As an instructor I frequently hear this from parents; “When my son/daughter first joined karate they were so committed and now they sometimes complain when it’s time to go to class. Should I let them quit?”

The fact is that at sometime between White Belt and Black Belt most everyone will go through a dry spell where they question their desire to continue in their training. Getting a Black Belt is a long and difficult process and in today’s instant gratification culture most people are not used to working through the dry spells.

I believe the following will convince you that you should be doing every thing you can to encourage your child to achieve a National Karate Black Belt – and NOT QUIT!

Q: Sometimes my child complains when it’s time to go to Karate. Does that mean they want to quit?

A: As and Instructor, I look for 3 things:

1. When I ask a child, “Do you want to be a Black Belt?”, and they say, “Yes”.
2. I observe that they are having fun in class.
3. When they earn a stripe or belt they are happy or proud.

If the answer to these 3 questions is “Yes” then they don’t really want to quit. They are just being a kid and looking to get by with the least amount of work. In this case, I recommend that you enforce their class attendance. In my house we told our kids that there will be a consequence for complaining. If you complain, you get extra chores. If kids think there is a possibility of getting there way from complaining they will be relentless. So don’t cave in!

Q: I can’t make my child go to karate – can I?

A: Why not? You make your child go to school. You make your child eat vegetables. If you believe that karate will make your child more disciplined, more confident, safer, and become an achiever, then it is worth making them go until they get their Black Belt.

Q: Shouldn’t my child push him/herself to achieve a Black Belt?

A: Self-discipline. Children are not born with self-discipline; they develop it over years of training. Until children develop their own self-discipline, they need their parents, teachers and karate instructors to be their discipline for them.

Children, need their parents to make sure they do their homework, to make sure they brush their teeth, to make sure they go to karate class. Left to their own, most kids will not be able to accomplish great things, but if we push them a little, someday they will develop their own self-discipline and self-motivation. And when that happens, you can celebrate!

Q: My child just doesn’t stick to activities. Is that a bad thing?

A: Habit. Kids will choose the path of least resistance. At some point the excitement will start to give way to the fact that it is a lot of work to achieve greatness. Quitting is a habit. Achievement is a habit. Which quality do you want you child to have? How many times have I heard, “My child quit baseball, quit scouts and now he wants to quit karate.” Setting a goal for Black Belt and sticking to it is a great way to create the habit of achievement!

Safety. We live in a dangerous world and we need to equip our children with the skills necessary to protect themselves. For instance I feel it is critical that my children learn to swim so they can protect themselves if they ever fall in water. How bad would I feel if my child fell in a lake and drown because they did not know how to swim. While teaching them to swim does not guarantee they will never drown, at least we have done all we can do to prevent an accidental drowning.

The same goes for self-defense. They need to learn to defend themselves so when they go off to college and are not under my protection they will be able save themselves. Again, while being a black belt will not guarantee their safety, at least we did all that we can do to give them the skills to protect themselves.

Non-negotiables. In our family we have decided that there are some important life skills that our children need to have mastered before we send them out on their own. Developing these skills are non negotiable.

1. They need to go to school. (Trust me, if I didn’t make them go, they wouldn’t.)
2. They need to learn to swim (Mentioned earlier.)
3. They need to go to church and receive their faith training.
4. They need to be in Karate until they graduate from High School (for reasons mentioned earlier.)

The rest they get to pick on their own. They can decide what sports they want to play, if they want to play a musical instrument or not, or what clubs they want to be in. But they don’t have a say in the four non-negotiables. They are kids. They are not qualified to choose the direction of their life.

Parent Support. I have never had a child or youth student get a Black Belt without their parents full support and encouragement. The kids who have parents who drop their child off and never come watch a karate class will never get a Black Belt. Getting a Black Belt is too hard for children to do on their own. They need support and encouragement to achieve great things. Don’t set you child up for failure by not giving them the support and encouragement they need.

Our Part. And for our part I can guarantee that all of our instructors and staff will do what ever they can to make karate class fun, help motivate our students, teach with energy and passion and to assist our families in achieving greatness! Bring them to class and we will do the rest!

Scheduling Tip:

Most kids have a very difficult time making transitions. Especially from fun to work. Karate is fun – but it is also work. The real value of karate is not for entertainment but to teach self-discipline, good work habits and achievement. If your child is watching TV or playing video games or playing with their friends, and then you say “OK. Time to go to Karate!” You will probably get a negative response.

Our family has learned to schedule homework or chores on karate days before class. When my daughter is doing homework or unloading the dish washer she is more apt to give a positive response to going to karate.

Cristian Nelson
6th Degree Master

Any exercise that gets your large muscle groups moving, like walking, running or biking, is excellent for managing your weight. These so-called aerobic exercises get your heart and lungs going, so they’re ideal in burning calories and building your stamina.

Here are some good aerobic exercises and the calories they burn: NOTE: Calories are calculated for a 150lb person doing exercise for 40 minutes. If you weigh more you will burn more calories and if you weigh less you will burn slightly less.

