Introduction

As a parent, you’re probably well aware of the mental health issues that are rampant amongst kids nowadays, and how debilitating this can be. You’ve probably also realized the difficulty in responding appropriately. On one hand, you want your kids to feel seen and heard, and you cater to that need. On the other hand, you know they need to be able to deal with life, so a part of you wants to push them as well.

Before we dive into how to combat anxiety, let’s first discuss what anxiety is and why we’re dealing with this mental wellbeing crisis. To start off, I’ll share with you where I come from personally. I’ve dealt with anxiety all my life, and have thankfully never really had to face depression, which is why I will focus on the former.

Who Am I

Ever since I was a kid, big emotions and intensity were a part of my daily life, and having ADHD, and sitting still listening to topics I wasn’t interested in, made my parents & teacher’s lives very difficult. Now that I’m an adult, I can definitely say that my parents could’ve done better in certain areas (like nutrition), but they were dealing with a completely new environment (phones, internet, and life generally speeding up). At the time, ADHD medication like Concerta and Ritalin made it possible for me to go to school, but it also completely disconnected me from my feelings and emotions, which caused great upheaval later in life. Videogames like Runescape and Pokemon also provided temporary relief, and me being ADHD, I was obsessed, which wasn’t healthy.

Enter Judo. I can honestly say that my parents enrolling me in Martial Arts (like Judo) completely changed my life. This is why I’m so passionate about our work at Eltham Martial Arts Academy - Musubi Dojo. It's the reason I’m writing this article and hopefully persuading fellow parents to take action, all the while accepting that raising kids in this environment is hard.

What is anxiety exactly?

Anxiety is actually very useful. It is what allowed us to survive in hostile environments. It is a trait that has been passed down for generations because it allowed us to stay out of harm's way.

Fundamentally, anxiety is a signal to the nervous system to upregulate, to get ready for action, and how we interpret this feeling (sweating, increased blood pressure & muscle tension) is where the crux lies. Understanding this physical response is key.

We now live in a world where kids are able to live very cushioned lives, with many opportunities to seek comfort instead of dealing with whatever issue they’re currently faced with. This, in and of itself, is great: we want our kids to be safe and looked after, but we also need to prepare them for life.

Why are mental health issues so rampant amongst kids nowadays

As mentioned before, we have many opportunities to find comfort through alcohol, food, smoking, and devices. The issue with this is that feeling good, realistically, should follow only after having taken action and resolved an issue. In this light, ‘bad’ feelings are very useful, in that they force us to deal with problems; only when these problems are resolved do we get to feel ‘good’.

However, if you focus too much on 'I’m feeling bad, and I don’t like it', you’re putting the cart before the horse, so to speak. What I would advise you ask your kids, as well as yourself, is: 'Why am I feeling this way, and what actions can I take to improve?' because feelings and emotions have a purpose; they’re not ‘good’ or ‘bad’ in and of themselves. Learning emotional regulation is vital.

Beyond the many opportunities to find comfort, we are also exposed to so much information, with so little time to digest it, that it’s hard to be present and slow down. Add to this that most of us are in poor physical condition with poor posture - a recipe for disaster.

How Martial Arts Training Builds Resilience to Anxiety

Martial Arts teaches you that your emotions aren’t you, they’re feedback, and that you can choose to take action in the face of anxiety, which will help you realize that you’re not a slave to how you feel. This process builds resilience.

Throughout my five years at our Academy, I have seen too many strong emotions to count, when kids have their first class with us, experience a meltdown when they mess up a technique or have general fear before a Karate grading. And let me tell you, the sheer pride on the faces of these kids after they’ve dealt with the challenge is incredible – to me this is true bliss.

Great, so Martial Arts can help with strong emotions, which one should I choose?

All Martial Arts will help you deal with strong emotions and build confidence, but some are better suited for particular individuals and mental health challenges.

