Admit it. When the going gets tough at home, we've all plopped the kids in front of the television and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we can get started on dinner, maybe check email or sort that massive pile of laundry.
But when your five-year old yells at you "Mom, Kids Rule!" or your ten-year old horrifies you with language that would make a sailor blush, you realize there must be something amiss with what these "family programs" really teach our kids. And sadly, its happening all over the media today, from sports to cartoons, and our children are learning things that we, as parents, vowed we would never teach them. Old fashioned values like respect and self-discipline, seems to have been forgotten, replaced by the dreaded "bling bling" pop culture of today.
Just the thought of your angelic three-year old morphing into a designer-clad, smart-mouthed, money-worshipping, me-obsessed, lay-about is enough to make any parent consider that threatening military school brochure, but there is a solution out there to consider.
Martial Arts training.
From Ninja Turtles to The Karate Kid
You and your kids have all seen the flying kicks, battle cries and mighty chops of their favorite TV characters, as they beat the bad guys to submission - but, you may ask, how on earth can these acts of violence teach my child anything worthwhile?
First, know that what you see on television (save perhaps the Karate Kid) is a far cry from what real martial arts are all about. The fact is, martial arts training is based on non-violence.
Originating in Asia (mainly Japan, China and Korea, although Thailand and Vietnam have their own practices as well), martial arts range from a variety of types and styles, all of which are based on well-rounded, moral teachings. The beauty of learning martial arts is that it encompasses not just the physical aspect of the "sport", but mental and emotional lessons as well.
Comparing that to other kid's activities and sports, where fierce competitiveness and "winning at all costs" seems to be the order of the day, it's not surprising that many children grapple with issues of self-esteem and misplaced aggression.
Now imagine your child actually learning valuable life lessons, skills that he will take throughout life, laying the foundation for a happy, well-adjusted and fulfilled adult life. If only karate for kids was popular in the 70's, when I was growing up!
The Advantages
o Karate, and other martial arts for kids, builds confidence and self-esteem as well as self-discipline, respect, concentration and courtesy.
o Many martial arts schools also offer leadership courses for kids, in conjunction with their karate for kids programs, or similar lessons.
o Martial Arts is ideal for children who do not do well in team sports, giving them the ability to flourish this activity, while combining physical and mental practices.
o Many do not realize this, but it is a fact that martial arts training are safer than most school sports.
o Children with special needs, such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), learning difficulties and hyperactivity are often recommended to participate in martial arts for kids because of the clear benefits in its structured training techniques.
Kung-Fu Master or Ninja Warrior?
Before you sign up Junior for the first martial arts class you see, take some time to check out the different methods available, and match it with what you know would suit your child best. This is a good way to avoid any problems that may sprout from a conflict of your child's personality and the training techniques.
Is your little Zach a sensitive soul? Then maybe a class that doesn't center on sparring (full-on kicks and punches training) but rather, slower, defensive maneuvers would fare better for him. Kids with an aggressive streak, however, may prefer the more forceful moves and thrive in competitive sparring.
Here's a quick primer on the kid-friendly martial arts training you're likely to find:
Martial Arts From Japan
Karate
o Uses defensive and aggressive moves
o Centers on building strength and endurance
o Involves chops, punches, kicks, strikes, blocking and sparring
o May use weapons
Jujitsu
o Uses defensive and aggressive moves
o Involves lots of sparring
o Teaches a fair amount of weapons training
Aikido
o Uses a more "spiritual" and harmonious style in redirecting the aggression of the attacker as the form of defense, using throws, pins, rolls etc.
o Taught on the premise of disabling an aggressor without attacking, through your individual inner energy
o Does not involve sparring or competitions
Judo
o Uses gentle, "wrestling-like" movements
o Considered one of the safest methods of martial arts
o Emphasizes physical control as well as mental development
o Engages in competitions
Martial Arts From China
Kung-Fu
o The generic term referring to Chinese martial arts with a variety of styles
o Involves attack movements as well as defensive techniques
o Teaches kicks, punches, chops, throws, falls, grappling, katas, leg sweeps and blows among others.
o Engages in sparring competitions
Martial Arts From Korea
Taekwondo
o Competitive in nature, involves techniques using elaborate footwork and unique high kicks.
o Emphasizes strength, force and attack methods.
o Engages in lots of sparring and competitions.
