Cerebral Palsy

[William MacLeod]

I've had it all my life, but i've been in martial arts for almost 13 years.

[William MacLeod]

Do you guys know anybody else with cerebral palsy in a martial art?

[Dr NinjaBellydance]

No, I dont know anyone else, but that's inspiring and very cool, thanks for sharing! :D :D
How do you find it? What difficulties do you feel you've had to overcome due to your condition (because I'm nosey ;) !)?

[Greyghost]

To perservere and overcome....you put the rest of us to shame.

nice to have on board.

[William MacLeod]

No, I dont know anyone else, but that's inspiring and very cool, thanks for sharing! :D :D
How do you find it? What difficulties do you feel you've had to overcome due to your condition (because I'm nosey ;) !)?
No, I dont know anyone else, but that's inspiring and very cool, thanks for sharing! :D :D
How do you find it? What difficulties do you feel you've had to overcome due to your condition (because I'm nosey ;) !)?

Mentally not much. But physically, before I started doing martial arts I had terrible balance. Most of our exercises for the first couple belts had to do alot with standing on one leg, hopping up and down while doing different blocks, and even just walking while kicking...every time we did some of those exercises I would usually end up on the ground because I couldn't hold myself up very well. I got passed that, but it took a long time. When I started I couldn't make a fist...at all. The best I could do was close my fingers not even half way to make a fist so that's another thing. I can deffinitely say I've become more flexible since I started. Before I couldn't bend my legs when we sat down to stretch, but i'm doing a lot better with that right now. One thing that people have alwayse thought when they did just grappling with me for fun was that since I don't have as much strength as most people that they could take me down really fast...so not true. One of the things that I've learned in my martial art is how to use other peoples strength against them by pressure points, and several other different things...unless it's a femal because I don't think that it's polite in any fassion to hit a girl. In my beginning forum I put down that I love leg locks...any kind. Foot locks, toe holds, ankle holds, heel holds, knee locks...anything. I also love ground fighting. I think if I were to say who my favorite UFC fighter is I would have to say Royce Gracie.

[bedens67]

Greetings...
First, congrats to you for your perseverance!
Second, for others with CP doing martial arts, check out:

http://www.fighterscp.org/

They are in St. Louis, and I have assisted with one of their classes... Very well done, and they don't coddle the students...
Hope this helps!

**bows**

- Bert Edens, II Dan TKD
Springdale, Arkansas

[William MacLeod]

Thanks for giving me that. I just read what it said on there, and it pleased me to learn that those teachers were doing that for those students. I have heard many times that since I have CP that I couldn't do most of the things that regular (quote on quote) people can. I never believed that, and I'm glad those teachers, and students don't believe that either.

[William MacLeod]

Greetings...
First, congrats to you for your perseverance!
Second, for others with CP doing martial arts, check out:

http://www.fighterscp.org/

They are in St. Louis, and I have assisted with one of their classes... Very well done, and they don't coddle the students...
Hope this helps!

**bows**

- Bert Edens, II Dan TKD
Springdale, Arkansas

Can you possibly give me a way to contact them?

[Clay Johnson]

I've had it all my life, but i've been in martial arts for almost 13 years.
Hi, my name is Clay Johnson and I have CP also and been in the martial arts since 1983. I've studied karate, Thai Boxing, Filipino Martial Arts and Jun Fan Gung Fu. What styles have you studied? I look forward to talking to you sometime.
Clay Johnson
Clifton Forge Va

[WhiteWizard]

Its good to hear from you guys and i hope you can contribute a lot to our forum always glad to have new people on board.

It would be interesting to hear a little more about the challenges you have faced while training.

[William MacLeod]

Hi, my name is Clay Johnson and I have CP also and been in the martial arts since 1983. I've studied karate, Thai Boxing, Filipino Martial Arts and Jun Fan Gung Fu. What styles have you studied? I look forward to talking to you sometime.
Clay Johnson
Clifton Forge Va

I've studied a bit of Karate, and Tae Kwon Do. I didn't stay in those martial arts, because they didn't offer the help that I needed because of my special needs. The martial art that I have mostly studied is Kuk Sool Won. I really enjoy hearing from people with CP that have gone past what other people thought they could do. Have you ever had people doubt that you could get anywhere is those martial arts?

[William MacLeod]

Its good to hear from you guys and i hope you can contribute a lot to our forum always glad to have new people on board.

It would be interesting to hear a little more about the challenges you have faced while training.

Can you be more specific? Sorry, I don't understand what you meant by the challenges i've faced.

[Richdog]

I think naturally he means any difficulties you encountered as a result of your disability and what you did to overcome them :)

[WhiteWizard]

I think naturally he means any difficulties you encountered as a result of your disability and what you did to overcome them :)
Yep i'm really interested about hearing any adaptations or adjustments that you have made to techniques during your training which have helped you overcome any difficulties that your condition have caused during you training.

