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Paul Forhan

Why Aikido Lessons Are Great for Children in the El Paso Area

By Aikido Lessons, El Paso TX

Group of children in kimono sitting on tatami on martial arts training seminar. Selective focusAlthough summer is winding down, there’s still time to partake in aikido lessons at Aikido of El Paso. Aikido is known as the “way of harmony with the force of nature,” separating it from other martial arts. It is fully defensive, making it the perfect way to practice self-defense. If you have a child who’s been driving you crazy during this summer vacation, consider setting her up with our youth aikido lessons!

How Children Can Benefit from Aikido Lessons

Summer is synonymous with free time. Although this might be exciting for children who are out of school, parents all across the El Paso area may get more and more tired of having children at home at all hours of the day. This is why summer camps are so popular. But if you’re looking for a way for your child to get exercise and gain valuable life skills, consider aikido lessons. Unlike other martial arts such as karate or taekwondo, aikido focuses on self defense. It’s still a workout, however. It just doesn’t involve any offensive strikes. This is why it’s such a great summer pastime. Aikido can help children in the following ways:

  • Build strength and endurance
  • Encourage cooperative behaviors
  • Increase flexibility
  • Gain confidence and awareness

What Happens Once Summer is Over?

Once summer draws to a close, your child can continue partaking in aikido lessons throughout the year. As your child ages and gains more insight into the art of aikido, she can partake in more advanced classes. In fact, due to aikido’s defensive nature, individuals of all ages can partake in the martial art. This means your child can be a student of aikido as a teenager, young adult, and even as an elderly person! Aikido of El Paso offers plenty of aikido classes all throughout the week. This way, your child can have the perfect way to release all that pent up summer energy. All while gaining valuable insight and knowledge on how to defend oneself, both physically and mentally.

Aikido of El Paso is Here to Help

Aikido of El Paso has provided high-quality training to students in the Southwest area. If your child needs something to do, consider aikido lessons from the masters! Contact us today to learn more about the benefits of aikido.

The Tradition of Japanese Warrior Arts

By El Paso TX, Japanese Warrior Arts

Martial arts karate fighters, master and his disciples in white kimono and black belts hone their skills, fight training in action, workout in gymAikido is a Japanese martial art that has as its central aim the notion of weaponless self defense. The practice aims to keep the attacker injury free. This martial art involves a lot of joint locks and re-direction of the opponent’s momentum. By simply redirecting momentum, you are able to successfully protect yourself without having to generate a tremendous amount of force. At Aikido of El Paso we focus on these basic principles, while instilling some of the ancient warrior virtues.

Brief History of Japanese Warriors

A samurai is a Japanese warrior. This tradition dates back centuries. Samurai’s were trained warriors that were part of an elite military caste. The word samurai translates to “those who serve,” as the early samurais were armed supporters of wealthy landowners. Throughout the centuries the traditions and honor codes of the samurai have carried over and become an important part of the Japanese culture.

Samurais were known for their sober behavior and strict codes. Their behavior was dictated by strongly instilled ideas of honor, loyalty, bravery, and honor. Many of these were held above one’s life, so that soldiers who dishonored the code often preferred to die by suicide than have to live dishonorably.

The Japanese warrior code became known as bushido. The word translates as “the way of the warrior” and gave way to generations of great military men that fought to the death.

Tenets of the Code

The Samurai code developed over years as the art of war developed and ideas about the ideal warrior came to be.

Self-Control: These soldiers were taught to show no fear and exhibit absolute self-control and grace in the battlefield.

Authority: All warriors tended to have a deep respect for hierarchy and authority. They took orders and followed them, as they believed it held together an important structure.

Loyalty: A deep rooted philosophical belief in the loyalty towards country and family, which often discounted individualism. That is, a soldier was  fighting not for himself, but for a greater cause. His own interests came second.

Honor: The elite warrior would not allow himself to feel fear or to disgrace the cause. He was always to operate with grace and to bring honor to his family or country, or else expire by one’s own hand.

We owe a lot to the Japanese when it comes to traditions of martial arts and combat. Aikido places great emphasis in the spiritual and mental aspects of combat. In Aikido, size doesn’t matter, for true strength is in control and technique.  We like to honor this tradition in Aikido of El Paso, where we study this unique martial art, while respecting the history of all Japanese warrior arts.

The Benefits of Enrolling Your Child in Martial Arts

By El Paso TX, Martial Arts

Aikido boy fighting position in white kimono isolated on whiteChildren are adventurous creatures who deserve outlets where they can release all of their pent-up energy and creativity.  Martial arts is a great activity for children to be involved in. Not only can it help them stay in shape and maintain good health, it’s also a great way for them to channel their energy into something positive. Here are some of the benefits martial arts, such as aikido, can have on your children.

Benefit #1: Better Behavior

Kids are sweet, sweet angels—except when they’re not. Children are amazing, but sometimes they throw temper tantrums so crazy, you’re just not sure what to do. Because children are ripe with emotions and a tad on the unpredictable side, giving them a place, like an aikido class, to channel these emotions and energy is a great way to help them behave more without having to enforce punishments and strict rules.

