Martial Arts Questions From Kids: Episode 2

Welcome back to part 2 of our series on questions asked by kids about martial arts! I love the fact that children aren’t afraid to ask the “obvious” questions. Oftentimes, they will ask the questions that adults are wondering about, but also too nervous to ask. I hope you enjoy these questions and the answers to them. Maybe you can learn something new today too!

Q:        Why to people yell at the judges in competitions?

A:       This is a wonderful question, almost all martial arts employ some sort of yelling in their training and performance. In Korean, the word for the yell is “Kiap” which means something like “spirit yell”. In combat, it is intended to focus your physical and mental energy on a specific target and technique. In self-defense, a kiap serves 5 purposes: get the attention of bystanders, tighten your core to increase striking power, make you breath during the altercation, release adrenaline, and sometimes even intimidate the attacker. People kiap in tournaments to get the judges attention and to show focus and power.

Q:       Why is it called “Martial Arts”?

A:       Martial arts is most literally translated as the art of combat or the art of war. People today think of art as something that we draw, or build, or write, but the term art used to be used for anything that was highly skilled and cunning. So, the name really means skill and cunning at combat. Today, since many people practice the martial arts for fitness and fun, some of the martial aspects have begun to disappear and the artistic portion of the name is becoming more prevalent. Depending on where you train, you might find more “martial” or more “arts”, but in most cases you will find a high level of skill!

Q:        What is the most popular type of sparring in the US? The world?

A:       With Karate being the most popular of the martial arts worldwide, its particular form of sparring is very popular. Most tournaments call it “point karate” or just “point sparring”. While more full contact versions of sparring such as MMA are popularized on TV and in culture, the vast majority of martial arts practitioners don’t want to be in a full contact sparring match. Since point sparring is supposed to be light contact in most cases, it appeals to a wider audience. It is also a very fast paced sparring style with dynamic movements and impressive techniques. Many people just enjoy watching from the sidelines!

Q:        What is the best beginner weapon for martial arts?

A:       As silly as it may seem, a simple stick is a great starter weapon for any martial artist. Most arts have weapons that are more common in their styles, but almost all of them start with either a short one-handed stick or a longer staff. Knowing how to use something simple like a broom stick or piece of pipe in self-defense could mean the difference between life and death in some situations. It isn’t very often that you will be able to find a Sai, Nunchaku, or sword laying around, but sticks and rods of all kinds are easy to find almost everywhere we go. Why not try out the Bo?

Q:      When is it not a good idea to train in martial arts?

A:       This one took a bit of thought. To be honest, I think most people could benefit from training in martial arts. Maybe not for the long term, but at least for 6 months to a year. However, I did think of a few reasons that training in martial arts might not be the best idea. If you are under 18, it is possible that your parents may not want you to train for various reasons. In that case, I suggest you have a humble, peaceful conversation with them about why. When you understand, their reasons, you may be able to convince them that the benefits outweigh the risks. However, if not, you need to honor your parent’s wishes until you become an adult. The only other reason I can think of that would prevent you from training is a medical condition that makes it unsafe for you to train. God gave us amazing bodies, but sometimes they have weaknesses that make them unable to handle high impact movements. If that is the case, start with something like physical therapy or doctor approved body-weight exercise. Our amazing bodies can overcome incredible difficulty when we are patient and keep pushing toward a goal. Maybe if you can’t train now, you will be able to in the future! Just make sure you seek advice from a medical professional to help you start your journey!

This was a really fun set of questions. Each one helps us to understand both the history, intent, and application of martial arts a little bit better. I hope that these questions and answers have spurred you on to do some more research on your own. Just like last time, feel free to comment with your questions about martial arts, and maybe we can continue the series to a 3rd or even 4th post! See you in the comments!

Martial Arts Questions From Kids: Episode 1

Often times, a student will come up to me in class and ask an off-the-wall question about martial arts. I try to have some good answers ready for them, but frequently they will catch me off guard. I generally try to give the best answer I can, but I realized it might be fun to write a post about some of the questions kids have about martial arts. Now, I didn’t include some of the more personal questions like “can you do a backflip” but I think you will enjoy the list my kids helped me come up with!

Q:        What is the highest rank in martial arts?

A:       The highest rank in martial arts is 10th degree black belt (except for Master Ken). Usually, this rank is reserved for the political head of a system or someone who has given a lot to the system. In fact, most often it is given to people after they die as an honor for their contributions to their art. There are a few obscure arts that have higher ranks, but they are usually self-appointed and not considered legitimate by most schools/styles.

