Efraín Suárez Arce

Prof. J. Parenteau

INGL 3232 (001)

18 May 2007

The Teaching of Karate-Do and Aikido During Childhood

and How it Influences Development

Abstract

We have sought to provide here a subjective report on the alleged

benefits of the teaching of Martial Arts to children and adolescents. We visited various

Martial Arts schools in the San Juan area. We watched at least eight classes and

watched various Martial Arts tournaments. We interviewed two instructors and one

assistant instructor in order to gain a deeper insight into what goes into a Martial Arts

class for kids. We also researched online articles and books written by Martial arts

instructors.

Introduction

Our challenge as educators is to create independent thinkers in a dependent,

apathetic and individualistic society. We live in a social and political democracy centered

on the individual where we must deal with anti social behaviors like assaults, peer

pressure or intimidation, discrimination, homophobia and racism. One alternative of the

many that have been discussed is the use of extracurricular sports or cultural activities.

We can talk about sports and extracurricular activities until we are blue in the face, but

the reality is that it is the minds of our young people that must be rescued and guided.

Every day our young people observe and evaluate the opportunities that society offers

them to achieve success through legal means to find a place in a formal and respectable

society. Creating a sense of security in our children and young people is indispensable

while they grow and equip themselves with the attitudes and skills necessary to reach a

responsible and productive adulthood. On the other hand, the forces of business and the

entertainment world seek to validate and reinforce all their negative beliefs. They

bombard our children and young people with the importance of acquiring goods

(consumerism), enjoying the pleasures of life without consequences (sex, drugs, etc.),

glorifying the aggressive, antisocial, individualistic and rebellious type and ridiculing the

obedient student ("nerd"). They glorify violence plus the fear and the physical and

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emotional violence used to confront it.1 In their world we see how everything prevails by

brute force. Then corruption and dishonesty wind up as the natural and the successful

things to do in life. Instead of the physical competition in a morally neutral field, (which

we see in most sports) we needed something that prepares the mind and the body. A

recent newspaper article states that we are seeing an increase of interest of our young

people in new activities that integrate cultural elements and that allow the expression of

skills and the augmentation of their creative capacity.

Literature Review

The Martial arts have had a long history of discipline and training in the West. The first

North American practitioners of the Asian fighting arts were soldiers stationed in Japan,

Okinawa and Korea during the 1940s and 1950s, followed by the popular 1960s movie

star from Hong Kong, Bruce Lee; then by civilian adult male admirers of Lee. Today, the

majority of martial arts practitioners are young people and children. Many people claim

that the practice of the martial arts encourages good moral and ethical development and

develops beneficial psychological changes. On the other hand, other people claim that

receiving praise and benefit for practicing violent activities (like some martial arts)

reinforces violence and conditions the practitioners to be more aggressive and hostile

outside of their activity. Most images and themes of the martial arts in television shows

and popular movies, plus the popularity of pay-for-view, no-holds-barred, martial arts

tournaments probably help spread and reinforce this second claim.

Perspectives on Martial arts training

According to Binder Endresen & Olweus (2005) conducted a study that participating in

power sports (including kick-boxing, boxing, wrestling, and weightlifting) "leads to an

increase or enhancement of antisocial involvement in the form of elevated levels of

violent as well as non-violent antisocial behavior outside sports." Since these activities

contain few if any moral/philosophical teachings regarding conduct, this supports our

tentative conclusion that traditional martial arts (which DO typically offer

moral/philosophical teachings) are superior to modern martial arts or combat sport

training in reducing antisocial behavior in children and adolescents.

1 There is a scene in the documentary " Bowling for Columbine" where we find in a fair a game called "SHOOT THE GEEK" where prizes are managed to shoot the "GEEK" that is a quiet and obedient student, with big glasses.

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It is our belief that the real benefits of martial arts practice are mental (some would say

spiritual) rather than physical. Martial art training uses unique philosophical or societal

concepts that other sports/arts don’t incorporate into their practice. Most martial arts

incorporate meditation and relaxation training, learning how to focus and release energy,

moving in tandem with a partner as well as striving to excel alone, and achieving mind-

body unity. The physical exercise and mastery is, in reality, the means to a non-physical

end, whether one calls this state of mind enlightenment, self-knowledge, or achieving

balance.

In children with low self-esteem, martial arts training can simultaneously develop areas

such as self-defense skills (to defend against physical bullying), physical fitness, and

instructions on how to handle stressful scenarios in a physical or mental context, and

self-confidence, through successful applications of martial technique, such as board

breaking or kata2. Anxiety and hyperactivity are major problems that inhibit school

performance. Meditation or other relaxation techniques can reduce both of these

problems. A student can be asked simply to sit quietly and engage in actual meditation

for a few minutes to collect his or her thoughts. Meditation practice has the benefits of

teaching children the self-discipline of sitting still, focusing the mind, achieving a quiet

state, and being able to achieve self-control through an inner-motivated, self-starting

activity.