Karate & Kickboxing (515 Calories): Of course I recommend Karate or Kickboxing to be part of your exercise routine because not only are you burning tons of calories, but you are also learning the valuable skill of self-defense. So you are killing two birds with one work out! And because you are part of a class it helps your motivation because you don’t feel like you are all alone. You have an instructor who acts as a personal trainer to encourage you and motivate you, and your classmates help to spur you on and look forward to the social aspect of being in a class.

Walking or Running (198 / 515 Calories): Walking or running is a great form of cross training exercise. Why? There’s no other exercise routine that’s quite as simple and accommodating to any lifestyle. In fact, it’s already part of your lifestyle. You already know how to do it, and you don’t have to buy any special equipment other than a pair of comfortable, supportive walking or running shoes. You can walk alone or with others, at any time of day, indoors or out. If you have never run before you can try running for one minute and then walking for one minute. Mile for mile walking burns almost as many calories as running does, with less stress on your joints. However, running will burn more calories in a shorter time. Either way, how long you go is more important than how far you go. Your goal in any exercise should be to get your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes.

Other Good Aerobic Exercise: Other good choices for aerobic exercise are jumping rope (400), using rowing machines (318) or elliptical trainers (516). You might also choose organized activities, such as an aerobics (325) or dance class (270). And did I mention Karate or Kickboxing class (515)? Just be sure that you’re moving continuously throughout your session.

Consistency: Consistency is important! Set a goal to participate in some sort of aerobic exercise at least 3 times per week. You’ll be amazed at how great you feel afterward and how much extra energy you’ll get! Once you start seeing your waistline get smaller you will probably be motivated to go to the next level by eating better and maybe adding a day or two of exercise. But remember…”All glory comes from daring to begin!”

National Karate instructors stress that self-defense skills must never be misused or abused. Our school motto is 'Might for Right,' which means our karate is our Might and is only used for the Right reasons.

Traditional Commands:

1. Charyo (CHAR-ee-oh)-Attention: Feet together, hands firmly to the side.
2. Chunbi (CHOON-bee)-Ready: Stand with outside edge of feet parallel, inside edge of feet spaced shoulder width apart; place fists one inch apart and one inch in front of belt knot.
3. Goman (Goh-MAHN)-End: Same position as Chunbi.
4. Keyunge (Key-YOUNG-yea)-Salute: Stand with feet together, bend forward at the waist to a 45 degree angle, eyes look down.
5. Shio (Show)-At ease: Feet shoulder width apart, hands behind back.

Karate Techniques:

1. Fighting Stance: Feet form an 'L,' are shoulder width apart back to front, and 1 to 2 inches side to side with both knees flexed. Most of the weight is on the back leg. Front fist mouth level with elbow bent 90 degrees, rear fist covering solar plexus.
2. Backfist: Snapping motion, striking with the back of the first two knuckles of the front hand.
3. Punch: Twist the back foot and hip to transfer body weight forward, striking with the front of the first two knuckles of the rear hand.
4. Front Kick: Upward snapping motion, striking with the top of the foot.
5. Side Stomp: Large vertical knee motion; locking the leg down, striking with the heel.

Belt Testing & Dress Code

Testing for all students under black belt happens in the karate school. Children (ages 4-7) do their promotions in class. Youth and adult students have a special test day at their school that they are required to participate in to advance. Students are invited to attend exams by their head instructors. Announcements for testing day are posted in the school and announced in class by your instructors. Students demonstrate techniques specific to your rank. Some techniques are preformed individually and some are preformed as a group. The exam concludes with the instructor tying on the new rank of students who were able to perform their belt level curriculum correctly. Exam days are fun and exciting days at the karate schools. Family and friends are welcome to attend. Families are encouraged to take photos and video of the testing process.

Uniform & Belts

At National Karate you will see a great number of different uniforms and belt colors. Each uniform and belt conveys information to those who know how to 'read' them. First, the uniforms:

Plain white: The basic student uniform. It should have a round NK patch sewn onto the left chest. Everyone gets this uniform when they begin training.

White with Red piping: Full dress uniform. Students who want their name on a uniform, but have not enrolled in a program that provides a lettered uniform may purchase one.

White with Black piping: The Black Belt Club uniform. A student who has made the commitment to reach Black Belt receives one of these uniforms as part of their program.

Blue with Red piping: The Masters Club uniform. This uniform is for students who have made the commitment to continue training after they reach Black Belt.

Blue with Black piping: The First Degree Black Belt uniform. This is the first uniform that signifies a person's rank.

Red with Gold piping: The Second Degree Black Belt uniform. Black Belts who continue to train and improve, move up in rank and receive a new uniform.

Red with Black piping: The Third Degree Black Belt uniform. Obviously similar to the second degree, but distinct enough to be recognized for the extra effort it represents.

Black with Gold piping: The Fourth Degree Black Belt uniform. Only the most dedicated ever reach this rank. The coveted black uniform signifies deep knowledge of the martial arts.

