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I hope this is the right forum. I wasn't sure if it belonged here or in Fitness & Exercise.
I am looking into the therapeutic benefits of the various Martial Arts for high-functioning individuals on the Autistic Spectrum. Often this population also suffers from anxiety, lack of body awareness, low impulse control and low self-confidence.
Specifically, I'm looking for a Martial Art that is essentially non-competitive. I've heard that the two that fit this criteria best are Karate and Tai Kwon Do. I've also heard Yoga may have the same benefit.
Any thoughts or information on these sepcifically or other alternative therapies that offer the same benefit is greatly appreciated.
Would this be for an adult (15 years or older) or a child? If a child, then most karate schools would be fine, but if adult its a bit more tricky.
First off, I would rule out any and all tae kwon do schools as they are almost all geared to competitive (i.e., glorified games of Tag) "fighting" and most certainly do not consider any MMA school where Brazilian Jujitsu is taught. Secondly, there are MANY different schools that teach many different "styles" of karate (Shotokan, Goju, Kenpo, Issin Ryu, etc.) and of these different schools and styles, you'll have some that would be appropriate for your needs and some that would be totally inappropriate. You also need to consider what the person would enjoy as well, but also search for a "traditional" school where martial protocol and Bushido is practiced.
Please also state exactly what you mean by "therapeutic" benefits. Most martial arts training would help with the things you listed that autistic people suffer with.
I have personally trained one person who is autistic in wing chun kung fu. This guy who is about 22 years old is HIGHLY skilled. I have also trained a few 18-28 year old downs syndrome people in kenpo karate with great success.
You should also look into yoga and tai chi. The tai chi may be a bit boring for him/her but give it a try. Best thing to do is visit your local martial arts schools and talk to the Sifu/Sensei there to get their thoughts on training an autistic person and you can see for yourself if its a place you want to be involved with.
My son has Asperger's and he did extremely well with Karate. The repetitive and regimented movements are just exactly what those on the AS c rave.
My son started at 11 and is still heavily involved at 22. The movements calm him and allow him to focus (which is just what he enjoys) without looking like he is "standing out" for being so intense.
It was a little challenging at first because his instructor would touch him in order to correct his form (nothing 'funny' just being a good instructor) and he detests when someone touches him.
I would certainly try a Martial Art and give it a little time to see if the child responds well. It can make a huge difference in how the child sees himself and allows him to participate without appearing socially awkward.
Good luck, it could work wonders for a child on the AS.
Kinda of a bit of target, but here is a scene from one of my favorite martial arts movies ever about a young autistic girl who learns kung fu from watching tv.
We tried taekwondo for our daughter, who is on the spectrum, but she is not as high functioning as some other kids. Unfortunately, she has zero personal motivation to exercise, so we had to bribe and coax and cajole her ... it got old. I think it can be a terrific choice for kids who love the organization and rules and terminology; there are a couple kids at the center who are probably Aspies. I don't have any experience with karate, but Melanie gave great insight above.
Would this be for an adult (15 years or older) or a child? If a child, then most karate schools would be fine, but if adult its a bit more tricky.
It's for my 15 year old son. Out of curiosity, is there a particular reason that it would be trickier for an adult?
Quote:
First off, I would rule out any and all tae kwon do schools as they are almost all geared to competitive (i.e., glorified games of Tag) "fighting" and most certainly do not consider any MMA school where Brazilian Jujitsu is taught. Secondly, there are MANY different schools that teach many different "styles" of karate (Shotokan, Goju, Kenpo, Issin Ryu, etc.) and of these different schools and styles, you'll have some that would be appropriate for your needs and some that would be totally inappropriate. You also need to consider what the person would enjoy as well, but also search for a "traditional" school where martial protocol and Bushido is practiced.
Please also state exactly what you mean by "therapeutic" benefits. Most martial arts training would help with the things you listed that autistic people suffer with.
I have personally trained one person who is autistic in wing chun kung fu. This guy who is about 22 years old is HIGHLY skilled. I have also trained a few 18-28 year old downs syndrome people in kenpo karate with great success.
You should also look into yoga and tai chi. The tai chi may be a bit boring for him/her but give it a try. Best thing to do is visit your local martial arts schools and talk to the Sifu/Sensei there to get their thoughts on training an autistic person and you can see for yourself if its a place you want to be involved with.
