Get your kids in Martial Arts.

• Reason #1: Socialization.

If your child is shy or has a difficult time making new friends, then any extracurricular activity - including martial arts - can have a positive impact on their social life. It's not necessarily a good idea to push this as "the" reason to take a martial arts class, but if your shy or soft-spoken child wants to learn to be more assertive through martial arts, it might be just what the doctor ordered.

• Reason #2: Self-discipline.

The martial arts aren't always easy, and the system of advancement for students - picking up new belts - helps children to learn that hard work and discipline are the ways to get ahead. You can't "cheat" your way through martial arts, which is exactly the kind of lesson many parents want their children to learn. The martial arts can also instill a sense of discipline and obedience and show why sacrifice today can lead to better health and better mind tomorrow.

• Reason #3: Learning the value of habits.

What kinds of habits has your child developed? Do they only seem to excel at video games? It's important to make sure your child is able to learn real-world habits that can help them later in life - whether it be through self-confidence or simply through the realization that they have improved their body through discipline and hard work.

• Reason #4: Self-confidence.

Self-confidence can't be learned or taught in school, or even by parents. It has to come from within - and this is often one of the central messages of martial arts. Your child needs to learn that by facing their own fears, they can make their own way in the world. They need to learn how to overcome challenges and they need to learn to trust themselves in a way that will improve their confidence as they progress.

• Reason #5: Hey, it beats TV.

If nothing else, the martial arts are a healthier habit than many of the routines today's children have picked up.

Remember that none of these reasons is an excuse to push martial arts on your child. You have to let them make their own decisions. But if the topic comes up, keep your mind open to the martial arts and help your children stick to their classes.

Photo Credits: McPig

Originally posted 2009-08-03 05:25:25.

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#1: Self-discipline.

There is no achievement without discipline, primarily because without discipline, you won't have the fortitude to continue to work towards a goal. You can't effect a lot of change in your physical or mental fitness if you don't have the discipline to maintain a habit - even when that habit is not necessarily pleasant to maintain. Self-discipline is considered one of the great reasons to take up a martial art - but you also have to find it within yourself.

#2: Self-confidence.

If you tell yourself "I can't beat this opponent," then the opponent has already won. When you lack self-confidence, you don't need to do any fighting, because you've already laid out your plan for yourself. You know you're going to lose, and you do. Self-confidence does not necessarily mean that you'll always have total belief in yourself. But it does mean that you should trust yourself to perform well.

#3: Belief.

Do you believe that what you've learned is going to work when you spar? Do you believe that you are one of the best fighters in the room? Do you believe that you're a great martial artist? If not, then you're probably none of these things. Belief can create a self-fulfilling prophecy: if you believe that you are going to win more than your opponent believes it, you stand a good chance at winning.

#4: Vision.

If you can't see yourself fighting with strong discipline and courage, then how do you ever expect to achieve that level of confidence? You have to create a vision of yourself as successful before you become successful. You can do this through training and hard work, but you can also put time aside in order to practice visualizing yourself as successful.

#5: Persistence.

Nothing is achieved without persistence. Without it, you aren't able to make any lasting changes in yourself or your environment. If you give up at the most difficult times, you lose opportunities to grow as a person.

Photo Credits: Arjana

Originally posted 2009-08-05 05:32:43.

Discipline: mental and actual.

To do this, start out with a blank piece of paper and a pencil. Ask yourself some of the ways you can incorporate mental discipline in your life, starting with the martial arts classes.

One idea may be that you always attend classes on time, and use this new standard of punctuality in every area of your life, always arriving to work on time.

Another idea may be that you come up with a new routine, point-by-point, that you can use every single time you go to the martial arts class. Routines can be great for self-discipline, as they take the mental guesswork out of your menial tasks and make them more automatic.

The more you think about self-discipline, the more you'll recognize the different areas in life you can change around through some simple course corrections. For example, because you need to be in shape for martial arts classes, you now have an excuse to eat healthier and work out more frequently. You'll also have an excuse to keep your nails trim, so that you don't accidentally cut a sparring partner. And you might notice that the sparring helmet is more comfortable if you're trimmed and clean.

Soon, you'll probably come to see that the way you act and take care of yourself is a reflection of your self-esteem. After all, if you believe in yourself, doesn't it make sense to always have a clean martial arts uniform? If you want to be a top student, doesn't it make sense that you'll always show up on time - even early?

Self-discipline comes from within, but the martial arts class can make a great reinforcement of your new routines. Don't be afraid to ask your instructor for self-discipline tips, as well as any "extra credit" you might be able to do outside of class.

Photo Credits: parhessiastes

Originally posted 2009-08-18 03:04:07.

A little girl praticing Tae Kwon Do.

Question: How do I know that martial arts are right for me or my child?

• Answer: You don't really know until you try martial arts, but there are some clues that should help you along the way. If physical activity and building hand-to-hand combat skills sound attractive, there's a chance that martial arts can be a great outlet for that aggression. If you need discipline and structure in your habits, martial arts might also be what the doctor ordered. Ultimately, however, the only real way to know is to give them a shot.

Question: What type of martial art is best to learn?

• Answer: As you know, the martial arts feature a number of disciplines: Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and the increasingly popular arts like Brazilian Jujitsu or Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). There's no straight forward answer to this question, as it depends on the person asking it, but many people these days prefer the style of grappling offered by MMA. Tae Kwon Do is a worthy pursuit but isn't always right for children who want to build real long-term self-confidence.

Question: How does the belt system work?