Q:       Who holds the current highest rank in Taekwondo?

A:      Currently, the highest ranked master for World Taeekewondo is Lee Dong-Sup. He is the president of the Kukkiwon (the governing body for World Taekwondo). There are others who also hold the rank of 9th dan, but because of his status as the president, Grandmaster Lee is considered the highest ranked in the system.

Q:       What is the worlds’ most popular martial art?

A:       The most popular martial art worldwide is definitely Karate. There are quite a few different styles or “ryu” that claim the name Karate, so it is difficult to tell which one would take the lead if they were broken down by direct affiliation. Karate is followed closely by Judo, Taekwondo, and Kung Fu.

Q:       How many forms are there in Taekwondo?

A:        That is a complicated question. There are actually several different lineages of Taekwondo that each have their particular set of forms. In the ITF they use 24 different forms. Under World Taekwondo, a student will learn 8 basic patterns, but there are 9 more forms that are generally taught after black belt. Other offshoots such as Unified Taekwondo and Moo Duk Kwan have their own particular sets of forms. In other words, there are a LOT!

Q:       How many forms are there in Shotokan Karate?

A:        Depending on what school you study under, there are approximately 26 forms (called kata) in the Shotokan System. You will actually find versions of some of these forms in Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo schools because they have a similar initial lineage. Connections are everywhere!

Q:       How many different martial arts are there?

A:       More than anyone can count! People have been practicing martial arts for various reasons almost since the beginning of the world. Archeologists have found evidence of structured martial arts training that was many thousands of years old. Since different people create their art based on culture, body size/type, and differing goals, we can assume that many have been created in the past and many will be created in the future!

Q:      What is the oldest martial art?

A:        The oldest known martial art is probably Pankration although there is evidence for the ancient existence of some other arts such as Kalari Payattu. There are probably more, but because early history was primarily handed down verbally, it is hard to know exactly which is the oldest.

Wow! What a great set of questions! I hope you enjoyed reading these answers and maybe you were able to learn some things along the way. I bet you won’t believe this, but the kids had LOTS more questions for me. That means you can look forward to a part 2 of this post soon! Comment below with one of your questions about martial arts and maybe I can make a part 3!

“We’ve Been Here Before”

Why is a black belt test so hard? In our school, your test for Black belt is completed over the course of 2 weekends. The first weekend includes general fitness like a three-mile run, 200 pushups, squats and sit-ups, and a significant amount of sparring. All of that is completed in about 3 hours. The second weekend is all about technical skills and knowledge. A board of advanced practitioners sits at the front of the room and grills each student on their skills and knowledge for the better part of 2 hours. This doesn’t even include the reading and essay portions of the test that must be completed prior to the testing date. If you haven’t been involved in martial arts for long, all of this may seem overwhelming, but to be honest, our school isn’t even one of the hardest in which to get a black belt!

Similarly, Marines go through “hell week”. To be honest, the Marines take testing to a much higher level than our school, but they serve the same purpose on different levels. In fact, both of us have three primary reasons for implementing a physically and mentally taxing test.

1.      Encourage preparation

2.      Stress inoculation

3.      Build strength of spirit

You see, when people know that they are destined for something difficult, they do one of two things. Work hard to prepare or do their best to ignore the event until it arrives. Those people who choose to ignore the event show the true colors of their character early on. They will either quit and “wash out” of the program, or they will accept the urgings and encouragement of their instructors and build habits of preparation. Those that choose to prepare show that they either fear the test, or understand difficulty, or both. Either way, they have the beginnings of a growth mindset. They believe something they do can affect the outcome of the test.

When someone makes it to the black belt test, they are performing in front of family, friends, and the testing board. They are having to fight harder than they ever have before while they are physically and mentally exhausted. This is the epitome of stress! All of these things happen with the very real possibility of injury and failure. In our martial arts school, we attempt to make the experience as safe as possible, but we are preparing people for what could be the most dangerous encounter of their lives. Pain and risk are part of the training! When you are under intense stress, you often lose the ability to function. The idea behind the stress of our testing is that if you can perform well in the test, you will be more likely to keep your cool (and intelligence) in the stress of a real altercation.