It could be really helpful to hear about this kind of stuff for both fellow students and instructors

[Clay Johnson]

Yes many people didn't think I could do the martial arts because I'm disabled. But when people doubt me I prove them wrong. I have been very luckly and have trained with some of the best instructors in the martial arts. These instructors saw me the person and not the wheelchair. I have instructorships in all the arts I have studied. I have been teaching the martial arts since 1987 and 99% of my students have been able-bodied.
Clay Johnson
Clifton Forge, Va

[bedens67]

Can you possibly give me a way to contact them?

Greetings...

The contact information I have is:

mstempf@kajukenbo.org

for Sifu Michael Stempf, who leads the program, and:

cwalton@kajukenbo.org

for Sifu Charlie Walton who is also one of the instructors... Hope this helps!

**bows**

- Bert Edens
Springdale, Arkansas

[johndoch]

I used to train with a guy that had cerebral palsy. It was in kickboxing but his doctor told him to stop because of the risks to his health, he was gutted
:(

I was gutted when I heard this

[Clay Johnson]

Well I understand why your friend doctor would suggest that or order him to stop training. Doctor's have been told me that about anything I ever wanted to try for years. Like riding a bike or riding horses,which I went ahead and did anyway. Please don't get me wrong. It's a doctor's job to look after us. If there is a good heath reason for the doctor to suggest or order someone to stop training OK. But I think it should be up to the person them selfs and their instructor. If you are enjoying your self and getting in better shape along with learning that's the main thing. I also have CP and I know what the martial arts as done for me. If I had listen to every doctor that told me no! I would not be where I am today.

Clay Johnson
Clifton Forge, Va

[Richdog]

I'll tell you what, martial artists with disabilities put me to shame... because the dedication I show to martial arts can never compare to you people. I am far too frivolous, to my detriment. :(

[YODA]

I'll tell you what, martial artists with disabilities put me to shame... because the dedication I show to martial arts can never compare to you people. I am far too frivolous, to my detriment. :(
*Applause*

Couldn't agree more mate.

[soctt03]

A friend of mine has CP. He's just got his 5th dan!!

[Joshua Powell]

Hey...sorry for not talking recently...i've had to go through some changes. Just incase your wondering I was William MacLeod. I had to change my last name when I was adopted into a new family this summer, and Joshua is actually my first name. Anyway...if you guys want to continue, i'm getting more up to speed now so we can continue this thread if you want;)

[Melanie]

You were adopted at 20? Wow - never too late I guess :)

Joshua welcome back - I hope you can give some helpful tips and advice to other members on here. If you have any of your own articles to submit on anything connected with MA please PM me :)

[Joshua Powell]

You were adopted at 20? Wow - never too late I guess :)

Joshua welcome back - I hope you can give some helpful tips and advice to other members on here. If you have any of your own articles to submit on anything connected with MA please PM me :)

Sorry never been asked to write an article...heh but if you want to know anything about what I've faced that you can go ahead and PM me if you want :cool: . Martial arts has actually been huge for me ever since I was 7 years old...which was when I really did alot more in it. I did two martial arts before I did kuk sool won. The first one that I did was just a regular Karate class...and I didn't stay in that for even more then a class :rolleyes: I did TKD for awhile but after awhile my parents and I just knew that I wasn't getting the help that I needed. After about 2 more years I started doing Kuk Sool Won when I was 7 years old, and I've been doing that for almost 14 years. When I started it, it was mostly for physical therapy, but after awhile my Dad started doing it with me, and I did it with him until the year that I went to college. I found out that he had cancer and had to go home early from college. I wanted to stop doing the martial arts, but my Dad kept on encouraging me to do it so I have. I now have my second degree black belt and I'm a second teacher with my first instructor. There are some things that I can't teach like doing some kicks because my balance still isn't very good...and I don't like to be held upside down so when a technique like that comes up my instructor takes over for me;). If you have any more questions I would be more then happy to answer all your questions;)

[soctt03]

Hi William - yeah! I know a couple of guys with CP. 1 is an instructor, I think he got his 5th dan about 1 yr or so ago; the other, also an instructor, based in Sweden, but don't think he has his black belt yet also coaches people with disabilities.

[Joshua Powell]

Hi William - yeah! I know a couple of guys with CP. 1 is an instructor, I think he got his 5th dan about 1 yr or so ago; the other, also an instructor, based in Sweden, but don't think he has his black belt yet also coaches people with disabilities.

Being a person with a dissability teaching other people with disabilities is a great experience...but unfortunately I think it's rare. I have a friend that says that etleast 99% of his class are able bodied students, and in my personal experience I actually don't think i've had any students with dissabilities. Your friend in Sweden is a very lucky person.

[Joshua Powell]

I just finished my first article on being disabled, and what it has done for me in martial arts please take a look at it if you want.

