Did you know that a child is reported abducted or missing every 40 seconds in the United States and that most potential abductors make their first contact with the children they abduct within one quarter of a mile from their homes? With summer approaching and children having more time to play with friends during the day, it is now more important than ever to start (or continue) giving your children the tools they need to protect themselves:

Never leave young children unattended anywhere and have older children practice a buddy system with their peers. Teach your children their full name, your name, your address and telephone number. Teach them how to dial and use 911 or your equivalent emergency number. Teach your children about strangers, to never talk to strangers and to never go near strangers.

Give your children the confidence, strength, skills and mental awareness they need to defend themselves if they ever find that they are in a shady situation with either a stranger or someone they know – enroll them in a martial arts class. It can make all the difference. Training martial arts can give your children four important skills that will not only help them defend themselves against a possible abduction, but will also help them in other areas of their lives. Read on to find out more:

Martial Arts Increases Confidence. Martial arts can help your children increase their confidence by giving them the skills and practice needed to get in tune with their minds and bodies They will begin to not only understand their actions and options, but themselves as a whole. Martial arts training also gives children the skills and abilities they need to know that they can defend themselves if the need arises and this confidence in their abilities carries over into all aspects of their lives. Confidence in themselves and their lives help them become less likely to fall prey to the convincing persuasions of potential abductors. Confident children appear to be (and are) strong individuals and are less likely to become victims of all forms of violent acts.
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As parents, we do everything we can to protect our children from harm and to provide them with the skills they need to be healthy, successful adults. The problem is, we are not with them all the time. What our kids do at school is sometimes a mystery to us. Are they polite to their teachers? Do they participate in class? Are they bullying other kids? Are they being bullied? There is something you can do to help get them on track to be successful in school and to avoid the bully-trap – even when you’re not around: Enroll them in a martial arts class.

One of the biggest misconceptions about enrolling children and teenagers in martial arts is that the kids become aggressive and, therefore, a likely bully. The fact is, however, that martial arts do just the opposite. Bullies often have sense of superiority over others and their environments and lack impulse control. Often time, bullies don’t know how to manage their anger so they take it out on people they deem weaker than themselves. Many times, bullies are being, or have been, bullied at some point in their lives as well. Martial arts help solve these problems.

Martial arts can also help kids who are being bullied. Bullies thrive on attacking (physically or emotionally) people that they see as weak. Kids who are bullied often have (generally as a result of the bullying) low confidence levels, inability to concentrate on school work, lack of focus and high stress levels which make them look even weaker. Martial arts help solve these problems too.

The many benefits of martial arts for children are a great way to combat bullying, but as you read on, you’ll see that the benefits extend way past bullying and will help your children succeed in other areas of their lives as well:

Concentration and Focus. Training martial arts is not a mindless activity. It requires complete concentration and focus at all times during training. The best part about this needed concentration, however, is that it carries over into all parts of your children’s lives. You’ll notice (and your children’s teachers will probably also notice) that they will be able to focus more on their school work and they might even have more successful grades.

Confidence and Control. Martial arts will help your children get in tune with their minds and bodies. This will help kids better understand themselves, their actions and their options. They know that they don’t need to lose their temper to handle stressful situations and they’ll also know that they have the ability to physically defend themselves if needed. All of this knowledge will increase their confidence and over all demeanor making them appear (and be) stronger individuals and less likely to be a victim of a bully. It will also help prevent them from bullying others because they will be more aware of themselves and those around them.
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If you appreciate a strong, healthy self confidence that carries you through overwhelming times and drives you to achieving your most far reaching goals, martial arts is for you.

A person’s self-confidence is like a muscle, it needs to be exercised in order to grow and develop. In the 20 plus years that I’ve been teaching Martial Arts in our community we have developed a 5 step approach to building self-confidence. These 5 steps can be learned by anyone – with the right guidance:

1. Correct Body Posture. The importance of the correct body posture is paramount. We all send hidden, sub-conscious messages with our body language and the way we carry ourselves. Carry yourself with pride, confidence and security. Carry yourself like a successful person and your confidence will show.
2. Proper Eye Contact. Making proper eye contact when speaking to others has a huge effect on the conversation. Have you ever been talking to somebody and instantly felt connected? Like you’ve known this person forever? Chances are, they understand the importance of body language, and proper eye-contact.
3. Goal Setting. Goal setting is talked about by everybody, and most people understand the importance of this process. Then why do most people miss their mark? Because they don’t have the discipline and confidence to see the goal through. Our process teaches you the right way to set goals and actually achieve them!
4. Communication. Inspiring those around you is critical to getting what you want. Whether they are your children, co-workers, employees or boss, good leaders are inspirational. We teach this inspirational formula.
5. Mentors. All of the skills above, a healthy body and mind combined with a good mentor or two will make all the difference in the world for your happiness and success.
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Once you’ve decided that you want to start training a martial art, you’ll need to decide which one is best for you. Of course, your choice might be dictated by the schools available in your area, but if you’re lucky you’ll have the choice of at least a few different types. There are many different types of martial arts (and even variations within the basic types) so it’s important to make sure that you research the techniques and features to find the best fit for your lifestyle and needs. This general explanation of the six most popular styles in the United States can help you get started on the decision.

