The Centurion

  I frequently find myself inspired by other martial artists. There are so many amazing individuals out there, who are using their talents to make the world a better place. At a Century video shoot, I had the chance to meet another incredible martial artist who is improving lives in our community in Oklahoma City. Sensei Jennifer Allman is a teacher at Harding Fine Arts Academy in OKC, out of which she runs her Firehawk Martial Arts program. She is using her karate background and teaching abilities to bring martial arts to kids who might not otherwise have had access – and it’s changing the entire school! During a break from shooting, I had the chance to interview Allman.

  Finding the right sport for your child can be difficult at the best of times, but ADHD in children makes it even more difficult. They may be left out of team sports because of their difficulties with coordination or following directions, and end up bullied or isolated as a result.  

  Here at The Centurion, we usually try to put a positive spin on martial arts and training. Clearly, this one-sided approach is problematic, as it doesn’t cover the many downsides of martial arts training. So today, I’m going to play the devil’s advocate and let you know exactly why you and your loved ones should steer clear of the scourge that is martial arts:  

  In a society that increasingly is marked by contentiousness, bullying and insincerity, infusing young people with a strong moral compass has never been more important—or more of a challenge for parents. The overwhelming influence of social media, coupled with pop culture’s promotion of some less-than-stellar figures as role models, make growing up difficult in today’s world.

  Let’s start of by saying: there is no one right way to train in martial arts, and no one goal that’s right to have. Whether you plan on joining the ranks of pro MMA fighters, or just want to roll two days a week as a stress-buster, your training journey is important. That said, competing in your martial art of choice (at any level – it doesn’t even have to be professional!) can produce some great benefits:  

  Anti-bully campaigns are becoming more and more prominent with every passing year, as parents become more attuned to the difficulties children face when they head off to school or out to play. While many parents think that there’s little a child can do to avoid being bullied if they aren’t the biggest or strongest kid in their grade, in reality, so much of beating bullying is about building confidence.

  Whether it’s part of structured in-school activities, during recess, or part of an after-school extracurricular, children have many opportunities to stay active and play with friends. Frequently, this is accomplished through joining a sport, the most common of which are football, basketball, hockey and soccer. However, if you’re looking for the best activity for your child, there are some compelling reasons to skip the team sports route and opt for martial arts instead.

  If you’re the parent of a child enrolled in martial arts lessons, you definitely want your child to succeed on their training journey. However, some parents don’t realize just how important their encouragement is to a child’s success. They may also not know how they can show support in ways that will be genuinely helpful. Encouragement can come in the form of simply watching your child’s training, or even participating in parent-and-child martial arts classes.

  We’re rapidly approaching one of the best holidays (in my opinion): Halloween! As a kid, I loved this day. It was, after all, the one time of the year middle-school-age-Sarah could dress up like a bat and no one could say anything about it. Halloween is universally adored by all kids – including those in your dojo!

  There are plenty of myths swirling around martial arts. And I don’t just mean the superstitious variety. I mean misconceptions and mistaken beliefs that have somehow gained status as facts. These are annoying at best. At worst, they keep people away from training in martial arts – people who otherwise would have benefited from everything the martial arts have to offer.