If you have watched the ‘80s film ‘The Karate Kid’ or its 2010 remake, there are many life lessons to be learned, key among them about firmly facing bullies. The film charts the story of a teenager who learns to fight bullies with the help of karate. As the film portrays, karate and other forms of martial art can help a kid build confidence and stay prepared to handle bullies. Contrary to popular perception, learning a form of martial arts does not make a kid combative; instead, practicing karate helps a kid feel strong and safe.
Role play to hone self-defense skills
Among other things, karate can teach children to anticipate trouble. Much of karate training is devoted to applying techniques in practical self-defense situations. When a kid practices karate, they learn to respond to aggression or a bullying scenario in an instinctive manner. Children often develop the self-confidence to confront, deter, or subdue aggression because of the dozens or hundreds of previous times they practiced in a safe, supervised, role-playing environment.
Karate stances and positions also help instill confidence in a child regarding body language. If a child’s body language or posture is poor, they are especially vulnerable to being bullied or victimized. When a person of any age has high self-esteem and self-confidence, it sends a visual message that deters bullies or would-be assailants. Aggressors typically choose a vulnerable person to threaten or force into conflict and submission. Humankind shares with animals a primal instinct to sense fear. Kids must be taught to behave fearlessly and exude confidence in their actions. Karate accomplishes these goals effortlessly, and the rewards of a safer, more secure child is self-evident.
Boost communication skills
Karate not only helps all practitioners physically but also helps in other skills such as communication and interpersonal skills. Karate teaches children how to build a rapport and communicate calmly, thoughtfully, and clearly. Kids learn to defuse and de-escalate bullying situations with humor, firm tone, and volume when needed. Karate helps build mental fortitude, teaching children to stay focused and composed for more extended periods. It helps develop a straight body posture, eyes and mind focused, and feet on solid ground – until those feet are required to not be in self-defense! Karate also helps children learn breathing techniques that aid as coping skills and improve relaxation, stretching, and proficiency in executing martial arts moves.
Many karate schools conduct anti-bullying programs focusing on self-defense and body language. Bullying is a serious problem in American schools, the source of many crimes of passion and suicides. A 2013 study of 200,000 children between third and 12th grades indicated that 39 percent were bullied regularly. The number has only increased as technology has proliferated in the mainstream. In the face of such a serious problem, learning a form of martial arts such as karate will surely help in a multitude of ways.
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ATA Park Karate was founded in 1990 in Roselle Park, NJ, by 8th-degree black belt, Chief Master Vincent Raimondi. The school has received an Ambassador Award as one of the top five academies in the country.
All three of our locations offer a variety of programs, for pre-school children ages 3-6, and elementary ages children 7 and up, as well as teen and adult training. All programs incorporate physical fitness, self-defense, and traditional Songahm Taekwondo, taught with a focus on life skills, all in a supportive, positive environment.
Under Chief Master Raimondi, our schools are dedicated to creating tomorrow’s leaders- one black belt at a time.
For more information, call us at any one of our 3 schools. You can also visit our website at parkkarate.com.