Before I dive into the specifics, I have to be clear that I have no experience in Karate, so whatever I’m about to share on this art form is from hearsay.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

BJJ is a very tactile Martial Art, in that it involves a lot of physical contact, which is great for kids that need touch to feel safe. What Jiu-Jitsu also teaches you is that tensing up might not be the best strategy; instead, it’s better to relax, slow your breathing, and start to problem-solve – I’m sure you can see how transferable these skills are to real life.

Aikido

Aikido involves throwing, weaponry, and locks. It also has no sparring and minimal fitness – ideal for teenagers (sadly no kids classes available yet) that need lots of structure and struggle with physical contact. This Martial Art also involves lots of eye contact, which at first can be difficult, but will help with social skills as well as with empathy.

Kyokushin Karate

Karate, like Aikido, involves lots of structure, which helps kids feel safe through routine. During this class, kids learn striking, kicking, and deflecting. Beyond technique, this class also involves ‘kiaiing’, referring to the act of shouting during a technique to exert power, energy, and confidence – once more, I’m sure you can see how this will help kids dealing with anxiety.

Muay Thai Kickboxing

Kickboxing is similar to Karate, but less structured and more energetic – fantastic to release pent-up energy for teenagers (once again, no kids class available yet) who’ve been sitting still too long. This class involves striking combinations, elbows, knees, and a great deal of conditioning and fitness training. This Martial Art will also alleviate mental health issues, but in this case primarily by giving you more energy and fitness.

On the topic of self-defence

If you live near Eltham, you’ve probably heard of the stabbing incidents as well as beatings. And being a parent, you want your kids to be safe, as mentioned before. Learning self-defence skills through the fighting arts will greatly help, but it's not the only benefit of learning how to fight.

If you can keep your emotions in check under pressure, look people in the eyes, show confidence, and have situational awareness, this too will greatly support your kid’s safety when out and about in Eltham or nearby areas.

So what’s next?

Now, you might be thinking that this article is geared towards getting us more students. The answer is no. I’ve come to realize that we as a species are interdependent. My role is to stimulate fitness and Martial Arts and provide a safe space for our community to work on themselves—a space where people feel seen and heard—because to me, this is the best way to move forward as a community.

So, please find yourself a gym, dojo, or academy that fits you and your children’s needs and experience how incredible this type of training can be.

Additional resources

• The importance of functional fitness and Martial Arts for kids
• How to choose the right Martial Art - Eltham Martial Arts Academy - Musubi dojo
• The effects of martial arts participation on mental and psychosocial health outcomes: a randomised controlled trial of a secondary school-based mental health promotion program | BMC Psychology | Full Text
• How Martial Arts Can Improve Your Mental Health

Preventing Injuries Through Smarter Strength Training

Martial arts is more than technique—it requires strength, agility, endurance, and mobility. Without the right physical preparation, martial artists are at risk of injuries that could sideline their training, think ACL tears, meniscus ruptures, shoulder & ankle issues, and so forth.

Whether you practice Kyokushin Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Aikido or Kickboxing, functional fitness plays a crucial role in injury prevention and performance enhancement. It not only makes you more capable of generating force, but it will also keep you going until old age.

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Carrying Weight: Building Core Strength and Stability

Carrying weight, such as farmer's carries or sandbag carries, is one of the most effective exercises for building core strength and postural stability. This movement not only engages the core but also strengthens the grip, which is crucial for martial arts. By carrying weight, martial artists develop endurance and balance, which directly translates to improved control during techniques, as well as better resilience during strenuous training or competition.

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Moving Sleds: Boosting Power and Endurance

Sled pushes and pulls are excellent for developing power, endurance, and knee injury prevention. The dynamic nature of sled movements builds strong legs, hips, and core muscles while also improving cardiovascular endurance. For martial artists, sled work helps increase the explosiveness required for fast movements and takedowns. Adding sled training to your functional fitness regimen will improve your stamina, enabling you to perform at your best during extended training sessions or in longer competitions.