Choosing The Right Instruction
If you have an idea of the type of martial arts class you'd like your child to participate in, the next step would be to find the right school. Finding the right class that not only matches your child's and your needs, in terms of teachers you feel comfortable with, the price, facilities and so on, are all important factors.
Say you've found a local place that specializes in Karate for Kids. What are the things you should look for?
1. Good Instructors
Check out their qualifications, teaching methods and watch carefully how they interact with the other children. It should be a fun learning experience!
2. Space and Safety
Obviously you would want to entrust your child in as establishment that is safe, well-maintained, and clean with ample space as well as decent facilities and equipment.
3. School Values
Different martial arts schools inevitably go by different values, for instance, one kid's karate class may handle aggression in one way, while a judo class would have a different approach. Take some time to observe which school's ideals match your family's principles.
4. Prices and Schedules
Prices for martial arts training can vary according to school and location, so make sure you the instruction you choose represents fair value. Finding the most effective way to fit martial arts training into your family's lifestyle is also essential, knowing what works best with your schedule and other activities.
Baby Blackbelts
Starting your child young in karate training is ideal (children as young as the age of four are usually accepted, as it is also a good way to hone fine motor skills), and lots of parents have found that in as little as a year, their children who were involved in martial arts had noticeably gained positive traits such as increased self-esteem, respect and overall physical fitness.
Many parents also opt to join a martial arts training program themselves, making it a great bonding experience for the entire family.
Benefits of Martial Arts Training For KidsSo you want to learn Muay Thai?
As Mixed Martial Arts gains popularity, more men and women are beginning to train in this physically demanding sport. To be a true Mixed Martial Artist, you must learn many forms of fighting styles, such as jiu jitsu, Boxing, Judo, Wrestling, Karate and Muay Thai Kick Boxing.
Muay Thai Kickboxing has become a forerunner in hand and feet striking, as well as viscous knee and elbow attacks. The speed and power of a kick delivered from a well-well-knowntrained Muay Thai Fighter is a force to be reckoned with in the ring or octagon.
In Thailand where Muay Thai originated from, disciples of the fighting style begin their fighting careers as early as the age of eight years of age. A person from the Western World may find that a young child fighting in a very violent sport appalling. For Thai boys it is a right of passage and many times a way to support the family economically.
The history associated with Thai Kick Boxing is interwoven within the historical past of the Thai people. A gentle, peace-loving people, for centuries Thais had to protect themselves and their land from violent powers. They developed a method of close, hand-to-hand combat best suited to the type of rough-terrain combat people were fighting. Over time it grew to become a rite of passage for Thai males to take up training in this particular martial art. King Naresuan the Great (1555-1605), among the country's most well known warrior-heroes, is actually believed to have been an excellent boxer himself, and it was he who created Muay Thai a necessary part of military training. Another milestone in the history of Thai Kickboxing was the victory of Nai Khanom Tom over 10 Burmese fighters in 1774. Taken captive after the Thai capital fell in 1767, Nai Khanom Tom was picked to fight in front of the Burmese king. After beating ten of them in a row, he was liberated and went back home a hero.
As the number of mixed martial artist rise in the West, more and more of these western fighters are making the pilgrimage to Thailand to train at the numerous training camps located throughout the land of smiles.
Upon my own visit to Thailand I made it a point to visit several Muay Thai matches, some of the matches I witnessed were a display of highly skilled combatants. The power and the precision of their kicking style was a science into its own. I watched a 12-year-old kick boxer kick harder than most grown western men that I have sparred against. At one point the father of one of the young Thai Fighters jested for me get in the ring and fight his little champion, I preferred to keep my spleen intact and declined the offer, which was a wise choice after watching the ensuing match.