I really appreciate the informative post. I guess I have my research cut out for me. I know there are many different schools in my immediate area, however the majority I believe are either Karate (I'm not sure what particular style of Karate they teach), Tae Kwon Do or Mixed Martial Arts. Truthfully, distance & schedule is also a consideration, given our other obligations, but for a good place I would be willing to make the effort. I will have to call around and/or visit and ask whether they have the ability and willingness to accommodate him.
The yoga was another possibility that was recommended to me, which I'll have to research more as well. I'm not sure that he would enjoy it though, but then again he isn't very interested in any sport or physical activity.
The "therapeutic" benefits I was thinking of were self-discipline and impulse control, body awareness, self-improvement, possibly self-esteem building and practicing basic social skills, yet doing so in an enriching way and in a "typical" environment. Additionally, I want to reinforce respect for others, respect for protocol, respect for authority and your peers. As his parent, another no less important added benefit would be getting him away from his computer, video games and books and just being around other teenagers.
My son has Asperger's and he did extremely well with Karate. The repetitive and regimented movements are just exactly what those on the AS c rave.
My son started at 11 and is still heavily involved at 22. The movements calm him and allow him to focus (which is just what he enjoys) without looking like he is "standing out" for being so intense.
It was a little challenging at first because his instructor would touch him in order to correct his form (nothing 'funny' just being a good instructor) and he detests when someone touches him.
I would certainly try a Martial Art and give it a little time to see if the child responds well. It can make a huge difference in how the child sees himself and allows him to participate without appearing socially awkward.
Good luck, it could work wonders for a child on the AS.
Thanks Melanie. I'm going to start looking around during our upcoming winter break. Did you notice any improvements in your son's behavior in any way at school or at home as a result?
Also, Lao mentioned there were several different styles of Karate. What style of Karate did your son study?
Kinda of a bit of target, but here is a scene from one of my favorite martial arts movies ever about a young autistic girl who learns kung fu from watching tv.
It's for my 15 year old son. Out of curiosity, is there a particular reason that it would be trickier for an adult?
From a trainer's perspective, a lot of school owners would be hesitant to place an autistic person in class with non-autistic adults for fear of what the adults would say about training with someone autistic. Also, most schools worth anything teach a more "watered down" version of their are to kids (12 usually being the max age for childs program) and the "full" curriculum to adults 13 and older. Plus, a lot of schools that dont really place great emphasis on "traditional" training (honor, virtue, character development, etc.) have adult classes where the "F" Bombs are being dropped along with other cursing and behavior inappropriate for a teen to be around.
Quote:
Originally Posted by robee70
The "therapeutic" benefits I was thinking of were self-discipline and impulse control, body awareness, self-improvement, possibly self-esteem building and practicing basic social skills, yet doing so in an enriching way and in a "typical" environment. Additionally, I want to reinforce respect for others, respect for protocol, respect for authority and your peers. As his parent, another no less important added benefit would be getting him away from his computer, video games and books and just being around other teenagers.
All great benefits of REAL martial arts training. You'll usually get those with most traditional type schools. The MMA schools are all fight fight fight fight drop an F bomb here, drop some more F bombs there in their classes. So if you find a place that advertises MMA or BJJ (Brazilian JuJitsu) avoid it, or if you want, ask to view an entire training class so you can see HOW they teach.
Try to find Shotokan, Issin Ryu, Goju Ryu, or even Aikido schools. These schools usually include the discipline, virtue, character, body awareness and self esteem that you are looking for. Again, you really want to visit each school, talk to the instructors, watch a group class and then make a decision. What city are you in? I'll be happy to do a bit of research for you to help weed out the less desirable schools.
Thanks Melanie. I'm going to start looking around during our upcoming winter break. Did you notice any improvements in your son's behavior in any way at school or at home as a result?
Also, Lao mentioned there were several different styles of Karate. What style of Karate did your son study?
There was a noticeable difference in the way he held himself and the way he regarded himself. It gave him great confidence which helped him to interact a little better with his peers. He was never a problem at school as long as everyone (teachers & students) let him do his own thing without calling attention to him.
I hope that you find a decent school and that your son takes to it as well as my son did. He studied kenpo and he learned discipline and respect; it was really terrific for him.
Last edited by melaniej65; 12-13-2010 at 11:00 PM..
Reason: spelling
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