[mikejpb]

I've just finished reading the recent thread on bullying, some of the stories were horrible, but a couple of them make me think about an interview with Chris Crudelli on the subject of racial abuse and bullying. For those that don't know, Chris Crudelli is an accomplished martial artist from Birmingham and the presenter of Mind, Body and Kick Ass Moves on the BBC. He stated that in China and Hong Kong it has become commonplace, especially in rough areas, for children to be taught from the age of four onwards how to defend themselves, and how often it is not the larger, stronger types that excel in the classes but those that take a keen interest in learning. He then continued to state that it had bred a culture of respect amongst others, as these kids could play happily at school and within their own areas without worrying about being attacked by someone.

Bullying is still obviously rife in the UK, despite everything the government has tried to do. However, this approach of combating bullying from the far east has been said to be successful but is largely untested in the western world. Given a set curriculum I'm sure that from the beginning of primary school to the age of eleven, then perhaps onwards if lessons on defence against weapons is needed, that most bullying should be eradicated as few people would attack someone knowing that they could fight back.

It's a bit extreme, but it is great exercise and is often an approach that parents take when their kid is being bullied at school. What are your thoughts on martial arts and self-defence being taught at school?

[cpj1987]

I agree.

[Barton1]

Without a doubt should contact sports be more intergrated in schools. You get a real sense of team unity in contact sports and if you look at any wrestling teams in the USA, they all have a very good bond.

I wish they did wrestling in the UK, its a shame they dont. Boxing, wrestling, BJJ, all need to be put on. I dunno about being taught as self defence, i think it should be taught to keep you fit and concentrating on the rules of the sport your doing rather than trying to defend yourself

[MaceyThe]

Originally Posted by Barton1

Without a doubt should contact sports be more intergrated in schools. You get a real sense of team unity in contact sports and if you look at any wrestling teams in the USA, they all have a very good bond.

I wish they did wrestling in the UK, its a shame they dont. Boxing, wrestling, BJJ, all need to be put on. I dunno about being taught as self defence, i think it should be taught to keep you fit and concentrating on the rules of the sport your doing rather than trying to defend yourself

Boxing used to be taught in a lot of schools, untill the do-gooders lept to the conclusion it would turn a child into a psychopathic killer, and banned it from a lot of places. Little did they realize it gives a child self-confidence and discipline and a safe way to let off steam.

The same with them not allowing kids to play games where they pretend to shoot each other, in case it made them want to join the military.....because we all know how evil that is.

Now I think even they've realized they are barking mad.

Without doubt quality self-protection should be taught in schools, perhaps especially to girls?
As well as First Aid - God knows why first aid is not taught in school!?!

[theBOON]

Lol no.

That's a stupid way to deal with the problem. Encouraging other to fight is your stupid. Besides wouldn't both know how to defend themselves then. What someone usually needs is a boost of courage and self esteem to find a way to quiet the bully.

Also it would be great if in early school years supervision on students would be enforced so as to educate the bullies.

[jwright91]

It's an interesting thought, however teaching everyone martial arts of course means that the bullies will learn it aswell..which could backfire a lot because some techniques are honestly lethal.

And also from a more selfish point of view, as a practicer of martial arts myself I would be dissappointed if everybody could do it because then my skills would become less effective

[The Referee]

Originally Posted by MaceyThe

Boxing used to be taught in a lot of schools, untill the do-gooders lept to the conclusion it would turn a child into a psychopathic killer, and banned it from a lot of places. Little did they realize it gives a child self-confidence and discipline and a safe way to let off steam.

The same with them not allowing kids to play games where they pretend to shoot each other, in case it made them want to join the military.....because we all know how evil that is.

Now I think even they've realized they are barking mad.

Without doubt quality self-protection should be taught in schools, perhaps especially to girls?
As well as First Aid - God knows why first aid is not taught in school!?!

We were taught first aid at school and a know of a couple of schools where pupils were given the option of learning it. I think it ought to be a part of the curriculum - more useful that some of the things on there (or at least that used to be there!).

[mikejpb]

Originally Posted by theBOON

Lol no.

That's a stupid way to deal with the problem. Encouraging other to fight is your stupid. Besides wouldn't both know how to defend themselves then. What someone usually needs is a boost of courage and self esteem to find a way to quiet the bully.

Also it would be great if in early school years supervision on students would be enforced so as to educate the bullies.

Very few martial arts will teach you how to fight. No one is teaching anyone to fight, only how to defend yourself and handle a situation where someone is trying to attack you. If you watch any martial arts demonstration it's not all Karate Kid style fights, more of a philosophical expression in defending yourself and your attacker from harm.

You claim that all you need is courage and self-esteem to fight a bully, but that's completely ridiculous. Courage alone is stupid in a heated situation and is often the reason people step into situations they cannot handle and end up hurt or worse. With real self-defence these situations wouldn't even happen.

Simply watching kids won't do anything either. We cannot watch them 24/7 and it would be unfair on them to do such a thing.

[bigman_ben]

I can only speak for my old school and if something like martial arts or boxing was taught there, something would kick off every dinnertime without fail.