While watching a competition in Koh Samui, the promoters allowed some Australian MMA fighters to perform and exhibition between Muay Thai matches. All the Muay Thai fighters lined the outside of the ring and watched intently as the Australian MMA fighters showed off their fighting styles. There really was no comparison to the regimented and disciplined skill of the Thai Kick Boxers, watching the expression of the Thai Fighters they were not impressed by the display from the Australians. Compared to the Muay Thai Kickboxers the MMA fighters looked cumbersome and slow, the fights seemed more like a brawl you would witness in a country and western bar.
Muay Thai Kickboxing is infused with tradition and history, something the western world lacks. Before each match the Kick boxers perform the traditional Wai Khru or Ram Muay dance that honors the teachers of the fighters. The drums and the Asian style music set the tempo as the fighters both enter the ring and perform their dance in unison. The dance seems to function as a stretching and warm up session before the match as well, and is a delight to watch for the spectators.
With the western MMA fighters flocking to Thailand to study the fighting art of Muay Thai there have been several training camps opening throughout Southeast Asia. TheFighting Camps provide lodging, accommodations and usually meals based on a strict nutritional diet. Many of the camps incorporate Yoga, cardiovascular training and other forms of cross training. Many of the camps do not limit their training just to men; they also train women and children. There has been a sharp increase in the amount of female clients that sign on to train at the Muay Thai Kickboxing camps.
In all my travels throughout Thailand I have never seen such a gracious and humble country and this has been the general statements from those Western Fighters that attended Muay Thai Camps. Some of the fighters from the west have extended their stay indefinitely, after experiencing the rich culture and beauty that Thailand offers.
If you treat the Thai people with respect they will embrace you as family, this is one of the many reasons Thailand is called the Land of Smiles. Be warned though: If you join a Muay Thai training camp in the land of smiles, you may return home with a few teeth missing from that smile.
Muay Thai Training Camps - ThailandSavate is a form of French martial arts also known as French foot fighting, French kickboxing and French boxing which involves using both the hands and feet as weapons. Savate works through a combination of western boxing elements and graceful kicking techniques. Beginners can now learn the basic principles of Savate through martial arts video training.
Martial art training videos on Savate will teach the beginner how to use foot kicks, which are the only form of attack permitted - no shins or knees. When competing in Savate, you are only allowed 4 types of kicks and 4 types of punches. The kicks comprise of the whip, chasse, reverse and low kick. The whip involves a roundhouse kick which makes contact with the instep, and it may be low, medium or high.
The chasse is the side or front piston-action kick which may be low, medium or high. The reverse is a hooking kick which makes contact with the sole of your shoe and may be low, medium or high. The low kick is a front or sweep kick to the shin which makes contact with the inner edge of the shoe and is performed with a characteristic lean backwards. The punches include the jab or lead hand, the cross or rear hand, the hook or bent arm and the uppercut which involves the use of either hand.
Mixed martial arts training videos feature the 3 levels of competition in modern Savate, which are: assault, pre-combat and combat. In assault, you will be required to focus on your technique while still making contact with your opponent; excessive force is however not permitted. The pre-combat level will allow you to engage in full-strength fighting, so long as both you and your opponent are wearing protective gear such as helmets and shin guards. The final and most intensive level is combat which is similar to pre-combat, although no protective gear, with the exception of mouth guard and groin protection is permitted.
Unlike other martial art forms which offer belt colors as their ranking systems, in Savate you will be training for glove colors. However, as a beginner, you will not have any color. You may thereafter train to rise to the successive levels: blue, green, red, white and yellow. You must be a yellow glove rank and above if you want to compete. The highest ranking savateur (for males) or savateuse (for females) is a silver glove.
How to Learn Savate With Martial Arts Video TrainingDo you want to learn Muay Thai kickboxing online? There are lot's of different ways to train yourself in the art of Thai Kickboxing. This could be from all over body conditioning, flexibility and technique based move training. Even if you can't afford to join an MMA gym there are still plenty of ways to practice in your own home.
What Exactly Is Muay Thai Kickboxing?