Benefit #2: A Good Night’s Sleep Every Night

Martial arts can be quite tiring, but this is a good thing. It can help your little ones sleep better at night, sleeping through the night and falling asleep more easily at bedtime. Plus, sleeping well and feeling well-rested will help them perform better in school and feel happier.

Benefit #3: Staying Occupied

A little bit of boredom is good for a child’s imagination, but too much boredom can be a recipe for disaster. With a martial arts class in their schedule, your children can stay occupied, create goals for themselves, make new friends, and spend multiple hours a week doing something they enjoy.

Benefit #4: Learning Self Defense

A great thing about attending a martial arts class is that a child will also learn how to defend his or herself. While it hopefully doesn’t come to this, it can come in handy in tricky situations. For one, as a child grows both in mind and in a martial arts class, they will be able to discern the difference between a foe and friend. This combined with knowledge of self defense can help them in dangerous situations.

Call Aikido of El Paso Today!

If you’re looking for a great way to get your child active and to have a place where they can channel their energy, Aikido of El Paso is the place to call. We offer Aikido classes for children ages 6 to 14. Call us today to learn more about our programs!

What Differentiates Japanese Martial Arts from Other Combat Forms

By El Paso TX, Japanese Martial Arts

When discussing the topic of  Japanese martial arts, you may picture individuals in robes striking each other while shouting loudly. It’s important to understand that Japanese martial arts encompass a wide range of styles and techniques, some make use of weapons while others solely rely on the practitioner’s own body and strength. Aikido is one such martial art. It stands apart from other art forms because aikido focuses solely on self defense. If you’re in the El Paso area and you’d like to learn a highly useful form of self defense, visit Aikido of El Paso!

Why Japanese Martial Arts Matter

What differentiates Japanese martial arts from other forms of combat from around the world is the intrinsic philosophy that permeates through every form of martial art. From those that make use of weapons (kendo and kyudo) to those that only require the practitioner’s own body (karate, aikido), the world of martial arts offers a wide variety of choice for all. Japanese martial arts are known as “budo.” This term is used to describe modern martial arts and it translates literally to “the way of war.” Although this literal translation may seem very violentand aggressive, budo is essentially a way of training both the mind and spirit to reach an internal peace. In fact, modern martial arts have no enemy. The only enemy is the one within the practitioner. This “ego” is that which must be fought.

Understanding Aikido

Many types of budo require the practitioner to instill physical injury upon their attacker. This substantial aggression can lead to negative emotions which may manifest in the life of the practitioner. Morihei Ueshiba, aikido’s founder, decided to create a budo that implemented his own martial studies, philosophy and religious beliefs. The term “aikido” loosely translates to the way of harmonious spirit.” In essence, Ueshiba set out to create a budo wherein the practitioner could defend his or herself while protecting the attacker from injury. This may sound counterintuitive, especially from a Western perspective. Regardless, by keeping both the practitioner and the attacker free from harm, aikido is able to impart positive energy into the environment that surrounds the practitioner.

Practice Aikido in the El Paso Area

This is where Japanese martial arts differ from other forms of physical combat or training. Since budo combines philosophy with physical training, the practitioner’s mind and body are reinforced through practice. If you’d like to take your first steps towards enhancing your life, both mentally and physically, then visit Aikido of El Paso! We offer classes to students of all ages, all throughout the week. Contact us today to learn more about our schedule and classes!

The World of Martial Arts: Aikido Training Benefits the Body and Spirit

By El Paso TX, Martial Arts

Closeup of male karate fighter hands.Unlike other forms of fighting, martial arts are generally built upon a philosophical foundation. Aikido, for instance, was crafted as a way of unifying life energy. In fact, the term “Aikido” translates to “the way of a harmonious spirit.” This is what separates aikido from other martial art forms. In fact, aikido was created as a martial art that could be used to defend oneself while protecting the attacker from injury. It is much more than a martial art, it’s the most complete form of self-defense. If you’re in the El Paso area and you’d like to learn more about aikido, visit Aikido of El Paso.

Martial Arts Benefit Your Life

In order to walk through life with a harmonious spirit, one must take every step with care and precision. It’s necessary to be safe and maintain a stable point of view. Sometimes, however, our daily lives get in the way of staying healthy and energized. This is where aikido comes into play. Martial arts are able to provide individuals with all the tools they require to defend themselves. Karate is well-known as the “empty hand” martial art while aikido is the way of combining forces in order to defend oneself without destruction.

Train Your Body and Mind

Aikido training is made up of physical and mental aspects. The physical side is diverse, made up of physical conditioning and overall fitness. A majority of aikido training is made up of throws so beginner students need to learn how to fall and roll safely. The mental aspect manifests when the student relaxes his or her mind and body even under stressful circumstances or dangerous situations. Simply put, an aikido practitioner must be able to meet attacks with confidence. In order to achieve this, the student’s mind must be in the right place.

It’s Time To Start Training!

Aikido can be practiced by children as young as 7 years old to elderly people as old as 70 and beyond. Children who begin training at an early age can train their minds to be stable and ready to face any obstacle head-on. Adults can easily put what they learn into their daily lives. It’s important, however, to train rigorously and advance in the martial art form in order to properly reap the benefits. If you’re in the Southwest area, visit Aikido of El Paso today to witness the natural power of this martial art. Contact us today to learn more about what we have to offer.