Young children and adolescents need to learn structure, self-discipline, and how to work

in a group. They need to learn a competitive spirit in an environment of fair play and

sportsmanship. As they mature, the child has to learn that his/her needs cannot be met

through throwing tantrums, hitting other people, or screaming and yelling. Kids also have

to learn how to follow instructions, lead others, think on their own, focus their

concentration, and strive for excellence.

2 Kata (literally: "form") is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practiced either solo or in pairs. Kata are used in many traditional Japanese arts such as theater forms like kabuki and schools of tea ceremony, but are most commonly known for the presence in the martial arts.

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Other physical benefits that are seen in young Martial Art practitioners include a

healthier body, a more oxygenated brain, and a better processing of processed sugars

and high-fat junk food.

Also, a sustained commitment to martial arts practice (or any other sport) may result in

the child and parent paying better overall attention to diet, sleep routines, and daily

schedules, leading to a healthier, happier, and more predictable child.

Muromoto and Fung, both Martial Arts instructors and authors advocate the emphasis on

these mental skills when training children instead of focusing on the martial /combative

aspects. They state that a martial arts teacher should have a balanced set of criteria in

which a young child is judged not just on physical skills, which will be limited by his age

and physical maturity, but also on mental skills acquired in training. Young3 takes it a

step further by stating:

“…And what are your goals for your child? Self-defense? A competent

martial arts instructor will be well aware of the zero tolerance4 policies in

force in most public and private schools. He or she will teach "playground

safe" tactics that allow the child to disengage and seek help from the

adults in authority. Avoid like the plague any school that shows a small

child stepping into a "fighting stance" against a mature adult. That's hype

and so far from reality as to be laughable. Pay particular attention to

curricula that emphasize awareness and avoidance. A kid will never,

pound for pound, be able to fight off an adult. To believe so or allow a

child to believe so is ridiculous. Children don't need to be taught how to

"fight" (except for points and the joys of tourneys); they need to be taught

to be aware of the surroundings, how to avoid or escape and where to go

for help. Self-defense5 is vastly different than fighting6, and both are very

different than martial arts7.”

3

4

5 http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/self-defensetraining.htm6 http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/fight_selfdefense.html7 http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/martialarts.html

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Fung states in his article that:

“I’m aware that, especially in the make-your-child-feel-good-at-all-costs

environment of the United States, a lot of little kids have been awarded

"black belts." Well, although it should be obvious, a child black belt

doesn't have near the skill level or experience or understanding of an

adult trained by the same teacher at the same school. Teachers are much

less strict on their young students than they are on adults, and that's as it

should be. To teach a student how to fight, an instructor must be harsh,

strict, and demanding. And the student has to learn how to tap into her

killer instinct, to overcome any natural inhibitions he might have about

intentionally hurting someone. Because in the end, that's what defending

yourself comes down to: hurting your attacker more than he can hurt you

in as short a time as possible. Call me crazy, but I believe children simply

shouldn't be taught how to think that way; they'll have plenty of time to

learn how to mean when they grow up, and they shouldn't have to learn

how to defend themselves. That's why they have parents and teachers

and police officers. For a kid, karate class should be about exercise and

fun, about learning how to focus and how to set a goal and achieve it. Not

how to maim and kill…I believe children are innocent and sweet and

adorable. But I also believe that they can be shockingly mean and nasty -

yes, even your sweet little angel has a nasty mean streak that can come

out if provoked. And since children aren't known for impulse control, I

don't think teaching them efficient, powerful ways to be nasty is such a

good idea…”

Choosing a martial arts style or school

One of the crucial features of the Martial Arts training is the type of martial art chosen, as

well as the lesson plans of the instructor. It is important to remember that most martial

arts were developed for survival. So, they tend to contain some dangerous or lethal

techniques. Thus, an important thing to remember when choosing a style for your child is

how effectively an art can be watered down without losing its essence. For instance, it is

difficult to make striking arts such as Muay Thai and Wing Chun "kid-friendly." There's no

way to avoid teaching aggressive techniques in Muay Thai or Wing Chun. Also, a boxing

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program with a competition-oriented instructor will not provide the same experience as a

Tai Chi instructor who emphasizes awareness of one’s actions and thoughts. Although

both boxing and Tai Chi can be defined as martial arts, their histories, emphases, and

other features are very different. Looking more specifically at karate, a Kyokushin Kai

karate class (which emphasizes full-contact sparring with bare knuckles) versus a

Shotokan karate class (which places more emphasis on personal discipline and control

than fighting). Binder’s excellent review suggests that certain martial arts might lead to

development of beneficial psychological changes more quickly than others. If this is true,

perhaps the more complex movements and foreign concepts involved in some martial

arts produce changes more slowly. This distinction between a philosophical or societal

approach and a martial/combative approach to the lessons is a very important issue.