Unlike traditional kickboxing, which is a hybrid of Karate and Western Boxing, Muay Thai makes more use of shin strikes, elbow strikes and clinch work. It is also the national sport of Thailand. The sport is currently a very popular edition to MMA and can be seen in the UFC being used by fighters such as; Anderson Silva, Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua.
How To Start Muay Thai Training
Thai kickboxing requires a great deal of fitness. If you want to start training then I would recommend building up your overall fitness levels by doing cardiovascular activities such as running, swimming and skipping. It's common practice for Thai fighters to do a 10km run every morning for the months leading up to a fight.
I would recommend that you learn these three basic strikes to begin with. It's important to master each move individually. We all want to learn the flashy kicks that we see in the movies, but without the basics you will never be able to get there.
Roundhouse Kick - Probably the most famous kick of all time, and certainly one of the most effective. Most of the power from a roundhouse kick comes from the waist with the point of impact being the shin.
Straight Kick - The straight kick is a very useful defensive move that is used to push back your opponent and give you more space. It can also be a very powerful attack if performed correctly. The point of impact is either the ball of your foot or the heel.
Jab and Cross - The first punches you should ever learn. The jab is simply a straight punch with whatever arm you have in front of you, whilst the cross is a straight punch with whatever arm you have at the back. The point of impact should be your two front knuckles and you should only tense your fist just before you strike.
Leaning these basic moves is a good way to begin your training. I would definitely recommend that you don't move onto anything else until you have mastered these basic steps.
Where Can I Learn Muay Thai Kickboxing
There are loads of great resources online if you want to learn any martial arts. If it is MMA forms or Thai Kickboxing then I would recommend that you find a program that has been designed by professional fighters. There are a program online called Damage Control. This program will take you through the entire process of learning mixed martial arts.
Online Muay Thai Training - Learn Muay Thai Kickboxing At HomeOld days in Japan, there are spy people called "Ninja". They have unique skills for fighting, spying, acquiring enemy information, destroying enemy information lines, induce insider to betray their master, and so on. In Edo Era of Tokugawa Shogun government, story-writers made them be super humans, who can use spelling to conduct magic. They were magic like Wizards or Witches use. They can spell to smoke to hide and disappear. They can pray to fly over a high wall of enemy fortress.
There were several main groups of Ninja's in 15th - 17th Century until Tokugawa government was established in 1603. Iga and Koga were 2 largest groups. There were local and minor groups such as Negoro, Sanada, or Fuma. Yagyu family, which was Shogun's sword skill (Ken-Do) teachers' family, also had Ninja group behind their Dojo.
Real Ninjas did not use magic. Ninjas were a spy for hire by local rulers to fight against their enemies. Ninjas were specially trained people for martial arts and use of fighting and spying tools.
Because they lived in the darkness, behind the main stage of history, there are not so many written records. All historians could do is to combine bits and pieces of information from written records. According to records, their family planted a tree when a new baby is born. This tree was for the Ninja baby to train his jumping ability. The tree grows as the baby grows. He starts jumping training as soon as he can walk, run, and jump. He jumps his tree several times a day. Jump should not be too many times. As the tree grow, the Ninja acquires an ability of jump. Very small actions continued every day make a substantial difference.
When practicing Martial Art, things do not happen like watching Jackie Chen movies. One finds that the technique which makes the winner and the loser are not "BIG" and "FLASHY" skill, such as jump kick, high round-case kick, or high side-kick. The winning technique is almost always small, short, quick movement, like short distance paunch, low kick, elbow hit, knee kick.
Watching real tournament fight of Karate, Tae-Kun-do, or Kung-Fu, one might have wondered why actual fights are not like Kung-Fu movies. There are several factors. Small, small moves can be fast and accurate. 2 things can be learned.
1. Do not think light of small actions. It may be the final, decisive factor.
2. Daily small, constant actions will make a large difference at the end. It will be your winning skill.
We should not forget that ongoing training of big techniques would enable one to use small and short, but fast and precise motion. There are still things that one can learn from Ninja training.