Swinging Hammers: Developing Rotational Strength

Swinging hammers is a powerful functional exercise that targets rotational strength, which is essential for techniques like punches, clinches, and grappling. This exercise builds explosive power in the core and shoulders, directly translating to increased force during strikes and better control during grappling exchanges. Swinging hammers helps martial artists develop functional strength while mimicking the rotational movements often required in combat sports.

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📍 Visit Us: Eltham Martial Arts Academy

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🧑‍🔬 Research-Backed Benefits of Strength Training

Studies show that strength training significantly reduces sports injuries and enhances athletic performance.

Studies show that functional strength training improves joint stability and reduces the risk of injury in athletes.
Read more on the benefits of functional strength training

Research indicates that dynamic warm-ups before exercise help improve mobility and prevent muscle strains.
Explore the importance of warm-ups

According to studies, heavy resistance training can enhance bone density, helping to prevent fractures and osteoporosis.
Learn more about resistance training and bone health

Studies suggest that aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular health and helps reduce the risk of chronic injuries in athletes.
Find out more about aerobic exercise and injury prevention

Research highlights the importance of recovery and rest in preventing overtraining and injuries, especially in high-intensity sports.
Read more on recovery and its role in injury prevention

Scientific studies have found that incorporating balance and proprioception training can reduce ankle sprains and knee injuries in athletes.
Check out the benefits of balance training

A growing body of evidence supports that flexibility training helps improve range of motion and decreases the likelihood of muscle pulls.
Read more about the role of flexibility in injury prevention

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💬 Conclusion: Stay Strong, Stay Injury-Free

By building strength, improving mobility, through carrying, moving sleds and swinging hammers martial artists can train consistently without injuries.

Don't know how to start? Come over the counter, and I'll see if I can help.

Martial Arts can completely revolutionize your life as it forces you to deal with yourself, by finding out who you are when faced with a 'crisis' situation. Obviously there is no actual crisis, but to people who have just started, or to those that are tired, It can feel like that.

Now we over at Eltham Martial Arts Academy recommend a soft entry for those that want to start their journey, because there is no point to breaking yourself mentally if not physically. This means that you'll have to look into who you are as a person, the phase of life you're in, and which Martial Art best suits you in this regard.

This article is not written for just those who want to start Martial Arts. If you're already a practitioner, read on, as I might be able to convince you to try another Art form. I will dive into my own personal experience of each artform, and supposed benefits of engaging in multiple at a time.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ): Strategy and Confidence

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is mainly a grappling ground-based Martial Art. It is a Martial Art that is best suited for social individuals as there is a lot of physical contact, and it requires you to feel, as the tactile information (touch) acts as the feedback in regards to your technique.

Physically BJJ can be quite demanding at first (lower back, hips, neck etc.), but this is mainly because most beginners have a hard time slowing down and relaxing. There is a risk of injury (ribs, knees, wrists) but if you're sensible, do a bit of weightlifting, and communicate properly with your training partner the risk is fairly low. This being said, BJJ can greatly enhance your grip, core strength and ability move fluently.

Personally what I like about BJJ is the strategic aspect. You start off learning the positions (closed guard, mount etc.), followed by transitions (going from A to B) and as you improve you will learn how to counter moves, trap your training partner and plan ahead.

• Initial Challenges: Going to fast, not tapping to a submission and having the body adapt
• General benefits: Great way to make friends & be more social, fantastic for general fitness and okay for self-defence.
• How to prepare: Load-bearing exercises like carrying, moving sleds and swinging hammers are fantastic.

Kyokushin Karate: Discipline and Strength

Before I go into details, I personally have next to no experience in Karate, so I will have to let Sensei Kiley vet this sub article.