With the evolution of martial arts into combat systems like Krav Maga and combat sports

(Kickboxing, Submission Wrestling), many students may only be taught how to fight

without lessons in the proper context for applying these techniques, something that is

emphasized in more traditional martial art curricula. Studying an art without these

philosophical/societal teachings is of little therapeutic benefit (and some may argue,

detrimental to psychological health).

Historical Background of the Martial Arts

This paper sought to move away from the old stereotypes of Karate, Aikido and other

martial arts in the media and understand what the Martial Arts really are by

understanding its history; it’s cultural and spiritual background. In essence, what Karate

is and what it is not.

According to recent surveys made by Fighting Arts magazine, there are at this moment

2.64 million adults taking martial art classes in the United States plus 3.02 million people

younger than 18 years of age plus these surveys visualize an annual growth of 14% in

the student population. Taking into account that between 70% and 80% of the Karate

students are youngsters between 4 and 14 years of age, the teaching of martial arts

such as Karate to children is not only a relevant, but also a necessary subject for a

student interested in teaching children.

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Karate-Do ("way of the empty hand") and Aikido ("the way of harmonious spirit") are self-

defense systems geared towards personal development and (in the case of Karate)

sport competition whose history goes back many centuries and whose origins are firmly

rooted in the religious and philosophical values of the Far East. In its beginnings on the

islands of Okinawa and Japan, between during the XVII and XIX centuries, adults, at

their physical and mental peak, developed these self-defense systems for the battlefield

or for the defense of loved ones. These were ferocious methods created for situations

where one’s life depended on the outcome of a fight.

The conquest of Okinawa in the XVII century by Japan and the later prohibition against

the carrying of weapons by the local population served only to encourage the

development of indigenous fighting systems that excluded the use of weapons. Also it

can be speculated that the practice of these systems was seen as a vehicle for

nationalistic feelings as a symbolic manifestation of resistance to Japanese occupation.

Meanwhile, in Japan the heads of powerful families or clans that

had soldiers at their service, continuously trained them for combat,

thus giving rise to the military elite, or Samurai, masters in the

handling of the sword, the bow and arrow, the spear or halberd

and hand-to-hand combat. All this together with a very rigorous

moral and ethical code whose acceptance entailed an absolute

indifference to the warrior’s own life, this being unconditionally

placed at the service of his lord. This differs greatly from the

western Judeo-Christian perspective where ones life is

subservient only to his creator.

During the rise and development of the warrior elite, their leaders began to expect and

demand a level of appropriate behavior from them. Thus was developed for the military

elite an elaborated system of correct actions in all areas of his interaction with society

and other members of his class. In Japanese feudal society, everyone knew how to

behave. For example if I am a Samurai walking on the street, and another Samurai

approaches me without extending its right hand in peace, I will assume by this action

that means to attack me. Then, I would unsheathe my sword and attack him, period. In

those volatile times a man could die if he did not pay attention to these details.

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In those times one could not always afford the luxury of waiting to being attacked before

fighting. Our concept of "self-defense" is a purely modern interpretation. The purpose of

the warrior elite was to serve, protect and to promote the interests of their leaders8, and

this often required that combat be initiated preemptively.

In addition to a life of hard training and inflexible discipline, the Samurai spent their lives

in search of beauty, purity, and perfection. These warriors, who at every moment faced

the possibility of a sudden, violent death, sought to balance the violence inherent in their

profession with an appreciation of the beauty in the world around them in arts like the

Japanese theater, calligraphy, flower arrangement, serving tea and sometimes, simply

watching the flowers of a cherry blossom tree (today this is a popular pastime during the

spring both in Japan and in Washington D.C.). No one can better represent the ideals of

the warrior elite than the legendary fencing master, Miyamoto Musashi, who after a life

marked by duels against some of the most feared swordsmen of his time, sat down to

write its memoirs in the book "Go Rin No Sho", better known in the West as "The Book

of Five Rings":

"You must give yourself to the constant study to obtain the perfection in

the soul that becomes evident in the poise of the spirit."