When all else has failed you, your body is tired, your knowledge is exhausted, and your abilities have been pushed to the limit, you need something else to succeed. A strong spirit. There are many stories of people who had strong spirits. Who’s will to survive or succeed was so great that they overcame seemingly insurmountable odds. These are the heroes we look up to, the people we write books about. Unfortunately, we rarely understand that they went through many hard times before they became a “hero”. Whether it was a difficult childhood, an unfortunate accident, or the driving force of a coach or leader that pushed them further than they wanted to go. Each time they were pushed, they had two choices: give up or get tougher.

Over time, we all experience different types of stress and struggle. We also have a choice to make. Are we going to run from the struggle, or are we going to lean in and push beyond our boundaries? The final (and arguably most important) reason for the difficulty of a black belt test (or a Marine hell week) is the ability of participants to look back on it and realize what they have already overcome. Every time a black belt runs into something difficult in life, they can look back on the test and say, “We’ve been here before”. When they do, they will also be reminded that they survived and grew through the process. That will help them to continue with an indomitable spirit in whatever situation they encounter. If you want to have this ability, get out there and do hard things! Whether it is a black belt, or boot camp, or a 5k, or cleaning the kitchen, push yourself to persevere through difficulty. Someday, you may be grateful to be able to say, “We’ve been here before!”

Breaking Through Barriers to Success

Have you ever wondered why you aren’t making progress in your goals? Maybe you are trying to learn a new skill or lose weight or save money. Every time you turn around, something “comes up” that puts you back a step. Maybe you just keep trying and nothing seems to help you make progress. Without a doubt, living in this seemingly endless struggle can be emotionally and physically exhausting. However, there is hope! You can take what I have learned over the past several years and find a way to overcome your “wall”.

Step One: Define Your Goals

Many times, when we begin to work toward achieving something, we neglect to set good goals. I’m not going to dig too far into this, because I already wrote about the process in another post that you can read HERE. Essentially, however, your goal needs to be S.M.A.R.T. This acronym stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time bound. (hint: step two can help you set better goals!)

Step Two: Find a Coach

Coaches are AMAZING! Sometimes it seems like we can just “YouTube” the answers to our questions and figure out how to make things work. Even that is a form of coaching. Someone who has done what you are attempting to accomplish is sharing their experience with you. The downside of that kind of coaching is that there is zero personal interaction. What we really need is a person in the same room with us (or at least on a zoom meeting). They can provide valuable outside input and encouragement when we need it most.

Step Three: Find a Community

Regardless of what goals you are trying to achieve, there are probably others who are also working on the same goal or something similar. Finding those people and connecting with them will help you (and them) to have support when your progress seems to be lagging. Now, if you are the only person in your peer group who is working on a specific goal, don’t let that stop you from asking others to help you! You will be surprised at the amount of help someone with different experiences can give you. If nothing else, having other people you are reporting to, will keep you accountable to succeed!

Step Four: Find a Rhythm

Accomplishing big goals generally takes a lot of time. It is easy to get bogged down or distracted from your goal. It has been said that it takes 90 days of consistent practice to build a permanent habit. Whether your goal is to stop doing something, or start something, or complete something, you are going to need to put both psychological and physical rhythms in place to help you. Trying to change everything overnight is virtually impossible without divine intervention. Instead, start by making small changes that become habits. Using something as simple as repeating a mantra before you start working on your goals each day can have immense long-term effects on your success.

Often, we look at the success of others around us and we think it is because they are simply “better” or “built differently”. However, the reality is, that most of those people are just like you and me. They had goals, and those goals grew and changed with them as their lives progressed. You are no different. You can accomplish truly great things! Anything worth doing is likely to take a lot of time and effort, but I can promise you that most (if not all) of the successful people you meet have followed the steps outlined above in order to achieve their aims. Take it from someone who has encountered a lot of barriers. Success isn’t born, it is made through simple powerful decisions that follow a predictable pattern. You CAN break through to success!

Life Is Pain?

Many years ago, I was introduced to a movie that has become somewhat of a cult classic. I thoroughly enjoyed the film, but there was one quote that has stuck with me. “Princess Bride” wasn’t terribly popular at the time it was released, but throughout the last 36 years it has continued to collect followers and is now frequently quoted by people of all ages. The movie starred an odd assortment of cast members including Cary Elwiss, Robin Wright, Andre Roussimoff, and Wallace Shawn. There was a comedic air to the entire film, but occasionally, the screen writer (William Goldman), would drop a nugget of wisdom that stuck out amongst the action and comedy of the film. I think that is one reason why the movie has been so popular through the years.