Kyokushin Karate is a striking (punching and kicking) Martial Art with a few basic takedowns. It is an artform better suited for those that like structure and order, as Kyokushin is considered a traditional Martial Art. Traditional in this case means, properly entering the mat, calling your instructor by the right rank, bowing, and reciting the dojo Kun (ethics & morals)

Physically Karate is very demanding, especially Kyokushin. Every class consists of some form of strength & conditioning (running, squats, pushups etc) and sparring.

The class consists of a few components: the start (kneeling), Kata (walking techniques), general fitness (as mentioned before) Striking & Sparring (no head punches) followed by the end (dojo kun, breathing, and shaking everyone's hand)

From what I've been told, the main benefits practitioners derive from Karate is a state of flow; feeling the movement (kata) and slowly progress over time, discipline; consistently show-up and improve and tenacity as training and especially grading can be quite demanding, forcing you to show-up

• Initial challenges: Not knowing any techniques, getting hit and adjusting to the condioning.
• General benefits: Good fitness, fluent standing-based movement and decent self-defence
• How to prepare: Feet, feet, feet. Splay-em, strengthen em and learn how to balance.

Muay Thai Kickboxing: Power and Energy

Muay Thai Kickboxing is a striking Art that beyond Kicking and Punching, also involves knees, elbows and a fair few takedowns. It is the perfect Martial Art for those that need a release as the classes are energetic, fast paced and metabolically demanding.

A kickboxing class always starts with jump rope (or a warm-up of your own choosing if dealing with injury), stretching with the whole group, basic drills, padwork and bagwork. The class has no sparring as the art-form includes head strikes which means that the risk-to-reward ratio just isn't there.

The challenges of Kickboxing often come in the form of frustration as you have to learn the footwork, breathing & striking, which can take a while. Knowing hold pads can be difficult, and the getting hit is something people will have to get used to.

The benefits of Muay-thai are: working memory, thinking and remember in the moment, explosive power, short-term conditioning and good footwork.

My personal experience with Kickboxing has been that the striking sequences are hard to remember, especially when you have 5 or more sequent moves to perform (under pressure). But, it is oh so satisfying when things start to click. Nowadays I do personal training with Mark Niven once a week, and I promise you, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

• Initial challenges: Getting hit, mental focus during combinations and conditioning
• General benefits: Great working memory, solid cardio and explosive power
• How to prepare: Train your balance, strengthen your calves, and learn to relax your midsection. I personally recommend pushing and dragging sleds, basic balance drills and throwing heavy balls.

Aikido: Grace and Flow

Aikido, provided for by Aikido Shudokan is a traditional Martial Art (like Karate) that teaches joint locks, throws and weaponry. It is the perfect class for those that haven't done a Martial Art before, and/or want to improve all of their other Martial Art styles.

Aikido most-always starts with a warm-up, followed by kneeling and formally starting the class, Kata (like Karate), often weaponry (katana (sword), Joe (stick) or knife), a self-defence technique, some type of general fitness followed by kneeling and finishing off the class.

The challenges of Aikido I've found to be quite unexpected. Because Aikido is all about projecting yourself forward, and thus needing to have control of your centre of gravity, you need to learn to move slowly and in a smooth manner. Which is why it is such a complementary artform. Second, and this one will surprise you, the eye contact. I've personally been a Martial Art practitioner for 19 years, having tried over seven Art form, and eye contact has not been mentioned once. Needless to say, this was very uncomfortable at first, but it's also brought many many benefits with it.

My personal experience, training under Shusheki Shihan Joe Thambu, has been more than amazing. Having practiced the Art for about a year now, I've noticed a steep improvement in all of my art forms, as well as a greater comfort looking people in the eye. I've also come to realize how much I missed the traditional aspect in my life.

• Initial challenges: Eye contact, no control of your center of gravity and sore wrists.
• General benefits: Coherent movement, awareness of the body and efficient use of strength
• How to prepare: Learn how to fall, strengthen your wrists and coiling with a hammer.

