Foundations of Martial Arts
Phoenix Martial Arts
In an effort to keep students having fun and continuing to want to come to martial arts classes, the modern dojo has lost sight of the reasons those students were enrolled in the first place. While some parents enroll their children in martial arts classes simply for their children to have a good time, most are looking for them to learn the mental aspects of the martial arts that the school claims to teach. However, unless these elements are specifically taught and trained, parents should not expect their children to learn them simply because they learn how to punch and kick. Without the traditional aspects of martial arts these traits, that have made the martial arts so desirable to parents, will not be learned.
In an effort to correct this, we have put together a list of what we consider to be the most important mental and physical elements of the martial arts that we expect all of our students to learn. Below is a list of the virtues we teach our students, and a description of how we teach them every class.
Self-Discipline
-Self-Discipline -Courtesy -Modesty
-Self-Control -Integrity -Perseverance -Patience
-Spirit(Enthusiasm) -Indomitable Spirit -Team Work -Leadership
This is the broadest category containing the virtues of patience, perseverance, self-control, integrity, modesty, and courtesy.
Courtesy
Courtesy is one of the most important aspects of Japanese martial arts, and it is taught as soon as the student enters the building. Students are expected to politely greet the instructors, respond appropriately when they are greeted, to shake hands with the instructors, students, or anyone else they are greeted by.
Every class we have students training with several different students. Before they start they are always told to bow and shake hands with their partner, and when they are done they are told to bow, shake hands, and to thank their partner for working with them.
Students are told to stand or sit at attention when an instructor, or another student is talking. Students are expected to listen respectfully to the instructors or fellow students when they are talking. This is done by frequent reminders (especially at the younger ages) to stand still, and not to talk when it is not their turn.
Modesty
Modesty or good-sportsmanship is taught situationally. When there are competitions between groups the winning team is told to go to the losing team and congratulate them for being good competitors. The same is done when students compete in tournaments. They are told never to boast if they win, and never to cry if they lose. If they win, they are told to congratulate the loser, and if they lose they are told to congratulate the winner.
Self-Control
Self-control is another trait that is taught as soon as the student enters the building. Even though training and taking classes is a lot of fun, students are expected to act in a controlled manner. From bowing to come on the floor rather than just running out, to standing at attention listening to instructions for a game or exercise, self-control is taught continuously throughout every aspect of every class.
Integrity
Integrity is somewhat more difficult to teach, but it is not forgotten. Students are reminded that their training depends on them. We can teach them how to do things correctly, but in the long run they have to remind themselves to do what is right. Integrity is also taught situationally, in the sense if we ask a student to do something, we expect that student to do it, even if we are not watching them. Initially we have to remind them of this more frequently, but as the students progress, they come to find they are proud to have this trait.
Perseverance
Perseverance is fundamental to learning and becoming proficient in any complex task. Martial arts is something that takes many years to master, and is something we are always students of. We teach this by having students doing basics, and learning kata or prearranged sequences of moves. By doing these exercises many times students learn to persevere through difficult times.
Perseverance is also taught during team relay races. Even when the other team has already finished the race, the losing team still has to try their hardest and finish.
Patience
There are several ways that we teach patience in our classes. One way is through doing basics to the count. All students are expected to wait for the count, no matter how fast or slow the instructor is counting. Another is learned through the material itself. Kata take many hours of practice just to memorize, and that's just the first step. Students develop patience in training for their next rank which requires them to be proficient in the next kata. This also teaches perseverance.
Spirit (Enthusiasm)
The main way spirit is taught is through the kiai or karate shout. Students are required to kiai (loudly) any time an instructor gives a command, the student performs a move with full power, after every ten repetitions of something, and when they bow on and off the floor. While we teach enthusiasm to our students, enthusiasm is really caught not taught. Our instructors are excited about what they are teaching, and our students pick up on it.
Indomitable Spirit
This is learned by our instructors helpings students learn the many difficult tasks associated with martial arts. By breaking things down, and handling them one piece at a time they learn that no matter what sort of task they are faced with, if they put their mind to it, they can conquer it.
Team Work
Every class students are working in teams of two or more students. Almost everything in martial arts is done with a partner. Unlike larger team sports where students can hide in the shadows and not be team players, this small group setting forces all students to actively participate and contribute.
Leadership
Japanese martial arts have a military type ranking system, and with that comes a certain amount of leadership roles. From simply being the leader of a line at the early stages, to assisting in teaching classes at the higher ranks, students are always being given opportunities to develop their leadership skills.
Keeping Students Engaged
While having a completely traditional martial arts school would certainly teach all these principles, in modern day society, this is not feasible. In order to balance out the strictness of our program, we have integrated a fun and constantly changing physical program in order to keep students consistently engaged throughout their training. To accomplish this we have broken the year up into two week blocks. In each block we have put together a set of exciting drills that teach one of the core physical aspects of martial arts. These drills are repeated several times during the two week block, and then as soon as the drills are mastered, a new set is introduced preventing stagnation, and encouraging continuous growth. This is done for all of our students, kids through adults, white belt through black belt. This way there is always something new to learn.
