sirgerry asked:


I just love the moves with the Kali Yuga, what is that martial art, Wushu? I’d love to be able to do those moves with the stick!

Thanks

Constance

Paul M. Jerard Jr. asked:


In this continuing series, let’s address more issues and frequently asked questions that concern parents who seek to enroll their child in a martial arts program. The first question in this part is possibly the most important one of all.

How do I find the right martial arts teacher for my kids?

You will know when you have a face-to-face meeting and observe him or her teach a martial arts class. The chemistry between a prospective martial arts teacher and you should be good.

After all, your child is supposed to learn courtesy, respect, self-discipline, goal setting, and many more life skills from his or her martial arts instructor. If the martial arts teacher you are considering displays none of the above-mentioned qualities, please continue to shop around.

It makes no difference if your child is learning Karate, Jujitsu, Aikido, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, or Kung Fu, when the teacher is not a good role model. You don’t need to expose your children to hazards or questionable characters in order for them to learn martial arts. The martial arts school philosophy, and the instructors, should meet your standard – never settle for less.

Are you looking for discipline, academic improvement, life skills, tournament competition, self-defense, or a positive activity? Martial arts studios are not created equally. A life skills school may not meet the needs of a competitive parent or child. A “tournament school” that teaches Sport Karate, Sport Jujitsu, or enters many competitions, may be lacking in life skills and so forth.

This is not meant to take away the value of any aspect in martial arts training, but to make you, as a parent, aware that the emphasis will be different from one type of school to another. Also, the self-defense aspect will be taught differently within each martial arts school. Some martial arts schools teach more of one technique such as: punching, kicking, joint locks, sweeps, and throws.

At our wellness center in North Providence, Rhode Island, we teach all of those aspects, and we also teach self-defense through communication. For example: Wouldn’t it be better to prevent a physical conflict by talking it out? If a child is fully capable of defending himself or herself, why should he or she pursue a physical fight?

As adults, we know that the diplomatic approach to a physical conflict will not always work, but it is worth a try. Our children need to look at social skills, awareness, and courtesy as survival tools. Whether they are walking down a street, or entering the workplace, these skills are extremely important.

Know your goals and your child’s needs. Please make sure your reasons for enrolling your son or daughter in martial arts classes are sound. Martial arts for your child, is his or her personal endeavor. You can share in the feeling of accomplishment by being supportive and watch them grow to be successful. Success is one of the most important gifts we can give to our children.

The ideal martial arts instructor should have knowledge of sports medicine and CPR training. This may be one of the reasons why serious injuries are rare. Make sure that the safety of each child is a priority with the martial arts school you choose.

Some parents may feel I play it too safe within a karate class, but they have not seen a child knocked unconscious, a broken nose, or loss of blood, in my school. When I was a Sport Karate coach, referee, and judge, I saw all of those things in tournaments, and children were all wearing protective equipment.

Therefore, safety precautions are a very important factor, when deciding which martial arts school you should choose for your child.

© Copyright 2005 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications



Jessie

Shane Lee asked:


This article is about the kung fu martial arts and you can find some useful information in it if you are a fan of the kung fu martial arts.

Zhiquan Qing is a notable kung fu master in Hong Kong. “Kung fu martial arts is mainly for helping others, not for fighting.” He said.

Recently, he came to Foshan, Guangdong Province to give free kung fu martial arts courses to the the disabled people. He has opened 2 Wing Chun training centers in Foshan and nearly 100 disabled people have received his free kung fu trainings in them.

“A lot of people like the kung fu martial arts and about 40% of the Hong Kong residents have learned some kung fu martial arts.” Qing said. He was born in 1955 and has the asthma from his childhood. He can only watch his little friends playing, but can not join them when he is a kid. Because of this, he decided to learn the kung fu martial arts. “At first I learned kung fu martial arts in order to fight other people and to protect myself.” he said.

Now Qing named this purpose “the superficial heroism”. He started to learn the kung fu martial arts from the age of 10. In 1973, he attended many kung fu competitions, using his Wing Chun kung fu. He won a champion in the 4th South East Asia Kung Fu Martial Arts Championship in 1976. Six years later, he won a champion in the 6th International Kung Fu Martial Arts Championship. He also got a big surprise by learning the kung fu martial arts: his asthma disappeared during the peroid of his kung fu trainings. Maybe this is a gift for his several years of hard kung fu trainings.

For a kung fu fighter, sports injuries are very common. In order to deal with these injuries, Qing started to learn Tuina (Chinese massage for curing the sports injuries) and the theories of the traditional Chinese medicine.

In 1998, Qing came to Foshan, Guangdong Province and made some good friends here. They are all the fans of the kung fu martial arts and they often do the kung fu trainings together. One time, one of this friends told him that he paid more than 5000 rmb for the phone bills, talking to Qing about the kung fu martial arts. Qing was so touched by his words and he started to come to Foshan very frequently. In 2006, he opened 2 Wing Chun Training Centers in Foshan. One is in Nanhaiguichang and the other is in Shundele.

Recommended by this friend, Qing started to give kung fu martial arts courses to the doctors and nurses in the Foshan Chinese Medicine Hospital. In this place, lots of disabled people joined these kung fu martial arts courses. They are also very interested in these courses but they do not have the good opportunities to be taught by a real kung fu master. Qing thought this as a good chance to helping others. In 2007, Qing began to give free “Baduanjin” kung fu courses to the disabled people in the Foshan Chinese Medicine Hospital. These courses are also part of the convalescent plans for these disabled people.

“Some people believe that I am stupid. I can earn 500 rmb for a hour by teaching the kung fu martial arts courses, but all the courses here are free in Foshan. I just think that what I did is helpful for the disabled people. I want them to learn more and practise more kung fu. It will be good for the recovery of these people. I am just doing the correct things I believe.” Qing said.

Date: 05/02/2009

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Earl

Martin asked:


I’m trying to find a martial art that best suits someone like me. I done a little bit of different martial arts here and there while I was a younger, but one thing I noticed is that my agility is pretty bad. I’m ok with frontal kicks, but when I do them from a side stance I have a hard time. I’ve always had difficulty lifting and stretching my legs to the side. The way I’ve always been build do to my genetics is as a thick beef-cake kind of guy (I’m strong but not ripped), I’m 5′7″, and I would say my arm or leg reach is that great as for something like kickboxing.
For those who are more experienced with martial arts, is there one out there that’s suited for someone like me? Or since I’m not a thin, lightweight, and agile guy, I should just forget about martial arts altogether?

Troy