Kids’ Karate Builds Physical Skills Part 1
Welcome to Part 1 of my pair of short blogs about the physical skills learned in karate. We will specifically focus on those skills as they affect children. Martial arts training is a fun way for kids to successfully practice and develop physical skills. In addition to the regular developmentally appropriate skills that children learn,…
Read MoreGreat Dojo Mystery Musings
In my nearly 20 years of dojo involvement, I have seen some strange things. The ones that have continued, been reinforced or grown over the years are each a dojo mystery. They are just strange little things that make me wonder. THE SPARRING GLOVE MYSTERY Why do we have seven extra right hand sparring gloves…
Read MoreSelf-Discipline through Traditional Karate
Traditional Karate builds self-discipline in many ways. Parents appreciate the discipline in kids karate. Over time, that leads to self-discipline. But I started training as an adult and my self-discipline skills are from martial arts. It could be because I was a young adult and my brain had not quite finished developing. But I believe that with…
Read MoreTraditional Karate builds Fitness
One benefit of all martial arts is that training in them improves fitness. No matter your style, you will gain physical fitness when you train. There are some additional physical benefits from the specific style of traditional Okinawan karate. That’s what we practice at our dojo. Here are the top five ways that traditional karate…
Read MorePositive Attitude through Karate: 5 Ways
Recently, we have been looking at some of the unwritten dojo rules at East Valley Martial Arts. One of these expectations is having a good attitude. We explain to our kids that a positive attitude means that even if you have a bad day, you do your best to put a smile on your face…
Read MoreKarate Builds Character: 5 Ways
Kids have their own reasons for liking karate. This neat 50-second video gives several. One thing parents like is that karate builds character. I started as an adult and I have seen my own character strengthen through martial arts. Merriam-Webster defines character as “moral excellence and firmness.” Larry Roach says, “Our character is who we really are, even when…
Read More5 Ways Traditional Karate Builds Confidence
Our program of traditional karate builds confidence in many ways that have been passed down. Our teacher directly gave some of these to us, but most come from many generations of karate masters even going back to the first instructors as they trained the first practitioners. Traditional karate builds confidence in both adult classes and…
Read MoreChuckle Moments in Little Dragons Class
In my nearly 20 years of involvement at our dojo and in the Alliance I have witnessed plenty of funny chuckle moments that are martial arts related. We practice an art that encourages discipline, so many times I have to keep a straight face while on the inside I’m laughing giddily. Here I would like…
Read MoreKarate Kid Fun: Glimpse into Dojo Hilarity
One of the perks I have as a martial arts instructor is seeing karate kid fun first-hand. Kids say and do the some of the funniest things. We run a tight, disciplined ship in class, but we have fun too. Your perk today? You don’t have to put in the hard work, sweat, concern, tears…
Read MoreThere’s No Crying in Karate
The Tom Hanks quote, “There’s no crying in baseball,” came out in the 1992 movie, A League of Their Own. Since then, this phrase has gained popularity. We even use it to frame other phrases about sucking it up in other activities and places. That generated the proclamation, there’s no crying in karate! THERE’S NO…
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