Another book that represents the warrior mentality was "Hagakure" written in the 1710

based on interviews with Yamamoto Tsunetomo. This book is the protagonist in the film

"Ghost Dog":

"There is a correct way for the son of samurai to be raised. From

childhood one must encourage bravery and avoid scaring or teasing the

boy unnecessarily. If a person is affected by cowardice, it becomes a scar

for life... The boy must see his parents as teachers, and learn courtesy,

serving others, the appropriate ways of speaking... When he does not put

his best effort must be scolded and (punished severely)... "

8 The Japanese word, “samurai” comes from the verb “subaru”, meaning “to serve”.

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Also the warrior had the obligation to train his wife in self-defense and the handling of

the "Naginata", a lethal instrument of poetic beauty (a wood shaft with a curved blade on

the end similar to the European glaive) that became a symbol of the social status of

women of the samurai class. A functional Naginata was often a traditional part of a

samurai daughter's dowry.

Although they did not typically fight as normal

soldiers, women of the samurai class were expected

to be capable of defending their homes while their

husbands were away at war. The Naginata was

considered one of the weapons most suitable for

women, as it allows a woman to keep a male

opponent at a distance, where his greater height,

weight, and upper body strength offers less of an

advantage. The woman carried her Naginata, not

only for self defense, but also so that she could,

along with the virtues of harmony, order, temperance

and obedience, to teach martial arts to her children.

After the unification of Japan in the XVII century9, the Japanese moved the emphasis of

the combative arts ("bugei") away from their military use towards a spiritual and moral

one, which was then called martial arts ("budo").

This is how the sword that kills became the sword that gives and protects life. This can

also be seen as a reaction to the social restructuring seen during the Meiji era (1868-

1912). At the end of the XIX century, Japan had opened its doors to the West, abolished

its traditional social system, including the social and military elite, transformed its

economy and went through the problems that came with these changes. The martial arts

of Japan then became instruments for the creation and preservation of an identity and to

preserve a bond with a noble past by way of voluntary affiliation.

The martial arts are in essence cultural systems that act in a constant intermingling with

modern social factors. These systems are adapted and manipulated according to these

9 This marks the beginning of the Tokugawa era, which lasted until the Meiji Restoration of 1868.

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social factors. Modern martial arts schools are successful due to their symbolic nature,

which seeks moral development and spiritual enrichment through elaborated and

polished traditions of thought and action. The purpose is the perfection of these actions.

Between the years 1915-1925 the first Karate exhibitions take place outside Okinawa

with the migration of several Okinawan masters, beginning with Gichin Funakoshi. For

political reasons, when he began to teach Karate to the Japanese, Funakoshi sought to

separate the Chinese origins from his Okinawan art and called it Karate Do.

The suffix “Do” was added to incorporate the art into traditional Japanese martial arts

and to place emphasis on how Karate also allows the student to approach the old spirit

of the Japanese warrior elite: The search of an ethical and philosophical way through the

practice of martial arts ("Bushido") by moving away it of its purely combative application

("Jutsu").

Also a learning system based on belt colors created by Jigaro Kano for Judo was

incorporated into the teaching of Karate. By 1932, almost all the universities in Japan

had Karate schools.

World War II snuffed out the life of many masters of the martial arts both in Okinawa as

in Japan. Schools that had been teaching for generations were destroyed along with

their written records in the bombings.

The allies, when occupying Japan, prohibited the practice of all martial arts until 1948.

Only Karate was allowed a little later as a university sport of foreign origin. As a result of

this, it is the American military, stationed in Okinawa and Japan, that spread Karate

through Europe, North America and eventually, to Puerto Rico.

These first instructors invited their instructors to give demonstrations in different places

in America and Europe. Their admirers were dazzled by the effectiveness of their

techniques. Entranced by this new discipline, which in addition to the physical and

mental benefits offered an attractive goal of spiritual enrichment, the first Karate-Ka and

Aikido Ka threw themselves with enthusiasm into the learning of this new art/sport. With

the proliferation of teachers and students, it was inevitable that there would arise

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different interpretations or martial traditions ("ryu") like ShotoKan, Wado-Ryu, Shito-Ryu,

Goju-Ryu, Isshin-Ryu, Kyokushinkai, etc.

Another factor in Karate is the availability of international competitions. Karate does not

have Olympic status, although it received more than 50% of the votes to become an

official Olympic sport; 75% of the votes are required. The World Karate Federation

(WKF) is the recognized International Sport Federation by the International Olympic

Committee (IOC) for karate.

At some moment during this history, somebody came up with the idea of teaching Karate

to children and adolescents, which brings us to the subject of this study.

Methods

空手道

My first task was to visit a school ("Dojo"10) of Classic or Traditional Karate to watch a

children’s class. This school has been in Cupey since 1968 under the direction of Jaime

Acosta, Sensei11. The class begins with a warm up period of simple heavy motor

movements in order to gradually develop flexibility and muscular resistance and to

prevent injuries.