Self-Defence Classes: Practical Skills for Real-Life Situations

The self-defence class I teach myself every Thursday at 6 AM, and it involves all the basic Martial Art moves like striking, throwing, grappling and submissions. The class is best suited for those that have limited time and want to be confident walking the streets. The class is open to both men and women, but is more suitable for the former.

I start the class in front of the whiteboard, where I highlight what we'll do during the hour. Then we start with a form of standing striking, which in volves throat strikes, shoves, pushes, punches and kicks. Next we do standing wrestling, which involves standing chokes, wrist locks, positions & transitions and throws. Afterwards we do grappling, which involves positions, transitions, chokes and locks. (we keep grappling short as being on the floor during an altercation, is a bad idea). And second-to-last we do sparring. Sparring without protection, at a lower intensity. (striking, wrestling and/or grappling) The class finishes off with a meditation and an opportunity for members to talk.

• Initial challenges: Getting hit, getting choked, getting thrown and eye contact
• General benefits: Fantastic for self-defence
• How to prepare: Basic strength & conditioning

What are the general benefits of doing multiple Art-forms

I'll start by talking about my own journey. I started doing Judo at the age of six, Sanda (chinese kickboxing) at the age of 21. I've done Systema (russian combat system) for about a year, Kickboxing for about five years, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for five years, Aikido for a year and Self-defence for three years.

Over time I've come to realize that individuals tend to lean towards either standing fighting, wrestling (including Aikido) or grappling. Whether this is nature or nurture, I don't know (probably both) but you'll notice how certain Martial Arts come easier, and some will be more challenging -- I'm a grappler by nature.

I'll start-off with the main benefit of practicing multiple artforms, and that is deep knowledge. There is layers to this benefit, and I'll try to unpack these as best as I can. Deep knowledge pertains more to the person rather than how to perform a technique.

You can imagine that if your social skills are not up to scratch, that being near and around people leaves you slightly uncomfortable, thus hindering your abilities. I'm sure you can also imagine that having a low pain tolerance reduced your skills -- this is what I'm trying to get at; skills that impact everything.

Aikido & Judo has taught me how to control someone's centre of gravity, Kickboxing & Sanda has taught me how to relax and tense up at the right time, as well as footwork. Jiu-Jitsu has taught me how to feel, plan and slow things down. Self-defence has taught me how to control someone's emotions and get in their head by reading their expressions. Systema has taught me to assess what degree of pain & discomfort to apply, based on the person & situation. Aikido has taught me how to look someone in the eyes without emotion and maintain a peripheral view. Judo has taught me how to apply pressure (ribs, diaphragm etc.) to force someone to surrender. Self-defence has taught me how to handle pain, and maintain awareness throughout. Jiu-Jitsu has taught me how to stay calm and plan when put under intense duress (getting choked etc.)

Lastly, the benefit of doing multiple artforms is greatly reduced the risk of injury as often overuse of areas causes pain and breakages, whereas lots of variety can act protective.

Fighting Yourself

One night recently during class sparring time, I had a sudden realisation. No doubt this thought  was not a new one, and I am sure it’s been had by many before…but for me it was a first. I noticed that I had stopped being intently aware of my opponent. I wasn’t really focussed in on them and their reactions, and what they were doing. Now….this was only dojo sparring and so I suppose I could forgive myself for being more relaxed in this case, however I started to wonder if this was good training. I have told my students many times that you cannot expect to react in a way in which you do not train….so I already know my answer. No…this is not good training ! or is it ?

I’m finding it difficult to explain what I mean here but I will try my best. IT’s not like I wasn’t watching my partner because I was. Of course I was reacting to them or else I would have been hurt, but I found myself thinking about me. I discovered that I was noticing things about my body such as my stiff lower back, or my injured ankle…..and really this is a distraction. Then I heard my thoughts in my head , you know the kind…Oh gee I’m a bit tired tonight……I should be kicking faster…..why am I missing that shot…..blah blah blah. And to steal a line from one of my favourite movies…..” Too Many Mind”. Once I noticed this I pulled myself back into line and reminded myself not to analyse this now…..to get my focus back….but I made a mental note to come back and re-visit this later. So here I am. 

