Disabled Martial Arts

Discussion in 'Disabled Martial Artists' started by ShiroTora, Jul 24, 2009.

  1. ShiroTora

    ShiroTora Valued Member

    I have been honoured to teach a wide range of special needs students over the years and always welcome people with a disability.

    I have had blind students who excel at Wing Chun, chi sao, locking, and groundgrappling. I even had a blind student get up to brown belt in karate. His appreciention of kata was remarkable. He then went on to qualify in Tai Chi. He was a remarkable man who gained a Master's Degree through audio study and braille. I was honoured to be his teacher and his friend.

    I have also coached wheelchair people, some of whome have become remarkable at weapons, stick drills and nunchaku in particular.

    One wheelchair student came to me and I asked him what he was interested in. He told me "everything except kicks!". We became good friends from the first day he "rolled in" as he refers to it, and he trained in many aspects of Martial Art.

    At my classes held at the Church we welcome people for all our activities, not just the Martial Arts.


    ST
     
  2. ShiroTora

    ShiroTora Valued Member

    In coaching disabled martial artists, I've had a varied and diverse experience.

    I've always done blindfold chi sao in my Wing Chun, but doing it with a blind student took the whole thing to a new dimension. The same applies for blindfold grappling.

    When training with my friend in the wheelchair I used to sit in a chair and train pads and sticks with him. And as for applying the techniques against a standing attacker, it gave me another new appreciation of this dimension of combat.

    There have also been various students with missing limbs, including one guy who was missing an arm (yes he did all the jokes about "Unarmed Combat") who became an expert kicker. And as his right elbow was just an elbow he became lethal with it.

    This can be a rewarding teaching experience as well as a great learning experience.


    ST
     
  3. Light123

    Light123 Give Up On Giving Up

    Hey ST.

    My sensei would agree with you. I am his first disabled student and he's been "thoroughly impressed" with my stuff.I am his Student of the Year this year. Things can get complicated for him sometimes but that doesn't stop him. He seems to enjoy working with me and busting through the complications together.

    Here's some vids from my first tourney if you're interested.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyxzyqGmQc"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/ame]

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW9vo0Mb2js"]YouTube - 2008 First Martial Arts Tournament (Part 2)[/ame]
     
  4. Dikzzz

    Dikzzz Valued Member

    Last edited: Aug 5, 2009
  5. ShiroTora

    ShiroTora Valued Member

    It's great when people who have a disadvantage turn it round and make it into a positive.

    I was watching the London Marathon and they had one of those wheelchair athletes being interviewed. He had no legs, a custom "bath" chair and he pushed with arm stilts. He had made a huge amount of money for charity through sponsorship and was promoting awareness.

    The interviewer asked him why he was doing this.

    Know what his answer was:
    "To help people less fortunate than myself."

    A guy with no legs trying to help people less fortunate than he is.

    Now that's a true warrior and a humbling experience.


    ST
     
  6. Light123

    Light123 Give Up On Giving Up

    I find it unfair when a sparring partner holds back againszt a DMAist such as myself. It can also be dangerous. At a tourney I was in Saturday, a guy was being very dramatic as he sparred a DMAist. If MA is about being about being able o defend yourself, then a fake spar is likelly to cause a lot more damage.
     
  7. ShiroTora

    ShiroTora Valued Member

    A good maxim for this would be "fight them well but fight them carefully".

    You are right, it's not fair to hold back too much on somebody who is there to push themselves to improve, it's almost disrespectful.

    Concentrate on developing the strengths, don't get hung up on any particular limitations (we all have them!)

    Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative.


    ST
     
  8. Dikzzz

    Dikzzz Valued Member

    Check out this thread in the self-defence section for a video of Derek and a disabled lady to defended herself against a rapist in her bathroom.

    http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?p=34061082


     
  9. ShiroTora

    ShiroTora Valued Member

    It says the video has been removed.


    ST
     

Share This Page