In an emotional scene where the two young protagonists are reunited, Elwiss’s character shouts,

               “Life is pain, Highness! Anyone who says different is selling something.”

It seems obvious that such a quote would come from someone who has endured many hardships. To be sure, the character in question had certainly been through a lot. However, I venture to say that many people would be shocked to hear someone say something like that seriously. Our innate understanding is that life is supposed to be full of joy and pleasant experiences. Unfortunately, the reality is something very different. We ALL experience pain. Whether it be physical, mental, or emotional, pain is a part of our daily lives. While life itself isn’t defined as pain, no one goes through life without experiencing plenty of it. So, if we know that pain is coming, what should we do about it?

In my experience, there are a few primary ways to deal with pain:

1.        Avoid It at All Costs – This method may include hiding from any difficult situation that arises, trying to cover up any difficulty, or simply leaving every time pain peeks over the horizon of our life. Unfortunately, this method almost always leads to more pain for others and eventually ourselves. It’s like ignoring a splinter until it grows infected and requires medical intervention.

2.        Stuff It – This is similar to avoiding in that the person tries to make the pain disappear as quickly as possible by hiding the memory and emotional reaction from it deep in their consciousness. The downside is that they never deal with it until it becomes overwhelming and eventually destroys them or someone they love.

3.        Over-React – The person who does this, allows themselves to be overtaken by the emotional reaction to pain. Many times, this results in a complete inability to walk through the painful situation. They collapse into a puddle of fear and sadness or explode in anger and abuse. Neither of these reactions help them to achieve growth and both can cause more pain and difficulty for those around them.

4.         Accept the Inevitable – This reaction can tend a little more toward the healthy side, but without a second step, it becomes depressing and eventually causes the person to be unable to make progress. Pain is expected and disappointment becomes the status quo.

5.        Partner with the Pain – This is by far the healthiest of all the options discussed thus far. The individual who chooses this path understands that pain is going to come, and that they must endure it, but that they can also use it as motivation and education to make their lives more fulfilling and enjoyable.

The founder of Taekwondo, General Choi Hong Hi, is quoted as saying “Pain is a great teacher, but no one wants to attend his class”. If you are reading this, I can pretty much guarantee that you are old enough to have experienced some pain. Whether it is physical or emotional, pain is something we all deal with. The question is, what will you do with it? Will you allow it to destroy you, or will you accept it and allow yourself to learn from it?

Explained, But Not Excused

I recently listened to an audiobook by Gavin DeBecker called “The Gift of Fear”. It is a wonderful book full of advice on listening to our intuition and understanding the signals given by people around us. However, the most impactful statement I remember from it was this:

“Every human behavior can be explained by what preceded it,

but that doesn’t excuse it!”

It struck me as a great reminder of why we teach moral values along with martial arts skills. One without the other is a recipe for disaster.

For instance, if a student were only to learn combative skills such as punching, kicking, and throwing, they would have the ability to damage people who are less skilled than them. In fact, quite often, people who are naturally talented at fighting, but have no one to guide them, end up turning into bullies. The explanation for their actions is that they were taught (or learned on their own) how to fight, and they desired some resource. As a result, they acted using the tools at their disposal (i.e. violence) to acquire the resources from someone who did not have the same tools. It is simply a logical outworking of the given situation. I hope, however, that you can see how this type of behavior is ultimately destructive to both the violent and the abused parties. Not to mention society as a whole. With power comes responsibility.

In our particular dojang (martial arts school), we teach a foundation of the five tenets of Taekwondo. They are integrity, courtesy, self-control, perseverance, and indomitable spirit. In addition to these foundational values, we teach a number of other important guiding principles that help our students to make good life choices. These values are designed to act like bumpers on a bowling lane. They keep us from running our life into the gutter. No matter who you are, you will eventually end up in a situation where violence is one of the possible options for your current situation. However, if you are well-trained and practiced in the use of good values, you should be able to make a different decision.

In martial arts, we spend time drilling skills. We try to imagine a scenario and determine the best way to extricate ourselves from the situation with as little damage to our bodies as possible. How often do we do the same with our moral values? When was the last time you sat down and wrote out the values and principles that guide your life? Spending time analyzing situations and seeing how you could respond using your values is an enriching experience. We would all do well to take time to “practice” the values we claim!