A Few Words

Discussion in 'Disabled Martial Artists' started by WhiteWizard, Dec 20, 2003.

  1. WhiteWizard

    WhiteWizard Arctic Assasain

    Hi everyone,

    I just thought it would be a good idea for me to set out what my main aims for this section are.

    1. To give disabled people looking for new activities the information they need to start a Martial Art or just to even know that it is possible.

    2. To give current students the opportunity to discuss problems that they are having so that others may be able to help.

    3. To give instructors a place to ask questions about training people with disabilities. Including things they may have to adapt how they can adapt them among other things.

    4. A place for people to learn about other peoples problems and give us all a little more understanding.

    Edit

    In no way are we here to label disabled Martial Artists in any negative way. If anything i would hope it would highlight the posotives that people can get from Martial Arts
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2003
  2. YODA

    YODA The Woofing Admin Supporter

    Excellent - sounds like a great resource.

    I've had two members so far say to me privately that they think this area is a bad idea. Funnily enough they don't seem to have the balls to come in here and raise their concerns.
     
  3. Cyph

    Cyph Banned Banned

    maybe they don't want to offend anyone?
     
  4. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    hence, they're "intellectually disabled"

    Offend...??

    This forum will be educational to both the abled martial artist and the disabled.


    With the quality of moderation we have here I see no concern.
     
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2003
  5. Andy Murray

    Andy Murray Sadly passed away. Rest In Peace.

    Fully support you WW,
    this is also potentially a great resource for instructors.

    To me, MA is all about overcoming adversity, so crack on. ;)
     
  6. Brad Ellin

    Brad Ellin Baba

    Full support from me too, WW.
     
  7. Cain

    Cain New Member

    Full support from me three! ;)

    I can't see how this is a bad idea....unless they gave a few good reasons....

    |Cain|
     
  8. Brad Ellin

    Brad Ellin Baba

    um, Cain, what would be a "few good reasons"? I can't see any reason why this would be a bad idea.. I think it's one of the best ideas to come along.
     
  9. Greg-VT

    Greg-VT Peasant

    Perhaps the those who dislike this forum are disabled?
    I can see that could be the case.

    They try to work their way into the mainstream-abled martial artists to be one and the same, and then they are seperated and given their own 'class' dispite what they've worked/tryed for.


    Personally, I welcome this new forum section. It'll be good source of information for possible future classmates, and subtleties that could help interface.

    And ya gunna do a great job, WW. 100% ;)
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2003
  10. Saz

    Saz Nerd Admin

    I've also had people tell me via PM they think this area is a bad idea, but haven't had a real reason for it. It seems they're in the minority, most of the feedback we've had is positive, including from disabled martial artists and people who train them.

    If people have a problem with the fact that we have an area for the discussion of this sort of thing, they should bring it up for discussion here, or keep it to themselves.

    I see your point VT, and I know you have no bad intentions behind it.

    People who say that calling an area "Disabled Martial Artists" is discrimination, is far from it (people have to me, via PM again). If thats discrimination, why do we have Disabled Parking bays, disabled enterances to shops, and facilities for disabled people to use the gym/pool properly? Its not about segregating people, its about helping them make the most of what they can. If you have different needs, you need different methods to make the best of your skills. So why not have a specific area to discuss the challenges faced by disabled martial artsists? The fact is, practising martial arts if you have a disability is about 100 times more challenging than a regular martial artist finds it.

    Discussing your disabilities and the issues they raise in the main forum can cause them to be overlooked, ignored or even viewed as "trolling" by people who misunderstand the aim of the post (I remember a disabled member we had a while back who mistakenly got labled as a troll because of some of the things he said, and subsquently, we haven't seen them since)

    I'm all for this forum, and personally think its a great idea. As far as I'm aware, there is nothing like this on any other martial arts forum. I have disabled family, and disabled friends, some of who have practised MA, some of who haven't, but would like to. I know they wouldn't have a problem with this area, in fact, they'd welcome it as somewhere they can ask questions and get taken seriously.
     
  11. Jewbacca

    Jewbacca New Member

    Hell yes. Lack of a disabled martial arts forum is the reason I kinda fizzled away in sept.

    There wasn't any other forum that really related to me, other than "Weapons" or "Other," which was kinda like sticking my hand in a McDonald's toy grab bag and looking for a diamond (so to speak).
     
  12. YODA

    YODA The Woofing Admin Supporter

    *Applause KGirl.
     
  13. Cudgel

    Cudgel The name says it all

    Hey this is cool. Even though I wont post here too often.
     
  14. Brad Ellin

    Brad Ellin Baba

    *Hands clappin** Well put Kgirl, well put!
     
  15. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    Very good post Kgirl....

