Martial Arts Training - What should we really be teaching?
by Professor Rudy Duncan
Across the United States martial arts studios are opening to teach a variety of ancient martial arts. These studios vary from the size of a small living room to that of a large business. The first thing one notices upon entry is an array of pictures covering the walls, dating back to the founders of the system. Each martial arts school has its own particular style, and there are hundreds of different styles throughout the country.
There has been a major boom in the martial arts over the past ten years somewhat related to the many karate movies which have re-introduced the public to martial arts. Training has changed drastically over the past twenty years to incorporate modern training techniques along with traditional methods used for hundred of years. Each particular program promises to teach an array of techniques and forms, along with providing a workout to improve oneself physically, mentally and spiritually.
With the ever changing world, people are looking to martial arts training for an greater sense of personal security. Martial arts magazines are directed at adults and feature articles on aggressive self-defense. Most schools, regardless of their style, do a good job teaching blocking, kicking, and punching techniques.
What is being overlooked is that the majority of martial arts students are children. Successful schools depend on this population to survive. I believe that we need to recognize that we have a responsibility to help these youngsters become good citizens, good students, and positive examples for other youngsters. Children come into the dojo looking for guidance, discipline and role models and martial arts training must include the teaching of values, goal pursuit, respect, responsibility and self-discipline.
Martial arts schools are in fact often teaching these things, but by not explicitly focusing on value education, are not getting recognized for doing so. At my school, I see children who have never been successful, who have little or no self -confidence, who could not express themselves, experience these things for the first time. I see children who struggled in school, had no friends, did not know how to work hard to achieve goals, being able to take the lessons of the dojo into the rest of their life. All children in today's society are at risk children who need the support of the community. This comes through relationship and trust. Whether our children move through to become black belts, the measure of their success is in the journey towards responsible, respectful maturity.
-Professor Rudy Duncan