After the initial warm up, an assistant instructor ("Senpai"12) takes 3 children between the

ages of 7 to 12 years for the continuation of the class, whereas the adults take classes

with another group. He seems to be working towards the development of abilities of

basic hand movements. The senpai tells the kids to fix their attention on what there

doing and the importance of listening to and following instructions. Although the Sempai

10 Dojo is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the Way". As such it can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of a martial arts style to conduct training, examinations and other related encounters.11 Sensei (先生) is a Japanese title used to refer to or address teachers, professionals such as doctors and lawyers, politicians, clergymen, and other authority figures. 12 Senpai is a Japanese term for a person in a club or other organization, including a school or college, who is a senior (in other words, a member for longer or of a higher year) and mutually recognized as such.

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does not project an authoritarian attitude towards the children, every action in the Dojo,

from the greeting given in order to enter the hall ("Onigae Shi Mas", please teach me) to

the greeting given when leaving ("Arigato Gosai Mashta", thanks for teaching me) is

guided by a clearly defined structure of correct actions or gestures of courtesy ("reishiki")

The children are required by way of transmission and example to adopt a proper attitude

and behavior. This helps the student develop an awareness of reciprocity, cooperation

and learning to be aware and control their behavior. The first movements are practiced

in-group in front of a big mirror and later the Senpai corrects them individually. He tells

one boy to be aware of the position of his body and to adjust it following his lead. The

body awareness added to the repetition aids long-term internalization of the technique

(muscular memory). After this a five minutes rest is taken.

After the rest, the movements are applied against objects like bags of different sizes.

Once again the instructions emphasize visualizing and executing the technique slowly

and correctly. When confronted with the difficulty of a boy in appropriately executing the

technique, the Sempai smiles and it says that the progress is one step at a time. This

helps the student learn to deal with frustration and to maintain his attention on the task at

hand. Then the students start to integrate foot movements along with the hands, which

demand a little more coordination.

In spite of the structured atmosphere of the Dojo, a boy is told to speak with firmness

and self-assuredness when directing a question to the Senpai. After another rest period,

the Sempai sits in a circle with the children to talk. Each boy has the opportunity to meet

his classmates. Later they begin to practice "kata", a series of attack, defense and

evasion movements, made against one or several imaginary opponents, which at first

sight looks like a dance. The katas vary in their level of difficulty according to the student

grade level. The children are taken slowly through the movements that make up the kata

while they are asked questions like "What we are doing?" and "Which way is left?” 15

minutes later the school Director orders the groups to halt practice ("Yame!") and

gathers all the students together for cooling down exercises.

The class ends with a bow to the Director, thanking him for his time.

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Another Dojo that I had the opportunity was the dojo of Marie Miranda, Sensei of Taifu

Shoi, a style founded on Puerto Rico in the 1970s using elements of Tae Kwon Do,

Kung Fu and ShotoKan Karate to found a distinctly Puerto Rican Karate style. The class

is conducted in a community center in Rio Piedras. Today there are 7 children and 2

adults dressed in the traditional white uniform. The class begins with a greeting and 2

minutes of "mokuso". Mokuso is a short meditation exercise, practiced in the traditional

Japanese martial arts. Mokuso is performed before beginning a training session in order

to relax and to relieve the mind of distractions, very similar to the Zen concept of Mushin.

Soon they begin stretching and warming up.

Here instead of performing the exercises with the students, the instructors walk by the

hall correcting each child individually. Soon they begin practicing Kata13 in a group The

instructor marks rhythm by counting in Japanese ("Ich(1), Ni(2), San(3), Chi(3),

Roku(4)") whereas the first instructor observes from the front of the hall. The second

instructor walks around the group making corrections. Soon the group performs the kata

to own step.

There is something different here, aside from the nontraditional style. The instructors do

not raise the voice at any moment. In spite of this we see an absolute control of the

group and the children behave and follow instructions right away. There is a relaxed

atmosphere where apparently the students are trained in a very detailed way and in

small steps. Although the resulting techniques are not always executed correctly or

accurately, they are definitely performed with determination and conviction.

Perhaps this is the "atmosphere of peace and harmony" that the old Japanese teachers

like Morihei Ueshiba and Hironori Otsuka described in their writings as the ideal learning

atmosphere.

I stopped by another school, this one of Edwin Olmo, Sensei of Shorin Ryu, a Karate

style from the island of Okinawa and precursor of the Japanese styles. This class is in

the communal center of the Covadonga Housing Project in Trujillo Alto. Here we have 10

children, mostly beginners. We know this because the color of the belt (obi) they use

13 . Kata (literally: "form") is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practiced either solo or in pairs. Kata are used in many traditional Japanese arts such as theater forms like kabuki and schools of tea ceremony (chadō), but are most commonly known for the presence in the martial arts.