    ... might I add one other thing.

    Just a note to "abled" martial artists. There may come a time that you may find yourself in similar situations as many of our "disabled" members... be it that you become disabled yourself or that it may be one of your students.

    Maybe not so much are they "disabled" martial artists.... but "differently-abled" martial artists! :)
     
  16. WhiteWizard

    WhiteWizard Arctic Assasain

    Thats a good point Deb a lot of the stuff relevant to disabled people come into play in later life just through general deteriation of senses. The material here can be useful on many more levels than what people may think.

    The whole semantic thing of what "disabled" means to some can also be confusing but as you say its more to reference the fact that these peoples face different problems when training however more than likely they have greater ability to use other areas than the average person
     
  17. rolling thunder

    rolling thunder New Member

    Please excuse me pasting tis from another thread. I felt it needed to be seen in here as well. i do not make a habit out of posting things twice though.*g*

    Hello all................I am a 4th dan blackbelt in taekwondo. I own my own school and presently have about 90 students. I am 50 years old.

    I have been parapalegic since an auto accident in 1995.

    I have taken my entire curriculum and adopted it to the needs of students in wheelchairs as well as other hinderences.

    I have developed and am about to release for sale a series of tapes entitled "Seated Self-defense". Look for them in martial art and disabled magazines. I will also soon have a website both for my school and to to market these tapes.

    The exercises, drills and techinques I show on these tapes are designed for the student to practice and advance so far as their disability will allow them.

    Though these tapes when used for training will not turn a person in a wheelchair into "Hell on wheels" but they most certainly will greatly enhance one's self-defense ability and confidence.

    I have spent th last 5 years working on these techniques with many other martial arts instructors of many styles. I use the essay writen by Darren lauer as to the "Anatomy of fear" and how that relates to self-defense.

    I am also a member of the Paralyzed Veterans of America, (PVA) and have gotten my wheelchaired Taekwondo Sports program (sparring, forms and breaking) accepted into the 2004 PVA World Wheelchair games in St. Louis as an exhibition sport. It must hold up for three years to be recieved as an offical sport.

    If anyone is interested in these tapes they will be available this June. If anyone has any questions whatsoever about disabled martial arts, just post it and I will answer it to the best of my ability.

    I have a student who is blind, a student who is deaf, two younger students with spina bifada and four with spinal cord injuries. ALL of them must train in my regular classes with everyone else.

    After all, even if it is only because we can't get away us people in wheelchairs tend not to be violent people.....besides, what good is it to teach someone in a wheelchair to fight somebody else in a wheelchair?

    I also find that besides getting many people with disabilities a chance to get more in the "mainstream" of life and people my program also helps introduce young children (as young as 4) as well as others who do not know anyone with severe disabilities a chance to get to know them and realize that no matter what the differences may be, that we all have much more in common.

    The feats that I and some of my students do and the determination and sheer hardwork that we all must do to make up for any shortcomings is both applauded and inspiring to those that see it.

    To see someone who is challenged mentally or physically attempt to do something well that they will never do as well as their less challenged peers and the joy they get as well as the overwhelming determination they show in spite of it all should be an inspiration to all. It is the very epitome of indomitable spirit.
     
    dvcochran likes this.
  18. BackFistMonkey

    BackFistMonkey Valued Member

    Good resource

    For the injured martial artists too . I know that most martial artists end up injured at some point in time . I think the thread is great . Disablled Martial Artists is the name of the thread . Brake a few toes and you fit the catagory for a while evn if its not the point of the thread . If you have a limit or a obsticle in your training ( from Lupus to paralization to a broken pinky knuckle )its nice to hear how others have overcome similiar/different/worse/easier/ situations ...

    Having this open forum to express your frustrations , accomplishments , goals , and training techniques will hopefully not upset anyone . I will be crawling through here with a fine tooth comb looking for ways to compensate for my failing knees .
     
  19. inosanto1

    inosanto1 Valued Member

    MA for disabled(ME)

    hi lads/lasses, just thought i would jump in and say a few words about this subject, as it relates to me(i refrain from capitals). I am disabled, have a curved spine with bars holding it together and a hip that was replaced. i trained in the martial arts before this and now train in jkd/kali/escima and grappling.

    anyone averse to disabled people inthe martial arts should not be in the arts, period!!!


    Thanks

    Mark
     
  20. Pog

    Pog New Member

    Interesting - I'm classed as disabled, but my prosthesis is classed as a dangerous weapon (having nearly knocked myself out doing an axe kick, I can vouch for it). Surely that makes me enabled? (I'm legally allowed to walk around with it).

    Second point - The best form of self defence is to run - what happens if you cannot?

     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2004

Share This Page