Although not the point of my post here, but I guess there is a kind of state that we like to think we can be in when we fight. A kind of ‘not thinking’ but responding automatically in a sense. That’s why we are told and also tell our students alike that we need to repeat basics so many times. So that we can do them without thinking.  I guess for the most part that is true, and our training should definitely take over, but we still need to be tuned into what’s happening. We should have our eyes and ears open, and watch our opponent like a Hawk for surely It would be hard, if not impossible, to respond to something you didn’t know was coming. Until we perfect our instant clairvoyance, I guess the only real way we can know is through sight and hearing. Hence, I think we can agree that we do need to be ‘present’ in all meanings of the word when fighting.

 And herein lies my discovery. If we must be present and thinking during this Kumite, then those thoughts should not be centred on ourselves I mean….who are we actually fighting here ?  And that’s when It dawned on  me. We are indeed our own opponents. All the time. Every step of the way it’s like there is this preceding shadow of ourselves – as if we are backlit and stand before ourselves in battle between us and them. For us to defeat our enemy, first we must overcome our self.

This is not a matter of throwing caution to the wind and simply accepting any outcome, but learning how to control our mind. To stop the negative talk and turn it into affirmations and then at times to stop the chatter altogether and allow silence so that our training can take over without interference from our ego. We need to be able to separate our emotions from reality & trust in ourselves and our trainers we can hear from the sidelines. We need to be able to shut out the crowd if it’s distracting, or allow that noise in if it drives us positively. We need to know the difference between what hurts us and what stops us. They are not the same. Perhaps, we just need to let ourselves go.

Of course, all this sounds good in theory but how do you do just that. If I knew…….I’m sure I’d be a better instructor….perhaps a much richer one !  Sosai Oyama said, that all questions could be answered in the dojo through hard training and this I believe with my heart. If you push hard enough……questions arise of yourself and your ego all the time during class. They come up in tough fitness sessions, whilst you are pounding the pavement, swimming laps in a pool, during a grading and any time where you place yourself under physical and emotional pressure. Here is the best place to begin to conquer Yourself. Ask yourself the tough questions and be ready for the truth. After all, does the truth not set us free ?

And then…now that you have this truth….this is where the victory lies. The loser allows what is to be and accepts their lot. The champion wins because they accept the truth weather they like it or not, but desire more and stop at nothing until they get it. They do that one more pushup even after their mind said they couldn’t do another. They got up off the mat when their ego said no your’e gonna lose stay down.  They dragged their tired body to training when their mates said…..come on man…come out with us. They entered themselves into the tournament despite the fact they were afraid and then they forced themselves into the ring after throwing up in the toilet earlier from the nerves. They never allowed themselves to think they knew everything and always kept an open mind. They accepted their defeats with grace just as much as their small victories along the way remembering all the while that they were accountable for all outcomes both good and bad. They accepted pain knowing that what doesn’t conquer builds. They forged ahead when others quit and ignored their own self doubt. And with each small step , with each small victorious battle , they won the war against themselves.

“Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.”  Sun Tzu

So You Think You’re a Warrior ?

Lying on the floor in a pool of my own sweat, forcing myself to remember to breathe through my nose and not pant like a dog from the heat, my thoughts (which were supposed to be still in Savasana) ran to how much I was struggling in this Bikram class. I was reminded how I considered myself to be tough, but now I was pausing to question that belief. I decided then that I WAS in fact tough as I didn’t quit and continued to push on despite how much I actually wanted to just lie there and use my back inury as an excuse to just roll over on my back and rest. I also pondered then how I would actually rather be repeatedly hit and kicked than lie there in my own thoughts and pain !  It’s funny , as whilst training in the No Limits Fitness strength and conditioning class that I run at my dojo on a Sat morning…..I also had that thought. That I would rather be bashed than force myself to run through this pain my back is giving me ……and well…the running too. I’ve written an article before ” I don’t like running” and well…..nothing’s changed.