[Melanie]

Thats very good - very compelling stuff matey. I am very sorry for your loss by the way :(

I look forward to hearing more from you.

[soctt03]

Hi Joshua again - an excellent write-up. well done!

[Clay Johnson]

Joshua,
Very well written article. Keep up the good work!!

Clay Johnson

[Joshua Powell]

Thank you. I'm going to try to write some more but I don't have alot of time at the moment. Please keep posting on here. I would like to get more feedback on what I said from you guys. thans.

[Joshua Powell]

Afternoon all;) Just got back from a 3 day Kuk Sool Tournament in Longmont Colorado:) Got first place in Sparrin twice, and then forms:) I don't have pictures yet but they will be out soon;)

[Clay Johnson]

Joshua,
Great job!! Was there a lot of people at the tournament? And were there other guys there in wheelchairs competing?
Clay

[KSW_123]

Joshua, it was very inspiring for me to read your article. I wish you all the best, and maybe I'll have the pleasure of meeting you at a kuk sool tournament some day.

[BentMonk]

Greetings William. I have CP also. I have been a student of Shaolin Do Chinese Martial Arts for 12 years. I am currently a 1st degree black belt. I too have balance issues, therefore I cannot kick...yet. My instructors changed all of the kicks in our material to knees and elbows. I told my instructors when I started that I wanted everything I learned from them to have a practical self defense application. They were happy to oblige. All of my fighting is done at zero distance, and all of my techniques work. I am currently working on my grappling game as I am a striker trapped in a grapplers body. I condition hard and spar harder. Kettlebell training has dramaticly increased my leg strength, as well as my overall strength and balance. My current goal is to train grappling enough to compete in some semi-pro grappling tournaments and graduate to full contact MMA tournaments.

Way to go Josh! Major congrats man keep it up! :)

[Joshua Powell]

Greetings William. I have CP also. I have been a student of Shaolin Do Chinese Martial Arts for 12 years. I am currently a 1st degree black belt. I too have balance issues, therefore I cannot kick...yet. My instructors changed all of the kicks in our material to knees and elbows. I told my instructors when I started that I wanted everything I learned from them to have a practical self defense application. They were happy to oblige. All of my fighting is done at zero distance, and all of my techniques work. I am currently working on my grappling game as I am a striker trapped in a grapplers body. I condition hard and spar harder. Kettlebell training has dramaticly increased my leg strength, as well as my overall strength and balance. My current goal is to train grappling enough to compete in some semi-pro grappling tournaments and graduate to full contact MMA tournaments.

Way to go Josh! Major congrats man keep it up! :)

That would be awesom my friend;) I would like to talk to you...and compare notes on what weve had to deal with if that's alright;)... Thanks the congrats, and thanks for posting as well;)

[BentMonk]

Greetings Joshua. I think having a Mom that treated "can't" as if it were profanity, and being a MA nut since I was four are responsible for my attitude towards training. The biggest obstacles in my training are balance and mobility. The two most effective ways I have found to improve both are kettlebells, and forms training. The kettlebells increase overall body strength. Forms increase balance, coordination, and mobility.

[BlaznAzn]

Hi everyone....just thought i would comment. I am thinking about getting into jujitsu and have CP. Its not too bad I have full movement and the only thing that is affected is my balance more or less. My only conern with joining this Dojo is the fact that I wont be as good of a partner for other people. I just want to know how to get over it...or some tips. I tried judo and really liked it too but im just a bit nervous. ANything to calm the nerves????

[NightWanderer]

Hi everyone....just thought i would comment. I am thinking about getting into jujitsu and have CP. Its not too bad I have full movement and the only thing that is affected is my balance more or less. My only conern with joining this Dojo is the fact that I wont be as good of a partner for other people. I just want to know how to get over it...or some tips. I tried judo and really liked it too but im just a bit nervous. ANything to calm the nerves????

Japanese or BJJ?

I trained briefly in BJJ and I can say that once you're on the ground it won't matter as much as you think, so don't worry. Just get down to business, set your worries aside and train, you'll love it. I have CP too (in a wheelchair) and I joined this forum in the hopes of finding a system that focuses on nerve and pressure point utilization in south florida, if anyone can help me out.

[Mike866]

Hi everyone....just thought i would comment. I am thinking about getting into jujitsu and have CP. Its not too bad I have full movement and the only thing that is affected is my balance more or less. My only conern with joining this Dojo is the fact that I wont be as good of a partner for other people. I just want to know how to get over it...or some tips. I tried judo and really liked it too but im just a bit nervous. ANything to calm the nerves????

Hi! I know its been a while since this post was made but if you still havn't tried the jujitsu class I would really recommend it. I have CP and am studying shaolin kung fu but have some jujitsu experience. One of my favourite things about martial arts is how welcoming and supportive I have found my teachers and classmates to be. There's no need to worry at all I'm sure you'l be fine!