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corresponds to the wearer's rank in the school. The usual range is from white belt for

beginners through orange, blue, purple, green, brown and finally the coveted black belt

for experienced practitioners.

The class begins with a greeting, stretching and warming up with individual corrections.

Here the interesting thing is that the name of the student is used consistently. This

motivates the student to put out a little more effort. The tone here used is pleasant and

patient, which makes for a more relaxed atmosphere. Then come Push-Ups with the

knuckles, an exercise that seems a little demanding for children (I cannot do one), but is

useful in strengthening the arms and hardening the knuckles. Nevertheless, the exercise

is done slowly and with supervision.

The rest of the class is concentrated on the introduction, explanation and supervision of

basic techniques of punches, blocks and kicks. At the end of the class I saw something

that seemed to me an excellent idea. to get the beginners participating in free sparring.

The instructor gives a demonstration first using two advanced students serving while he

acts as a referee and explaining the details like proper technique and rules. Of course,

the class ends with the greeting.

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Free Sparring

Whenever people talk about teaching Karate to children, eventually we enter the subject

of participation in tournament fighting or sparring ("shiai kumite") and forms competition.

I have had the opportunity to attend several matches as a spectator and discuss this

subject with various instructors.

Before going into my opinion on competition, I am going to recreate a match that I had

the opportunity to watch during one of these matches between two girls between 6 and 8

years of age. The participants enter a competition area made up of smooth, nonskid 8

meters rubber squares ("Tatami"). The kids used Protective helmets, mouthpieces,

gloves and foot protectors. The children must have their fingernails cut. They are three

judges and three referees, all qualified instructors plus a paramedic nearby. The fight

lasts between 2 or 3 minutes and the objective is to be the first in making 3 or 4 points

(or to win by decision or disqualification). These points are awarded depending on

factors such as the difficulty of the technique, good form, sporting attitude and vigorous

or assertive application The favored techniques are kicks to the head and techniques

made after throwing or sweeping the leg of the opponent.

In spite of this, the rules14 specifically prohibit the more dangerous techniques (like

attacking the genitals) and clearly state that all techniques must be controlled, especially

those directed to the face, head and neck. I must note that in children sparring, contact

to the face is not allowed. Now he referee orders the kids to begin the match (“Hajime”!).

After exchanging some blows, the first girl, A throws a front kick against the face of the

second girl B, hitting her cheek. The referee stops the fight. B cries loudly while the

paramedics examine her. A is disqualified in favor of the young B. Upon knowing this, A

has a crying fit and refuses to leave the ring until she is carried away by an instructor.

Although this match represents an exception and not the rule, during this study we

observed problems common to these children during these matches like nervousness,

lack of efficiency and control in the execution of techniques and lack of variety of

techniques. This can be attributed to the little time spent practicing and/or the nerves.

14 World Karate Federation, credited by the International Olympic Committee

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Perhaps the nervousness problem comes from a lack of confidence in the learned

techniques, which takes us again to the lack of training. We also spoke to an

Occupational Therapist who suggested the possibility that these children simply do not

have the physical-motor capacity for this activity.15

合気道

Aikido, translated as "the way of harmonious spirit", is a modern Japanese martial art

developed as a synthesis of martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. The goal

of Aikido is to help a practitioner achieve the ability to defend him self without injuring his

attacker. Aikido emphasizes joining with an attack and redirecting the attacker's energy,

as opposed to meeting force with force, and consists primarily of body throws and joint-

locking techniques. In addition to physical fitness and techniques, mental training,

controlled relaxation, and development of "spirit" (ki) are emphasized in aikido training.

The first Aikido school that I visited was San Juan Aikikai, directed by the Javier J.

Vásquez, Sensei. The first thing one notices is the physical size, the total cleanliness of

the premises and the absence of pictures on the walls. This school, aside from being

much bigger that the typical Karate school, apparently uses distance to create emphasis

towards something in particular and to create a sensation of harmony and peace. It is

like creating beauty through simplicity. That object of emphasis would be the

"kamizama" or place of honor where the photo of the founder of the style, Ueshiba

Sensei is.

The class begins with a group of between 15 and 20 children between the 6 and 15

years of age. In Aikido, the advanced students and instructors use a "hakama", very

wide trousers used as traditional clothing that hide the feet and creates the illusion to

floating when the user is moving. Everyone is seated in "seiza16" in front of the Kamisa

and begin by performing “mokuso". Aikido is not practiced as a religion, but as the

education and refinement of the spirit. The act of bowing before the kamizama and to

meditate must be seen in the cultural context of the country of origin: Japan. When

15 She said it was unreasonable and stupid to expect children, whose muscles and bones were not fully developed to perform activities created by adults for adults. 16 Seiza (literally "correct sitting") is the traditional formal way of sitting in Japan.

