Karate and Why it Could Be Good For Your Child

By Connor R Sullivan

Parents who want their kids to learn independent martial arts have several questions in mind. They keep wondering which is the best NKY karate school that provides good training program. Searching the best school is itself quite a task as there are numerous karate training institutes in North Kentucky. But, before going into the hunt for best school, ask your child what he/she wants by doing the karate training classes. Is your child looking to - increase fitness? Enhance self confidence? Learn self defense or learn perseverance? Concentrate on what your child wants to focus on and then search the karate school.

You must be aware about paying right price for the karate training program. Here also you need to conduct proper research to know whether the fees that the institutes are charging are appropriate or not. There are obviously several cheap alternatives that offer karate courses at lower price. Be aware that such course might not be able to develop entire aspects that need to be done during karate training. You need to pay a certain price for getting something good. It does not mean that you have to burn hole into your pocket to make your child learn karate - the national average of karate training is every month. However, the price also depends on the area where you live. If the cost of living in your area is high, then the fees might be higher too.

Now, decide on the location of the karate training center. You must keep in mind that the distance of the karate school is convenient to your kids. Your kids have other commitments also like schools, tuition, etc and hence they need to manage time for everything. A good school within easy reach can solve the purpose. One of the best ways to find information about the schools in NKY is searching internet. You will get the list of the nearest karate training schools and also their course details. This will help you to sort out which is the best school in the area.

Concentrate on cleanliness. Karate is a type of martial art that commands discipline. There are many karate schools that have disgusting toilets, smelly atmosphere, the kids wear dirty uniform, etc. All these things are no way close to discipline and honor that are the vital aspects of a good karate training school.

Commitment is another important aspect that you need to find out in the karate training school. Check out whether the trainers are committed and enthusiastic about the goals of the institute. Also find out whether your kids are committed to complete certain period in learning this form of martial art. There are certain schools that ask for six months to twelve months commitment from the students.

Considering all these factors will not only help you to get the right training schools for your kid in NKY, but also help you to understand whether your child is really prepared for taking up such course or not.

Connor R. Sullivan and his son take Taekwondo lessons at a NKY karate studio. He and his son love to take Taekwondo lessons at a Independence martial arts studio. For more information on Karate for Kids, see www.bestmartialartsource.com.

Pros and Cons - Kick Boxing - Muay Thai

By Cody Church

I want to first say, that when I was learning kick boxing, it was mixed with Muay Thai methods. So some of the things I learned may be slightly at an advantage or disadvantage in a real fight. I will say though the mixture of the two was completely AWESOME! The power of Muay Thai is so amazing that its almost superior to any other stand up strikes. The speed of Kick Boxing is really what brings it a whole new level though. Muay Thai, uses grappling, elbow strikes, knee strikes, each blow meant to put an end to the fight I like that! Kick Boxing uses Kicks, alot like Tae Kwon Do, and Boxing. Trust me that is a deadly combination. The Kicks In this style of fighting are usually meant to target the opponents knees, and head. The knee is used to target the opponents ribs, and head. The elbows target the head and when possible are used to stop your opponent from attacking, but not just to block him, but to hurt him enough he will not want to swing again. The hand strikes are very much like boxing, with a defensive stance resembling Tae Kwon Do with your hands.

The Kicks are much harder, then any fighting style I have ever been in. The bottom of the shin is used to strike with, and your goal is to break whatever you hit. Not just quickly hit it and move away. This hurts far worse then a Tae Kwon Do kick as well. The down side of this is that the knee kicks are performed much like a foot ball bunt, which means there is plenty of time to get out of the way if its not set up properly. Also the fact that you are hitting your shin puts you at a higher risk of breaking your leg. If you do not practice the technique and become advanced in it, you will do more harm to yourself then your opponent. I will say that your would stand a good chance against a person with a knife, or a stick when you become advanced in this fighting style. The reason being you are able to block much harder strikes then most fighters, and your strikes usually have twice as much put down power.

The speed of the movements is a problem though. When your fighting more then one person at a time you can't afford any kind of telegraphing. Simply put you cannot afford for them to see your kick before it has already hit them. Also the stances are some what wide which makes it hard to move quickly, even though it does give you a harder hit. It gives you a much slower dodge. However you are going to learn grappling that allows to control opponents movements twice your size. With these movements you can easily break arms, legs, ribs, even an opponent's neck. (All while standing) I like that advantage. Because as we all know the worst place to be is on the ground during a fight, with two other guys stomping down on your face. I give Muay Thai, and Kick Boxing (mixed) a nine out of ten. It is without a doubt one of the most deadly combats available, however not for its. complexity, but for its simplicity. Because anyone that can throw punches, kicks, elbows, and knees, can be transformed into an elite fighter with this style. This is what makes it so deadly. It used basic movement to stop, and sometimes even kill an opponent. This is a definite must for anyone any where who wants to improve the over all mechanics for there basic fighting style, while at the same time gaining extreme striking power.

I hope this helps you guys decide on your fighting style.

Cody

If you guys like what you read please tell all your friends about my work. I am currently writing a book called Becoming the Warrior. It is about my owm fighting style called (The Destroyer) it revolves mostly around fatal combat for street purposes, but also covers the basic of all the martial arts that I know all mixed together to make them more effective. Thanks for reading (Cody.)

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For more articles and information on Kick Boxing Martial Arts, see www.bestmartialartsource.com.