[fizzicsfiend]

Kids will abuse what they've been taught

[there's too much love]

Originally Posted by mikejpb

Very few martial arts will teach you how to fight. No one is teaching anyone to fight, only how to defend yourself and handle a situation where someone is trying to attack you. If you watch any martial arts demonstration it's not all Karate Kid style fights, more of a philosophical expression in defending yourself and your attacker from harm.

You claim that all you need is courage and self-esteem to fight a bully, but that's completely ridiculous. Courage alone is stupid in a heated situation and is often the reason people step into situations they cannot handle and end up hurt or worse. With real self-defence these situations wouldn't even happen.

Simply watching kids won't do anything either. We cannot watch them 24/7 and it would be unfair on them to do such a thing.

Quite simply the moves can be adapted into attacks.
However it's only those interested in it that will excel. And those looking for fights usually aren't interested in MA.
More general:
People who do MA don't tend to look for fights.
Example, I'm currently not doing ma but used to, went downstairs to complain about the noise at 4 am.
Got threatened.
I could've gotton annoyed and angry and started pushing the guy or hitting him.
I could've insulted him.
I just kept in a friendly none aggressive stance, smile on my face "I just want to get to sleep mate".
Now if he has followed through I can guess my reaction would've been something similar to this:
try to defend myself, land one hit and push away, go up to my flat and lock the door.
Call local police and let them deal with it.
But I just remained completely relaxed and nothing came of the threat.

In the street I've had people pushing me, I've had people shout at me.
I've never been outright attacked, just intimidated.
The thing is, whilst you can get aggressive back, you don't know their background, you don't know if they're carrying.
It's not worth it putting your life randomly on the line.

In fact the person I quoted "with real self defence these things won't even happen" or something like that. I'm guessing the same sort of thing.

If I were to get into a fight, I don't know if I could take whoever it is. I'd like to think I could, but I'd rather not find out.

I think general self defence classes are a good idea, but there need to be specifically approved sensei's.
Just to make sure there isn't some cowboy teaching BS.
I've seen some fairly retarded videos before, the most retarded was a kung fu one "over head knife attack".
Firstly these almost never happen.
"sink lower and put your arm up like so"
Well mate you're gonna have to have a very specific aim, otherwise that knifes going to keep going and you'll get it in the head.

What most MA's teach "knife comes in"
"GET THE **** OUT OF THE WAY"

Now it was just a video, not on the mat training, but someone was teaching that.
And before you ask why I was watching ma videos...broken collar bone.

I would also hope it'd be 2 ma's.
Judo, because there is often a lot of grappling involved in fights.
Something like jujitsu, because it deals weapons, wrist locks etc.
Aikido perhaps instead, although that's more based upon hips and wrists.
MMA-mixed martial arts.

[there's too much love]

Originally Posted by fizzicsfiend

Kids will abuse what they've been taught

Word would end up getting back to the sensei and they'd get kicked from the club.

[sandeep90]

Originally Posted by fizzicsfiend

Kids will abuse what they've been taught

Then kids should not be taught chemistry because they might blow something up.

[there's too much love]

Originally Posted by sandeep90

Then kids should not be taught chemistry because they might blow something up.

or sexual education because...they might "blow something up"

[thunder_chunky]

Yes.

Then everyone will be kung foo fighting

[mikejpb]

Originally Posted by thunder_chunky

Yes.

Then everyone will be kung foo fighting

Those kids will be fast as lightning.

In all seriousness, it wouldn't just entail teaching kids Karate and letting them lose. I think it'd be a perfect investment in physical education and safety, rather than what the government are doing now they could save money and put people in jobs by paying qualified practitioners in martial arts and self-defence to teach school kids.

Teaching MMA would be good, although I think that the education one can gain from learning a martial art like Aikido is as important as its physical teachings. Yes, the techniques one will learn could be potentially dangerous, but it'd be very unlikely for kids to want to try this against others if they have the same training and for every kid that gets hurt you'd probably save twenty kids from being mugged or attacked.

[Matty919]

MMA, boxing, kickboxing can be used for good and bad though. I know lots of aggressive who used to box though none of them seemed to keep it up. I do kickboxing myself and I really enjoy it but don't think it should be taught in schools.

[there's too much love]

Originally Posted by Matty919

MMA, boxing, kickboxing can be used for good and bad though. I know lots of aggressive who used to box though none of them seemed to keep it up. I do kickboxing myself and I really enjoy it but don't think it should be taught in schools.

Is kick boxing really a martial art?

[Matty919]

Originally Posted by there's too much love

Is kick boxing really a martial art?

Definition off wiki: "Martial arts or fighting arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts have very similar objectives: to physically defeat other persons and to defend oneself or others from physical threat."

I'd say kickboxing fits that definition yeah.

[there's too much love]

Originally Posted by Matty919

Definition off wiki: "Martial arts or fighting arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. While they may be studied for various reasons, martial arts have very similar objectives: to physically defeat other persons and to defend oneself or others from physical threat."

I'd say kickboxing fits that definition yeah.

fair enough, I've just met a lot of people who would class it as in between. I guess because it's not traditional and concentrates on fitness a lot mroe than others.