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performing these actions, the young student shows a spirit of humility, respect and

gratefulness, accepts being part of the group, accepts the rules that allow him to stay

and shows solidarity with its ideals.

The school or "Dojo is for the Aikido practitioner a place consecrated to physical and

moral improvement, reason why although exercises are performed, they are mainly

performed in silence. This is very different from the hard faces, shouts and military style

call and response that hear in Karate. The instructor gives claps, for example and

everything stops. Any instruction is given in a relaxed tone. After a period of stretching

the exercises begin. They begin to practice the basic positions ("Kamae") and from there

practice different evasive linear and circular movements from the initial position. The

instructor gives claps again, and everything stops. Then the group quietly follows the

teacher as he practices falling to the ground without hurting himself ("ukemi waza"). The

next 45 minutes are spent practicing technical things that although I understood very

little, have to do with avoiding, catching and to redirecting attacks. The atmosphere feels

relaxed and amiable although they are clearly making an effort. The class finishes with

another period of meditation and a greeting.

I return to the SJA to see the kid’s class. There are 20 children in this class between six

and 13 years of age with three instructors. The class instructor is Damaris Cintrón. Her

height (5'5") and hakama gives her the appearance of a small doll, sliding in total silence

and assuredness through the hall while detail escapes her attention, giving instructions

in la soft, relaxed voice. There is nothing in her attitude or bearing that gives away her

age. (18 years) The important thing is to see how she alone with their two instructors

controls and directs a class of 20 children without any apparent effort. I have read and

heard about adult teachers with years of experience who crack under the pressure of

handling 20 children. Seeing this instructor in class makes it look easy. Taking into

account the ages from the children, the control, attentiveness and silence of the class is

inspiring. I do not hear giggles, they don’t misbehave, and they are relaxed and REALLY

ALERT to the class.

After the warm up, they practice break falling. In essence they practice falling towards

the front and to the rear. These techniques are called "Ukemi Waza" or "receiving

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techniques". This is the art of knowing how to respond correctly to an attack and

incorporates skills to allow one to do so safely, such as tumbling and/or falling.

Aikido, because of the complexity of their techniques, seems to require more

individualized instruction than Karate. Here the teaching method is based on cooperative

education and non-resistance. The class is divided in 3 groups, each one with an

instructor who explains, demonstrates and guides the Deshi17 through the execution of

each technique. Its interesting seeing how each student, from first to last re guided

towards confronting his natural fear to fall. Then one goes to a technique of defense

against takes hold to the shirt. We see the demonstration, the explanation and the

groups, by pairs now guided through the execution.

I later visited The Centro Aikido de Puerto Rico, where there are also children classes on

Saturday mornings. The class is under Samuel Santiago, an advanced student who in

the next months will be examined for black belt. Here we have to 6 children between the

9 and 14 years. This Dojo is small and yet somewhat warm, like a “home" kind of

environment.

After the class I had the opportunity to talk with Samuel on what makes Aikido different

from other martial arts. "We understand that the children should be disciplined in their

homes, therefore we don’t teach discipline here." Samuel says. "I only teach to the

children to follow instructions." This makes sense. Perhaps in these times where you

cannot even trust a priest, it is better not to place anyone in a position of total authority

on a student. "We emphasize teamwork and cooperation so that they understand what

17 “Deshi” means student. See http://www.ittendojo.org/articles/phil-5.htm

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they are doing, by this we let them speak among themselves a little, to help themselves

to explain the things". So the emphasis is not in the physical action, rather on thinking.

Literature Review Summary

There is an abundance of empirical evidence over three decades that supports

anecdotal reports about the positive psychosocial benefits of martial arts practice. Only

three studies of those report no changes promoted by martial arts training. One of these

studies links this lack of change to training that emphasizes the physical techniques of

the arts without the ethical, moral, spiritual, or meditative components included. Three

reports make a similar conclusion about martial arts students who develop negative

traits According to Binder’s study; a goal for future research will be to design

experiments to determine which specific aspects of the martial arts affect these positive

changes.

Despite the unanswered questions about how these changes occur, the martial arts are

finding a niche in the treatment of psychological disorders. This is called Martial Arts

Therapy and it refers to the usage of martial arts as an alternative or complementary

therapy for disorders of the body or of the mind. The therapy may involve applications

such as promoting kinesthetic balance in the elderly or impaired, through Tai Chi Chuan,

or reducing aggressiveness in specific populations This will likely prove to be a useful

complement to verbal therapy, though we have very strong reservations about equating

Martial Arts instructors with medical professionals.