In an effort to keep students having fun and continuing to want to come to martial arts classes, the modern dojo has lost sight of the reasons those students were enrolled in the first place. While some parents enroll their children in martial arts classes simply for their children to have a good time, most are looking for them to learn the mental aspects of the martial arts that the school claims to teach. However, unless these elements are specifically taught and trained, parents should not expect their children to learn them simply because they learn how to punch and kick. Without the traditional aspects of martial arts these traits, that have made the martial arts so desirable to parents, will not be learned.
In an effort to correct this, we have put together a list of what we consider to be the most important mental and physical elements of the martial arts that we expect all of our students to learn. Below is a list of the virtues we teach our students, and a description of how we teach them every class.
Self-Discipline
-Self-Discipline -Courtesy -Modesty
-Self-Control -Integrity -Perseverance -Patience
-Spirit(Enthusiasm) -Indomitable Spirit -Team Work -Leadership
This is the broadest category containing the virtues of patience, perseverance, self-control, integrity, modesty, and courtesy.
Courtesy
Courtesy is one of the most important aspects of Japanese martial arts, and it is taught as soon as the student enters the building. Students are expected to politely greet the instructors, respond appropriately when they are greeted, to shake hands with the instructors, students, or anyone else they are greeted by.
Every class we have students training with several different students. Before they start they are always told to bow and shake hands with their partner, and when they are done they are told to bow, shake hands, and to thank their partner for working with them.
Students are told to stand or sit at attention when an instructor, or another student is talking. Students are expected to listen respectfully to the instructors or fellow students when they are talking. This is done by frequent reminders (especially at the younger ages) to stand still, and not to talk when it is not their turn.
Modesty
Modesty or good-sportsmanship is taught situationally. When there are competitions between groups the winning team is told to go to the losing team and congratulate them for being good competitors. The same is done when students compete in tournaments. They are told never to boast if they win, and never to cry if they lose. If they win, they are told to congratulate the loser, and if they lose they are told to congratulate the winner.
Self-Control
Self-control is another trait that is taught as soon as the student enters the building. Even though training and taking classes is a lot of fun, students are expected to act in a controlled manner. From bowing to come on the floor rather than just running out, to standing at attention listening to instructions for a game or exercise, self-control is taught continuously throughout every aspect of every class.
Integrity
Integrity is somewhat more difficult to teach, but it is not forgotten. Students are reminded that their training depends on them. We can teach them how to do things correctly, but in the long run they have to remind themselves to do what is right. Integrity is also taught situationally, in the sense if we ask a student to do something, we expect that student to do it, even if we are not watching them. Initially we have to remind them of this more frequently, but as the students progress, they come to find they are proud to have this trait.
Perseverance
Perseverance is fundamental to learning and becoming proficient in any complex task. Martial arts is something that takes many years to master, and is something we are always students of. We teach this by having students doing basics, and learning kata or prearranged sequences of moves. By doing these exercises many times students learn to persevere through difficult times.
Perseverance is also taught during team relay races. Even when the other team has already finished the race, the losing team still has to try their hardest and finish.
Patience
There are several ways that we teach patience in our classes. One way is through doing basics to the count. All students are expected to wait for the count, no matter how fast or slow the instructor is counting. Another is learned through the material itself. Kata take many hours of practice just to memorize, and that's just the first step. Students develop patience in training for their next rank which requires them to be proficient in the next kata. This also teaches perseverance.
Spirit (Enthusiasm)
The main way spirit is taught is through the kiai or karate shout. Students are required to kiai (loudly) any time an instructor gives a command, the student performs a move with full power, after every ten repetitions of something, and when they bow on and off the floor. While we teach enthusiasm to our students, enthusiasm is really caught not taught. Our instructors are excited about what they are teaching, and our students pick up on it.
Indomitable Spirit
This is learned by our instructors helpings students learn the many difficult tasks associated with martial arts. By breaking things down, and handling them one piece at a time they learn that no matter what sort of task they are faced with, if they put their mind to it, they can conquer it.
Team Work
Every class students are working in teams of two or more students. Almost everything in martial arts is done with a partner. Unlike larger team sports where students can hide in the shadows and not be team players, this small group setting forces all students to actively participate and contribute.
Leadership
Japanese martial arts have a military type ranking system, and with that comes a certain amount of leadership roles. From simply being the leader of a line at the early stages, to assisting in teaching classes at the higher ranks, students are always being given opportunities to develop their leadership skills.
Keeping Students Engaged
While having a completely traditional martial arts school would certainly teach all these principles, in modern day society, this is not feasible. In order to balance out the strictness of our program, we have integrated a fun and constantly changing physical program in order to keep students consistently engaged throughout their training. To accomplish this we have broken the year up into two week blocks. In each block we have put together a set of exciting drills that teach one of the core physical aspects of martial arts. These drills are repeated several times during the two week block, and then as soon as the drills are mastered, a new set is introduced preventing stagnation, and encouraging continuous growth. This is done for all of our students, kids through adults, white belt through black belt. This way there is always something new to learn.