So……why do it ? Why do these things I don’t like ?  Well I think that it is a normal human response to turn away from pain and avoid discomfort, however sometimes as people we see the value in not turning away and avoiding that which we don’t like as there is something more to be gained at the end. Ie : The dividends outweigh the investment. But why is some pain more easily endured than others ? I believe that like everything – It’s what we get used to. It’s that which we re exposed to most often and train to do that we of course are more able to tolerate. I doubt that many would question this belief of mine as this theory is practised in every gym, school, martial arts dojo, sports club, army etc every day.

That point however is not what I was wondering about. Going back to the part where I thought I was tough, I was thinking about how at times I had considered myself and indeed been called a warrior after competing in full contact tournaments etc. Then I started to think about how it’s easy to be tough in an environment where everything is familiar , and you feel comfortable and know what’s going on , and what’s ahead of you. Is that a true warrior though? Shifting my thoughts then to Soldiers dropped into unfamiliar territory, or Viking’s sailing into battle without knowing their enemy and their plans…..well..to come through that would indeed be a feat of a warrior. They would need to adapt to their surroundings quickly. They would need to be able to assess situations, make changes and be adaptable. They would need to operate under stress and surprise without really having time to adjust themselves at their preferred pace.  And they would fight for their own and perhaps others lives and couldn’t stop when they got tired or injured.

I am not trying to say that unless you become a soldier or a Viking that you cannot be a warrior….but I do see even more clearly now though the need to constantly challenge yourself by pushing  your boundaries and going out of your comfort zone. Lately I have been attending other classes in an effort to go beyond my own limitations and it’s been an eye opener. I’m both hating feeling less than great at what I do – and loving it at the same time. But either way…….I know that by stretching (pun intended) myself that I will grow as a person, a martial artist and a fitness trainer.

Who know’s one day maybe I will have the right to call myself a warrior !

If you want to fight – compete !

I’m really hoping to get feedback from other Full contact Martial Arts instructors on this – so let me know what you think.

Going to go out on a short limb and say we have all had a student (or students) that just won’t make the plunge to jump into the full contact ring for some reason. The reasons are varied, and some are valid and some are not. For example, if you have a student that perhaps has discovered Kyokushin Karate at the ripe age of 60 then perhaps the full contact competition mat is a bit out of the question. That one I understand. I’m not saying they don’t partake in sparring….that will be par for the course of grading etc…but getting in the ring or a knockdown comp is not only unnecessary but unsafe. I’m also fairly certain that the reason to train has less to do with fighting than it does with other aspects of health , fitness, motivation and connection with a social group.

For a young student though…..I fail to see a valid reason why not to fight. I mean….if you chose Kyokushin, Kickboxing, Kudo….or whatever style it is, if full contact sparring and competition is part of the syllabus then it must be undertaken otherwise why do that particular style ? As an instructor and also a student and someone who has been a competitor I can appreciate the nerves and the apprehension. Again however, this is just another obstacle that must be overcome in order to become proficient in your chosen style. Everyone get’s nervous and worried but good training and preparation can help counter or minimise this. At the same time there comes a point where first you must fight to know how you need to prepare !

And this is where my blog post really lies. The preparation point.
For over 2 decades I’ve been involved in martial arts and trained in various styles and at numerous gyms etc over this time. Too many to mention. There are many methods that gyms or dojo’s undertake in order to get a fighter ready for a competition. Of course this will vary depending on the style…but let’s assume in essence they are all similar, as really they are. Some gyms love to have their fighters sparring hard and often. I’ve had my fair share of hard sparring training and do I think it made me better?, yes of course. Any hard training will improve you. Do I think it was the best training…no. I don’t.