Free Sparring: Conclusions

Our observations of children participating in tournament sparring have brought us to the

conclusion that trying to train children for competition without a solid preparation is a

waste of time and money. The key is here to have a formative, noncompetitive vision,

not a lucrative one. Competition should be the culmination of a period of practice

dedicated and constant that varies from one child to another. There is also a mental

preparation that is needed to obtain the serenity and control necessary to spar. We are

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not certain if it is possible for a child or teenager can understand or to reach a clarity and

serenity of thought that allows the student to respond to any situation with speed and

decisiveness. Competitive sparring is as much a mental confrontation as a physical one.

If the technical skill, control and maturity are not there, then all we get is two kids kicking

and smacking each other in order to entertain adults. This is useless and dangerous,

since in free sparring, any mistake or weakness in the execution of a technique will be

immediately acted upon by the opponent. If the mental training is not there, the child will

simply resort to his aggressiveness. Even if we teach the child to fight well, if we do not

teach him to be aware and to control his emotions, are we creating a responsible karate

practitioner or a fighting rooster?

Another factor that influences the decision to push children to compete is the political

and economic factor. The control of accreditation and the right to represent and to teach

a style are not just a question of skill anymore. The student or his parents pay to take

classes, to take examinations, to register themselves as members of the directive

organization of the school, and pay to register in tournaments. There is also an

enormous industry that orbits around the martial arts with newspapers, books, videos,

protective equipment, uniforms, weapons, t-shirts and even CD-ROMs.

Methods: Conclusion

After watching various Karate and Aikido classes we have come to the conclusion that

the psychosocial benefits of Martial Arts training for children, especially those with

learning difficulties, attention problems or emotional disorders depend solely on the

instructor’s insight, preparation and attitude. The educational background and

experience level of Martial Arts instructors varies greatly from one style to another and

from one school to another. Individual instructors should be asked specifically about the

origins of their experience and training in teaching children, especially those with

AD(H)D. These days, we see a large number of questionable, disreputable, fraudulent,

or misguided teachers and schools have arisen over the last 40 years or so in Puerto

Rico and abroad. Commonly referred to as "McDojo", these schools are frequently

headed by martial artists of dubious skill & training, business ethics, or both. Common

means of discerning these schools include:

High rank at a young age

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Very large number of black belt certifications from different styles

"Grandmaster" status of the head instructor

Select organizations within the school

Emphasis on testing and fees

Rapid promotion of students without discernable improvements in skill

"New" and "revolutionary" methods

"Secret" teachings from unverifiable sources

On the other hand, Aikido, also many styles, but these being mostly formed by Morihei

Ueshiba's major students after the Second World War and proliferated with the death of

the founder in 1969. We prefer the non competitive, non aggressive, defense minded,

moral philosophical approach of Aikido for kids. Aikido is a non-aggressive martial art.

That means that you can't really start a fight with Aikido - you can only finish one. Aikido

doesn't encourage kids to have the so called Power Rangers Syndrome (we cringe at

the thought), in which they go around punching and kicking their friends, siblings, etc.

Aikido techniques start when someone else "breaks the rules", i.e. attacks. However, we

concede that the more complex movements of the style take longer to learn and Aikido

classes are (here in Puerto Rico) held only once a week for an hour. This makes

stretches out the time needed to become and winds up costing more. But on the other

hand, kids really enjoy practicing the rolling techniques, among others. Aikido teaches

kids to be calm. Of course, kids shouldn't be calm all the time. But Aikido gives them the

choice. If they need to sit still at school, or concentrate on homework, or focus during

sports, Aikido shows them exactly how to do that. The techniques and ki testing done

teach them correct calmness. This is entirely different from keeping their emotions

bottled up. Aikido teaches that in order to create something worthwhile, you must work in

harmony with your environment. It teaches that if you make trouble, you will lose. But if

your mind is correct, calm, and positive, you can make something good out of whatever

the universe hands you.

So in the end, as an Education major, parent of an ADHD child and former Karate

student, we will be taking our child to Aikido classes.

References

Binder, Brad (1999, 2007)

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“Psychosocial Benefits of the Martial Arts: Myth or Reality? A Literature Review”

<http://userpages.itis.com/wrassoc/articles/psychsoc.htm>

Fung, Kent (2004) www.suite101.com ”Children and the martial arts”

<http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/martial_arts/110289>

MacYoung, Marc www.nononsenseselfdefense.com “Children in Martial Arts”

<http://www.nononsenseselfdefense.com/kidkarate.htm>

Muromoto, Wayne (2003) Furyu Magazine “Kids and Martial Arts”

<http://www.furyu.com/onlinearticles/WhyDo.html>

Ripley, Abida (2003) Capella University “An Awesome Alternative to Drugs: Martial Arts

Practice As Treatment For Children With AD/HD”

<http://www.capella.edu/portal/alumni/scontent/ProfOpp/EM_Ripley.pdf>

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