When most parents think “martial arts,” they have a certain idea that comes to mind. Uniforms, colored belts, and rows of children yelling out loud as they punch and kick the air.

The ideas of ‘discipline,’ ‘respect,’ and ‘focus’ are always appealing, but by looking at the actual classes taking place, a parent might wonder if these “Martial Arts” classes translate into real life situations.

“That flying backflip sword-spinning technique certainly looks amazing, but does it help my child in practical self-defense?”

“That low kid’s karate stance with the hands at the hips doesn’t seem like it would make a difference if my child really needed to use his or her martial arts skills…”

These are questions that we’re asked frequently, and they’re questions that parent’s frankly SHOULD ask if they’re looking to get their child enrolled in Martial Arts in Rhode Island.

At Black Diamond Kids Martial Arts, here’s how our “new spin” really takes form:

We Believe Confidence Comes with the “Doing”

Though learning a technique and practicing on the air can be useful and can sometimes be nice as a warm up, a child’s real sense of confidence in their martial art comes from actually applying the skills with a training partner. This doesn’t have to imply any kind of contact (especially with children of a young age), but it DOES have to imply the use of a training partner to get the “feel” for what that particular takedown or strike would be like if it was executed with a real person.

Ultimately, we hope that our kids martial arts students never have to use their skills for self-defense (especially through conflict-avoidance strategies), but the important benefits such as confidence and self-esteem really do draw from actual practice – and that’s a component often lost in the traditional karate systems.

We Don’t Believe in a “Belt Factory” Model

Some academies give out a new belt every 2 weeks for the children, regardless of their actual progress and effort. We don’t believe in this because:

• Frankly, we know its a ploy for sneaky martial arts gyms to make more money by charging for each belt every few weeks.
• It doesn’t do the child any good when belts don’t represent actual consistent effort and progress.
• It harms the martial art when it is reduced to a mere desire to get to the next color belt.

Though we do use belts in our children’s mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes, the belts have a true meaning and value because they are earned. Kids need to see progress, they need to have reinforcement that their headed in the right direction – but it needs to be in a way that fosters focus and a belief in their own efforts, not just showing up on “belt day.”

We Believe in Self-Defense, Not Just Flash

Are you concerned with issues like bullying?

Do you want your child’s sense of confidence to be backed by the fact that should he/she ever have to defend themselves – they could remain safe?

We know one reality of fighting that is often overlooked: Most physical conflicts go to the ground. This is why our integration of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu into our kids martial arts programs is so important.

The grappling techniques don’t just work on the feet, they deal with situations such as being stuck in a headlock, or having a heavier person holding you down and trying to pin you. These real self-defense skills are not only fun to learn – but their application deals with aspects of real conflict that most martial arts systems leave out!

You can read more about the waves we’re making in RI by reading this kids self-defense article about our programs, or by calling us at 401-218-0203 and asking about our 30-Day FREE Trial!