Black with Silver piping: The Grandmaster uniform. Only two people in National Karate wear this special uniform, Mr. John Worley and co-founder Larry Carnahan.

National Karate has three sets of ranks: The children's ranks, youth and adult ranks, and black belt degrees.

The ranks for children (ages 5 to 7 years old) are all white belts. Some of the belts have either one or two colored ribbons (called stripes) sewn onto them. The color sequence is Gold, Green, Purple, Blue, Red, and Brown. Rank order is by color sequence first, then number of stripes. Instructors give promotions for these ranks in class.

The youth (ages 8 to 12 years old) and adults all start out at white belt. The color sequence is the same as the children's ranks but the stripes work differently. Once a student reaches Gold belt, the next rank is a Gold belt with a green stripe sewn on. Each successive belt alternates between a plain belt and a belt with a stripe the color of the next in the sequence. Instructors periodically place pieces of colored tape on belts to signify progress towards the next rank. An exam is held at each school monthly. Students are invited by their instructor to participate in the exam when they are ready for the next rank.

Once a person receives a Black Belt (with a blue and black uniform), they are a first degree. You may notice that one end of their belt has a gold ribbon sewn onto it. As they progress towards a new rank, their instructors give them a gold star shaped patch to attach to the lapel of their uniform. After they have earned enough stars, the student is ready to test for advancement to the next degree. Once they have successfully completed the test, the student receives a new uniform and a belt with an additional stripe sewn on. An easy way to know a Black Belt's degree is to count the number of strips on their belt.

• Only by facing our fears and understanding our weaknesses will we discover strength, confidence and security.
• We experience satisfaction and happiness as a result of our diligent effort to improve our art.
• We will be exhilarated by our efforts even if we are not immediately successful.
• Success, knowledge and true understanding will be gained if we continue to strive.
• We will feel frustration and despair only if we admit defeat and failure.
• The level of our skill is equal to the level of our commitment.
• Arrogant, boastful displays of our skills reflect low self-confidence and insecurity and reduce the level of esteem in which others hold us.
• A humble attitude earns true respect and admiration.
• As our physical powers increase and develop, so do our psychological levels of self-control and self-confidence.
• We respect and value the friendship and support of our classmates and instructor and are loyal to the principles upon which our training is based.
• The pursuit of our martial art is a life-long effort which helps us to be physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy. Our ultimate goal is to become better persons through the mastery of this ancient art.
• We will never misuse or abuse these powers.

School Etiquette & Safety Rules

• All persons should bow (salute) upon entering and leaving the classroom. Bowing is the way students demonstrate respect for what is being taught in the school and is a symbol of mutual respect for one another.
• For cleanliness and safety, shoes should be removed before entering the classroom.
• There is no smoking or use of tobacco products anywhere in the National Karate School.
• Always refer to brown and Black Belt holders as Mr...or Ms...while in the school.
• Please keep the dressing rooms and lobby neat and clean; use a locker or clothing rack to hang your clothes while in class.
• For safety, please remove all jewelry before class.
• For safety and cleanliness, gum chewing is not allowed in class.
• Free sparring is practiced only by students hold a green stripe belt or higher and must be supervised by a brown or Black Belt holder.
• Students must wear headgear, hand and foot pads, mouth guard, groin cups (for males), shin pads, elbow pads and a rib or chest protector while free sparring.
• Only students of green belt and above may use the heavy bag and should receive instructor permission prior to its use.
• There is no horseplay or running allowed in the National Karate School.

FBI Identified Top 5 Lures

But we can FIGHT BACK by training our children and youths in Stranger Danger Self-Defense. The first step is educating our kids in the "Lures" that Child Predators use. Here is a list of the top 5 Predator Lures identified by the FBI:

1. The Helpless Lure- This is the person who needs help carrying boxes to his car, or to find a lost dog, or lost child.

2. The Promise Lure- This is when the predator promises to take a child to Mommy or Daddy. Or perhaps promises a surprise or candy in the car.

3. The Gift Giving Lure- This is the predator who gives a child candy, toys, money or other gifts.

4. The Messenger Lure- This is when the predator tells the child that "Your Mommy was in a car accident" and the child is to go with them. Or "your mom asked me to pick you up today."

5. The Magician Lure-This is the predator who seemingly magically knows the child's name, parent's name or other information about the child – which makes the child believe this person can be trusted.

Role Play

We role-played in our class, but it is reinforced even better when parents practice with their kids. Pretend you are a stranger at the door. Pretend you are a stranger trying to pick them up from school or the mall. Teach them that it is OK to say no to adults (not Mom and Dad, but other adults).

YELL for HELP!

Most abductions happen very quietly. Let your kids know that they have to attract attention by yelling "HELP STRANGER" so that the other people passing by know that the stranger is not the child's dad.

Make Self-Defense Training a Priority!

Teach your child to get away from the predator by any means - including punching, kicking, scratching and biting! This is where Karate training kicks in. Make self-defense training a priority! Plus it’s fun and great for their confidence!

If you found this information helpful, please share it with a friend.