Replace gym class with martial arts?

Great Debates
21

I took Tang Su Do classes for about six months and earned my orange belt. The reason that particular martial art class worked for the kids in it is because the teacher refused to teach any kid who used their skills outside of class for anything less than life-or-death self-defense. She could kick out any kid who thought it would be fun to do a jumping crescent kick on another kid’s head (and there were about three of those in the course of a year).

Martial arts works for the kids who take it because they have to make the effort to be there and the teacher can dismiss bad students. It will NOT work in PE because of the risk of physical harm, the disinterested students, and the inability of the teacher to have students permanently removed from the class.

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I disagree with the idea of replacing PE class with martial arts. OTOH, martial arts in elementary school might work as an option, or as an after-school sport. Mandatory martial arts would, I think, defeat the purpose of self-defense training. Plus the liability issues people have already mentioned. But as a school sport, I can see it working.

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MAIN POINTS OF TKD:
1)walk away from a fight
2)talk your way out of a fight
3)smile and nod untill the other person(s) leave you alone
4) win any phisical confrontation you have after taking these steps of prevention

Martial Arts are not about beating up other people, or even about beint able to beat up other people. They are about honorable self restraint, and the uses of this practice in the real world. The showy stuff (like forms, one step sparing moves, and fighting moves) are mainly for building self confidence. And promotion…

Martial Arts also increase your consontration and endurability, qualities that happen to be valued in the military, but not exclusivley.

As it was put to me by a friend , 'tis a system that allows for a person to prove that they are an asshole, instead of it being assumed. Quite a change for a teenage male, I would say, no?

24

True, but do you think the bullies in the class would instantly be reformed from their aggressive tendencies and not try that fancy new uppercut on kids they used to victimize?

Sorry. I’m a great supporter of the martial arts, but there are immature idiots who abuse them. Teaching bullies how to do flying kicks and how to attack painful areas is not going to help. I’m afraid I can’t see how teaching them in schools would help people keep from being victimized – probably, you’ll just get more damage done if anything.

25

Aikido, Judo, Tae Kwan Do, or one of the other watered down “do” type martial arts that stress self control might be workable. These all start slowly and generally don’t go in for a lot of full contact mayhem anyway. The grappling arts such as Judo or Aikido (most forms) are probably less dangerous than gymnastics. The trouble would be in getting an instructor that knew what he was doing and cared enough to teach the kids properly.
Other martial arts such as Kali, Thai boxing, Jiu Jutsu, etc, would be right out of the question S

Testy

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I started karate classes when I was in junior high school and by the time I graduated high school I was also teaching karate. I did receive extra credits just as the kids who took outside music classes did.

I used to train 4-6 hours a day, seven days a week… it’s a wonder I got any homework done.

Serious students of any martial art need to be disciplined, committed and highly focussed. Your’re not going to find this quality in younger children and it can be a rare quality in older students as well. There are exceptions but in a school system one would be dealing with the general population.

We had absolute rules in the dojo with the primary one being to follow the instruction of the sensei to the letter. Another rule was that if a student was found to be using his new found powers for evil they would be expelled from the class. This was to ensure the safety of the students and remove anyone who was studying in order to inflict harm on others. Fortunately for us, most of our students came to us with a sincere desire to learn and had a deep respect for the teachers and the dojo.

Could you replicate this in a school? I think not.

29

[rant]

I can imagine that there would be outstanding opposition to teaching martial arts to kiddies. Not because they would suddenly become killing machines, but because people think that studying oriental fighting forms will turn you into someone out of the Matrix. People see martial arts in movies, and they think that’s how fighting really works.

It’s a bunch of hooey, really.

Being the pathetic loser that I am, I’m in the habit of watching UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) quite often. The first couple were really great. They had champs from styles across the board - karate, kung fu, tae kwan do, sumo, etc. Alot of these guys were BIG. Lil’ ol Royce Gracie, a student of brazilian jiu-jitsu (read: grappling/wrestling) wrapped up with and forced all of his opponents to submit via pins, choke holds and arm bars. His opponents were completely under his control, at his mercy, and surrendered - and were left with no lasting harm. They might have had a bruise from the fall, but that was about it.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, wrestling - it’s all the same folks. Different uniforms and slight variants of rules (in wrestling you pin to win, etc). Grappling is grappling. Karate, tae kwan do, and other striking forms aren’t really that impressive. You’re better off with boxing/savate/muay thai. But, these - in essence, just punching and kicking at someone until they fall over - DO leave people with lasting harm.

Martial arts won’t turn your children into Super Unstoppable Warriors Imbued with Warrior Spirits of Ages Past ©. If you want them to learn something safe and practical, teach them grappling, and to avoid the Killer Kiddie stigma, just teach them in the form of wrestling.

[/Rant]

Not that that was too pertinent to the topic at hand.

No, don’t teach them martial arts. Emphasize Dodge Ball. Dodge Ball was the shiz-nit. I was unstoppable. Stupid school wouldn’t let me form a team, though.

I never heard a single kid complain about getting to play dodge ball. Some complained about football, other abouts soccer, and everyone complained about Team Handball (we made toilet humour concerning THAT sport to no end). Not a soul uttered a hateful word against Dodge Ball. Even the girls (cooties!) loved it.

PH33R DODGE BALL! DODGE BALL ROCKSORZ!!!

30

My boyfriend is so feminine that he wears skirts and makeup. He also was an instructor in many forms of martial arts. Don’t be stupid enough to think feminine = weak.

31

I also disagree with martial arts in school. Traditional asian martials arts (not this new crappy american stuff that requires no discipline) require and teach respect, discipline, and self-restraint. All koreans are taught in martial arts (it’s required), but in asian martial arts (as opposed to american, which is watered down), yet they still got their butts kicked in wars.

Martial arts (at least, by its original intention) is more about training than about combat. You aren’t supposed to use martial arts to attack anyone and to do so, is dishonorable.

While seeing americans practice in dojos, I’ve noticed that it is considerably different than when asians do it. My boyfriend always comments on the bows. In asian dojos, the students bow because they respect their instructors, while in most american ones I’ve seen, the bows are more just… extra steps.

Real dojos don’t accept any student. Especially those who they believe would use martial arts to hurt others, or who lack discipline. Think about what most kids are like in american schools. They severly lack discipline of any kind.

32

Put me in with those who think that grade-school PE should aim first in the direction of developing the child’s motor skills, his/er sense of control of their body and knowledge of its limits and capabilities, and develop life-fitness habits such as periodic exercise and wholesome pastimes.

This process probably should incorporate elements from the various Martial Arts; and also carefully staged introductions to various sports and sport-like activities. As they develop their abilities an ideal course would be to classify and channel them in the proper direction to engage in those activities where they will remain interested – within those they can be imbued with an understanding of FAIR, friendly competition.

It should NOT be, as too often it is, just a matter of “put them to play hard until they are good and tired” .

33

quote:

Originally posted by: ava
My boyfriend is so feminine that he wears skirts and makeup. He also was an instructor in many forms of martial arts. Don’t be stupid enough to think feminine = weak.

I think in your case martial arts = denial