate classes for them. With a well-trained
instructor, they can also develop a sense of
self-determination and a thirst for excellence. On the other
hand, if the instructor is abusive or obnoxious, it can
stress your kid out and cripple their self esteem.
Not all martial arts schools are the same…
All our students feel that are great for them. For some of
our students however, the program has become absolutely
central to their life. The martial arts and their
participation at our school have become intrinsic to who
they are and how they see themselves. They have gained a
personal confidence and power that they live with every day.
You don’t know whether or not the martial arts will affect
you or your child this way, but in case it does, it is worth
finding the right school. Doesn’t that make sense?
People ask me all the time about the martial arts. They ask
how to find the best school in their area for themselves or
their child. Let me share with you what I tell my friends;
this is also the advice I gave to my own brother:
First off, all martial artists think that their style is the
best and most of them think that other styles aren’t nearly
as good. As a seventeen-year Kempo stylist who has studied
many different styles (Tae Kwon Do in China, Shito Ryu
Karate and Wu Shu with an Asian National Team, Shotokan,
Shorin Ryu, Choy Li Fut Kung Fu, Jujutsu and Taichi), I like
Kempo the best. For you or your child, you can pretty much
ignore the style a school teaches. Do you care whether the
style came from Northern Korea in the 18th century or from
Okinawa, Japan in the early 20th century? If you are like
most people, the answer is probably ‘no’.
Second off, don’t pay careful attention to who has the
highest black belt. Unfortunately, there is no universal
standard for what a black belt is. In fact, if you wanted
to, you could go get a black belt through a martial arts
supply catalog, pay five bucks, put four rows of tape on it,
and you could be a fourth degree black belt in Bob-Fu!
Furthermore, you could have your friend start a club in
which you and she are the only members, give it an important
sounding name like “The World Martial Arts Association” and
have her print a certificate on her computer and then you
would be a fourth degree black belt certified by “The World Martial Arts
Association”. Does this sound ridiculous? It is. My
point is that unless you really know a lot about the martial
arts, you can’t tell who is really good or not just by
looking at their belt or diploma.
“Integrity Martial Arts has been exactly what my son was
missing. It is the first and only group activity he has
truly enjoyed, but more than that his respect and
self-control have improved by leaps and bounds.” - Mike
deBidart, father of Daemian, age 10
“Since my son has joined Integrity Martial Arts, I have seen
a significant difference in his overall understanding of the
importance of being healthy and fit. I also see that he has
a desire towards something, other than video games. He has
definitely set goals for himself in karate as well. My son
also seems more confident these days.” - David Gallant,
Father of Sam, age 10
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About The Author
Integrity Martial Arts Academy provides Martial Arts for Kids , Karate & Self Defense training classes in
Enfield, Somers, East Windsor, Suffield CT & Longmeadow MA
Schools. IMA offers after School programs in Japanese
Karate, Kempo,kickboxing,XMA xtreme,chanbaba & summer
camp,self-defense for kids and adults. Log on www.integritymartialarts.com/ for more
details.
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