| There are many myths about martial arts | | | | anyone throw a classmate on a hard floor, |
| training, and the general public accepts some | | | | with the type of flooring available, as this |
| as fact. In the following article, I have | | | | can result in long-term injuries.Can parents |
| outlined general guidelines, and precautions, | | | | watch Karate classes?Let's put it this way, |
| for parents who are considering enrolling | | | | if you cannot watch your child practice |
| their child, or children, into martial | | | | karate, or any other martial art, you should |
| arts.Below, I have listed some common issues | | | | find another school. I can appreciate the |
| and questions that parents often ask about | | | | fact that some martial arts instructors don't |
| martial arts for their children. Also, you | | | | want to deal with interfering parents. This |
| will be much more informed about the benefits | | | | is the reason for rules and signs.Remember |
| of martial arts, the structure with a martial | | | | the "hockey dad" incident? There are a few |
| arts school, and know what to realistically | | | | people who, through their own conduct, create |
| expect.What should I be looking for in a | | | | rules for the rest of us. However, you are |
| martial arts school?Safety comes as a first | | | | the parent and are entitled to see your child |
| priority for parents who seek martial arts | | | | train in karate or any martial arts |
| instruction for their children. | | | | class.Fire exits, fire extinguishers, and |
| | | | someone who monitors visitors, as they enter |
| Here are a number of key factors to | | | | a karate studio full of children, should be |
| consider:Is safety equipment used when | | | | standard features. We have three fire exits |
| children are performing exercises and drills | | | | and one main entrance, in our studio, but |
| that require contact? This is especially | | | | only one door is used for an entrance. Kids |
| important when children are sparring in | | | | understand security because they see the same |
| martial arts. In many martial arts schools, | | | | precautions in elementary school.Also, watch |
| sparring equipment is required, or the child | | | | out for poles in the middle of the room. |
| cannot spar. The number of injuries | | | | Adults will spot them, but an excited child |
| resulting from sparring in Karate, Kung Fu, | | | | in a karate class may forget and end up |
| and Tae Kwon Do is surprisingly low in | | | | crashing into one. Make sure that you feel |
| comparison to many league sports.Never the | | | | secure about the studio, surroundings, rules, |
| less, I once had a father pull his son out of | | | | and the staff before you make a decision to |
| our martial arts school because he found a | | | | have your child take martial arts |
| karate studio that would let his son "fight" | | | | classes.Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the |
| without protective equipment. In our school, | | | | director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura |
| it is mandatory to wear martial arts | | | | Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He |
| equipment for the safety of the students. | | | | has been a certified Master Yoga teacher |
| Sparring equipment has come a long way, so | | | | since 1995. He is a master instructor of |
| why not use it?The flooring surface should | | | | martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four |
| match the martial art. If take downs, | | | | martial arts teaching credentials, and was |
| sweeps, and throws are required, there should | | | | recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts |
| be some kind of matted floor available. Many | | | | Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, |
| of the state-of-the-art martial arts schools | | | | and fitness to children, adults, and seniors |
| have a floor surface specifically designed | | | | in the greater Providence area. Recently he |
| for martial arts. It makes no sense to have | | | | wrote Yoga: The Key to Self-Mastery. |