• Answer: It varies from discipline to discipline. Some disciplines might not even have a proper "belt" system. Of course, you're aware of some of the more obvious rankings: black belts are the highest and white belts are the lowest. You might also see some frequent low colors: green and yellow, and potential high colors: brown or red. Keep in mind that some disciplines also feature "degrees" or "stripes" attached to belts - the more of these you see, the more progress the wearer has made.

Question: Will I really learn self-defense?

• Answer: One of the age-old questions about the martial arts are whether you'll really learn how to defend yourself. Some people have fantasies of taking on a half-dozen bullies with a flurry of kicks and punches. Reality, of course, is often different. If you're in the martial arts to exclusively learn how to fight, you'll have a long journey ahead of you. Part of martial arts also includes knowing when not to fight, and how to stand up for yourself without getting in any violent altercations.

Question: When do I get to break the boards?

• Answer: For many martial arts, breaking boards isn't a question of skill, but rather the mindset that you have: do you believe in yourself enough and do you have enough faith to put your fist through a piece of wood? This can be more of a psychological test than a physical one, and is often part of testing when you try to advance in rank. Tae Kwon Do, for example, will probably feature these kinds of tests.

Photo Credits: egarc2

Originally posted 2009-07-27 05:56:54.

From within.

Like it or not, true self-confidence and self-discipline does come "from within." But what specifically does this mean?

We can start by learning what it doesn't mean: confidence from within doesn't mean that you can lean on someone else's opinion of you in order to justify your assertiveness. In other words, you can't wait for someone to validate your opinion of yourself: you have to view yourself in high regards, independently of what other people think of you. At first, this might seem like you're simply lying to yourself, but with time you'll learn that you can view yourself highly.

This doesn't mean that you should use your high opinion of yourself to prop yourself up over other people. In fact, if you are truly getting your confidence "from within," this won't even be necessary, because you won't feel the need to prop yourself up on other people.

Because martial arts places such emphasis on self-defense, it is recognized that the best form of self-defense is learning how to avoid a fight completely. This means carrying yourself with quiet confidence that doesn't ruffle feathers by becoming arrogance. If self-confidence comes from within, it has a better chance of being a cleaner self-confidence that doesn't rub other people the wrong way.

As for self-discipline, you'll also have to learn that only you can get yourself to push out of your comfort zone. No martial artist can directly transfer his skills to another person; instead, you'll have to go through the same pains and dedication in order to win those skills. That means the self-discipline, at some point, will have to come from within you.

If you don't feel like self-confidence or self-discipline currently do make up a part of you, try to realize that this is simply a limiting identify you've created for yourself. If you dig deep, you'll be able to find inner strength that you didn't know you had. Just keep believing in your own strength and eventually you will find it.

Photo Credits: jackol

Originally posted 2009-08-07 05:40:45.

Defend yourself!

One of the first things to understand about self-defense are an opponent's weak points and vulnerabilities. Someone without martial arts training will likely be very susceptible to a quick counter-defense that they did not anticipate. For example, while many inexperienced people might try to fight and grab with hands, you can gain an advantage over your opponent by grabbing their rest, rendering their hand essentially useless. You can then use this wrist to pull them in and get them out of attacking position.

If someone comes at you with a hand coming forward, you can use your opposing hand to grab their wrist and pull them off-balance. For example, if someone pushes at you with a right hand coming forward, use your right hand to pull their wrist and subsequently the rest of their upper body. You can stay in attacking/defending position, but they'll be off-balance. This is the time to strike.

Keeping your opponent off-balance is one of the keys to defending an attack. You don't necessarily want to fight back, you simply want to get them to stop using an attack position. If their upper body is facing you, they have the potential to strike at you. Either get distance between the grabber, or use the aforementioned wrist-grab technique to get them off balance.

It's important that you learn to make these moves with confidence and strength. You can't "guide" your opponent's wrist to where you want to go. You've got to move it there yourself. That means being physically assertive. This is one of the things you'll learn in martial arts classes, and it's part of the reason you break wooden boards.

Mentally intimidating your opponent is a great advantage of being so assertive. If they see that you are self-confident and that you mean it when you grab them, they might think twice about the attack. Be sure to keep that in mind, and build up an "assertive vibe" so that people don't invade your personal space.

Photo Credits: dangoodwin

Originally posted 2009-08-11 03:01:27.

Just want to kick and punch?

So how exactly do you know which martial arts discipline is for you, and how can you make sure that once you've made a decision, you've made the right one? Here are some quick tips for choosing the right discipline to match your personality.

• For some, they just want to learn how to kick and punch.

The more "traditional" Eastern martial arts fall under this category: Karate, Kung Fu, and Tae Kwon Do. In these arts, you won't learn how to wrestle, but you will learn how to use your mind to create more self-discipline and belief: breaking boards with your foot or your hand help you realize that you're stronger than you initially thought.

If you're a tumbler who simply wants to be able to defend himself in real-life situations, these might not be for you. But if you want to realize a lot of side-benefits from a martial art, you might consider one of these.

• Mixed martial arts promote fitness and improvisational skills.

Today's most popular types of martial arts, MMA or mixed martial arts, are the kind of fighting you'll see on a UFC Pay-Per-View event. MMA includes both grappling or wrestling along with standing up and striking, allowing you a balance of different types of martial arts. These can help you to build confidence.

• If you need a workout, focus on the upper body.

For many people, working the legs is easy - biking, walking, swimming, running. But the upper body's a little trickier. A martial art more focused on punching, like boxing, might be more up your alley. If you want to build some solid upper body fitness, you might want to consider boxing. Again, you won't necessarily learn how to defend yourself effectively, but you will be able to get in some great workouts.

Which martial art is right for you? Only you can know. Try taking a few trial classes to see which one seems to fit your personality.

Photo Credits: The She-Creature

Originally posted 2009-07-28 05:00:54.