Ninja TrainingWhether you want to fight in mixed martial arts, or you just want to train like a fighter and acquire the fighting skills and conditioning, you need to learn a mma training routine. You can start your training out in your own home. Remember, Rich Franklin started out his whole mma training routine inside a shed in his backyard by himself. Here's how to develop a routine:
1. Heavy Bag Work.
A heavy bag will be essential to get going with. You can get a new one at a sports store, or try to find a used one, or perhaps rig one up with used mattresses. This will take care of most of your striking and kicking routine. Develop a routine where you first practice all the different strikes individually, then combine those strikes together to form different combinations.
Next work on your kicks. Front kicks, side kicks, high kicks, even reverse kicks you can practice on your heavy bag. After you get used to your kicks, combine them, one at a time, with your combination punching routine.
2. Strength training.
You want to develop strength as a mixed martial arts fighter, but you don't want to train like a bodybuilder who just tries to develop big muscles. You want functional strength. And for this reason you can get away with doing a lot of dumbbell weight training and/or kettle bell training, and even bodyweight workouts. So you don't necessarily have to join a gym, you can develop your own strength training routine in your home.
3. Wrestling training.
Wrestling can be difficult to train on your own to start out with, and joining a class to get hands on experience is usually best. Look for a ju-jitsu school in your area for good ground work training. Having said that though, you can start your mma training routine by first learning wrestling skills on your own, either through book or video instruction. This will lay the ground work and understanding of technique, so that when you do join a class you will go in with at least the knowledge of how to do some of the moves, and will progress faster.
4. MMA Training Book.
Getting a mma training routine book is a great idea as it will show you how to put together all of the above and begin your training immediately. Routines you can do on the heavy bag, ground work you can practice, and strength training routines you can perform, will all get you immediately immersed into mixed martial arts training, and before you know it you'll be conditioned and ready to take things to the next level.
MMA Training RoutineMuay Thai is fast becoming one of the most popular martial arts in the world, thanks to its exposure in various films such as Ong Bak and in video games like Tekken and Street Fighter. Recognition for the said sport can also be partly attributed to the popularity of its country of origin, Thailand, as a tourist destination. If you are reading this article, chances are you are either a Muay Thai enthusiast, or are curious about the sport. Whichever the case may be, one thing is certain - you would like to know more about it. And really, the best way to know absolutely everything there is to know about Muay Thai is to visit Thailand and enroll in a camp.
Going to a Muay Thai camp in Thailand can be compared to attending boarding school. This is because first and foremost, you will be housed in the same area where you will be getting your training. Second, in the same way that you have teachers in school, in a Thai Boxing camp you have trainers who will guide you until you get things right. Third, in both settings you adhere to a schedule of sorts. This analogy is perfect because it somehow emphasizes a trait you need to have and you will develop in order to be able to successfully go through the whole experience (whether that be attending school or training in martial arts): discipline.
Aside from acquiring discipline, enrolling in a Muay Thai camp in Thailand has other benefits as well. Physically, the rigorous training you will receive in a Thai camp will result to you becoming stronger and more agile. Of course, in the process of training to become a "nak muay farang" or a foreign Muay Thai fighter/boxer, you will also be able to develop your muscles - meaning you will have a better-proportioned, leaner body. Muay Thai training can benefit you mentally, too. As training sessions can be exhausting, there will be times wherein you will have to rely solely on willpower and determination to be able to reach your goal for the day. And as in any martial art (or fighting sport for that matter), in Thai Boxing the traits needed in order for you to win - self-confidence and courage - will be developed.
As implied above, if you are planning to go to a Thai camp you should at least be aware that you will be participating in training sessions under trainers who are often champions themselves. These sessions are rigorous and can be physically and mentally exhausting. The flow of the training is mostly up to the trainer; however, you can expect these parts to be present in a beginner's training session: a warm-up consisting of shadow boxing; conditioning - done most of the time with weights; sparring - first and often with your trainer, other times with a partner; and warm down with a low-impact exercise regimen. Pad and bag work are also basic elements in a Muay Thai training session, but you will be doing these only after you have spent time working on your fitness and are already knowledgeable when it comes to basic techniques.
What You Should Expect in a Muay Thai Training Camp