let’s be clear here though. There is solid training where you are getting hit hard…but with good technique and in a calm and controlled manner. Then there is the ‘hard sparring’ which I call dumb sparring which is what you often get where students just rush into it…throw ill timed and not thought out techniques as fast as they can and hope they land when and where they want them to. This type of sparring doesn’t allow for any self analysis on either participant’s side, and is usually just survival or destroy mode (depending on who is the better fighter) and is what I think of most often when people say ‘hard sparring’. There are many successful and not so successful gyms and dojo’s etc that predominately get their students doing this as fight prep, and is often the reason why you have a class full of injured students….slow improving students, or you have a high drop off rate. From what I can observe, clubs that take on this method usually have low numbers in terms of members or high numbers of students that will never fight and don’t want to come to the sparring sessions….but a small and hardy group of tough fighters who may or not be the best technicians…but have good abilities and good results in comps etc.

Then there are the gyms that focus largely on drills and pad work to prep their fighters. 80 -90 percent of their training will be prearranged drills to build muscle memory and good reaction time, and hard techniques and fitness will be built on the pads and bags. They push themselves hard in fitness training and running …..some weights etc and they do sparr yes, ..but it’s usually padded and it’s slower than dumb sparring…and sometimes looks almost soft. This type of sparring is all about trying to perfect timing…..see openings and make corrections as they go. I said it “almost looks soft” and this is the difference where great fighters don’t need to go into a frenzy and leave themselves open. It’s cautious and controlled but when the opportunity is there and safe…they deliver the shots with controlled power. It’s not aggressive and it’s humble. This enables the better fighters to fight the less apt ones and both sides still can benefit. There is always going to be that one person in the gym that is better than everyone else. If you can’t prep like this…then how does this fighter prepare ?

I’ve seen this second type of prep in Thailand and Japan numerous times and to me it makes the most sense. It means the fighters can minimise risk of injury….adapt and improve faster. For example….let’s look at a Thai fighter at a stable there. I mean…..an up and coming fighter for the gym might have a comp every second week if not more often. It’s not uncommon for a Thai fighter to have over 100 fights under their belt before moving from the novice to pro comps. For some of them….fighting is their income. They cannot afford to get injured and miss out on a fight then. So, they smash pads (omg do they train hard) and the sparring that I saw was almost playful. Impeccable….but so controlled and they would tease each other when someone would land a good shot. No ego’s, just good smart sparring.

To me……if you want to get good at fighting, then compete. Get your experience in the ring or on the mat against tough competitors and the dojo is your place to sharpen the tools and fix the weaknesses you discover when you fight.

Let us apply the analogy to golf and how they train by perfecting their swings. They must practise teeing off thousands of times…..But the game is the competition and the competition is the test. The competition is the pressure and where you learn the most. We could look at cycling and I mean nobody that I know goes out and rides the Tour De France course in preparation for the Tour De France ! Okay so bad example…but I hope I made myself clear because it’s this point that becomes the excuse that I hear. That we haven’t been doing enough hard sparring in class so therefore they aren’t ready.

And here’s the conversation I’m having in my own head after hearing that….”Oh….so have you told me you want to fight or put a form in for an upcoming comp ?” No – ok.
“Are you attending class more than 2-3 times a week ? “ No
“Do you not believe as an instructor that I know if you are ready to compete or not ? “
There is is this and more but I also feel it’s a bit of an insult to all your training to say you aren’t ready because you aren’t doing enough sparring.
Does that mean all your training is BS and that if you were attacked on the way home tonight you wouldn’t be able to do anything to defend yourself ?
Because really that’s what fighting is. Albeit…it’s safer. I know that a competition is a sport and it’s rules vary with the style and the game. I understand that because it is a sport….fitness needs to become more important as the fights last longer due to rules and limitations etc. This though is my point that it’s all the drills that make you better. You should already have your techniques, your reading abilities and your skill set under your belt and you should have developed your fitness accordingly. The test of all this is the fight- the competition and as I said before…If you want to fight then get your fight experience actually competing.

Osu.