It’s also important to note that there are as many interpretations of the martial arts styles as there are instructors. Students also interpret the class differently than other students in the same class, so other people’s opinions are not always the best determiner of what style you should pursue. While you are trying to find the martial art that’s right for you, it is helpful to also try a few classes to get a feel for the style, instructor and school.

KARATE

History

Karate can be translated as “empty hand” which means that it is a martial art performed without weapons. While the history of Karate is somewhat vague, its ancient roots have been traced back to China in the 5th century B.C. The more modern form of Karate began in Okinawa, Japan during the late 1700s. There was a weapon ban in Okinawa at this time, so people had to come up with system of self defense that used empty hands – they combined aspects of Chinese martial arts with the Te traditional to Okinawa. By the early 1900s it began spreading throughout Japan. In 1964, the Federation of Karate Organizations was formed as a means to create some continuity for Karate world-wide. Even so, there are many different styles and variations of Karate today.

Techniques

Karate is a linear martial art. It uses a wide variety of movements: kicks, punches, blocks, strikes, evasions and throws. Training focuses on having a strong offense and puts equal importance on the three areas of the art: basics, sparring and forms.

Features

• People who practice Karate use their hips to generate power.
• Ranks, values and styles differ from organization to organization.
• Karate, which can be hard and straight line, is very disciplined and some traditional schools might seem very harsh.

AIKIDO

History

Using the influences of the traditional art of Daito Ryo Aikijo-Jitsu, Japanese fencing, spear fighting and Omotokyo, Moriehie Usehiba developed the martial art of Aikido (“the peaceful art”). He first used this name for it in 1942. The basis of this art is to live in a spirit of protection instead of physical domination. The art of Aikido is ruled by the International Aikido Federation in Tokyo, Japan.

Techniques

Aikido is a circular martial art. Instead of winning a fight with physical domination, Aikido teaches its participants to control and redirect the negative energy. This leads to a commitment to both peaceful resolutions of conflict as well as self-improvement through training. People who practice Aikido learn to use throws and pins as well as how to immobilize their attackers. They don’t use punches and kicks, except as a distraction. The basis of the art is to learn how to stay out of the line of attack and gain control of the attacker’s balance in order to stop the attacker.

Features

• Aikido does use weapons: jo (a 4-5 foot long staff), Bokken (a wooden sword) and a Tanto (a wooden knife).
• Aikido is a non-violent method of self-defense.
• The quality of the belt ranks is strictly regulated.
• Aikido lacks many of the kicks and strikes common to other martial arts.

JUDO

History

Dr. Jigro Kano developed Judo after he was enrolled at Tenjin Shinyo ryo School of Ju-Jitsu because he was frustrated with all of the student injuries. Judo is a gentle martial art that helps its participants strive to perfect themselves and to be a value to society. Judo, which means “the gentle way”, improves physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.

Techniques

Judo uses throwing, grappling, pins, holds, locks and choking. However, the training focuses on safety – participants need to work towards top conditioning and Judo is always practiced on mats. Judo participants learn the art through a series of forms that consist of throwing and sparring – there are no strikes in competitive Judo.

Features

• Judo has a strict set of rules and a clear instructional sequence.
• Judo rules, training and ranks are fairly standardized throughout the world.
• Judo helps develop complete body control, fine balance and fast reflexes.
• Judo uses a lot of grappling, throws, grabbing and ground work. Because of this, it often reminds people of wrestling.

TAEKWONDO

History

While the beginnings of Taekwondo can be traced as far back as 30 B.C., modern Taekwondo began after Korea was liberated in 1945. Koreans wanted to eradicate all Japanese influence on martial arts, so they began connecting the Korean martial arts schools and styles to create a national sport. The name Taekwondo (“the way of the hand and foot”) was chosen in 1965. 1973 marks the beginning of the World Taekwondo Federation. It became a part of the Olympics in 2000.

Techniques

Taekwondo consists of four disciplines including patterns, sparring, self-defense and a break test. Taekwondo is primarily a kicking art and there is a large emphasis on sport. People who train Taekwondo need to combine philosophy, mental and physical discipline and ability to their training.

Features

• Taekwondo is recognizable by its high kicks.
• Taekwondo black belts exams require a break test.
• Taekwondo training can include the use of vital points to attack an enemy.
• Taekwondo schools are often kid- and sport- oriented.
• Taekwondo students often are expected to compete in many tournaments.

T’AI CHI

History

The development of T’ai Chi (translated as “the supreme ultimate”) is credited to Chang San-feng, but Wang Chung-yueh and Chiang Fa elaborated on the original art. They took San-feng’s 13 postures and devised continuous sequences that linked them together. T’ai Chi used to be a greatly defensive art – even deadly. So much so, that the families who knew it guarded it fiercely. Now, T’ai Chi is less violent and is used to get rid of more figurative enemies such as stress and fatigue.
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