WHY FUNCTIONAL MARTIAL ARTS FOR KIDS?

     Frequently I have parents call me to ask "What would be the best 'style' of martial arts for my child to study." I usually begin by saying NO style, and then go on to explain my answer using the following metaphor.

     Each September a brand new crop of young boys and girls begin school. Imagine if before their first day of classes their parents were required to look at them and choose their adult occupation and the corresponding course selections which would be appropriate for that career. "My son is definitely going to be a physicist when he gets older so I don’t want him wasting his time on poetry and art. I only want him studying math, science, etc." Of course that is silly. No one can predict what a child will enjoy and excel at. Because of this our school's offer a balanced education for each and every child and then let them determine their preferences for themselves.

This is exactly the same philosophy we use at Team One. 

     In the world of the martial arts there are several paths to success. Rather than trying to take each child and mold them into the mirror image of some “ancient master” we teach the fundamentals that every functional martial artist must know and then let the child develop their own “style” based upon their body’s attributes and their personal tastes. How is this done? By actual “alive” training with other real boys and girls. The model we use is called PAW Method and not only is it the best way for a student to develop actual self- defense skills, it is infinitely more fun than the traditional static training methods used in most martial arts “dojos.”

Don't get us wrong, our kids program is structured with the fundamentals from American Combat Karate and Functional JKD which includes techniques from Karate, Boxing, Muay Thai Kick-boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, and Wrestling.  As the children progress through the ranks the real excitement begins to happen as the mold into unique martial artists with actual skill... not cookie cutter lemmings that all can 'show techniques in the air' but not perform them in competition, the class room, or in real life.