Teaching techniques to the handicaped

[Klondike93]

Maybe where you live is just a really nice place, are you handicaped at all? If so maybe you just notice more than those that aren't. My wife has become sort of handicaped I guess.
She has had 9 operations on her feet casued by being a letter carrier. The uneven terrain she had to walk has caused a lot of damage to the nerves in her feet. She used to do Tae Bo, ok contain any laughter, but can't bounce or stand on her feet that long any more. It has become a challenge for her to keep trying to do Tae Bo.

:asian:

 

[tshadowchaser]

If I said I was normal everyone who knows me on the forum would stop laughing next week (maybe)
other that my getting older no handicaps that I know of. My spelling is a result of my poor education in my early yeas and my just not careing about it later on. Yes I am dislexic(sp) but no one except me realised it till I eas 40+.
No I have been in disscussions lately with some doctors , newspeople, and long time residences of the area. Seems like quite a fewpeople from the inner cities where shippes out here on some type of houseing BS that and there are so many people makeing a liveing by running boarding houses for the handicapped.
The inner city movement brought more handicapped, and non english speaking into the area, along with the damn gang members. Thats another problem starting up, but for another thread.
Shadow
:asian:

 

[tunetigress]

Lucky for me, I had trained in Kenpo for a couple of years before I was injured and subsequently disabled. I was already heavily addicted to the MA before my disability made my training such a challenge. The public perception of a Martial Artist is one of able-bodied athletically-oriented people peforming impossible-looking moves and sustaining grievous injury. Now what 'disabled' person would possibly consider that they could fit into THAT type of activity. No wonder most of you instructors have little experience teaching the disabled! As for me personally, continuing to train with this disability has been the hardest thing I have ever tried to do in my lifetime (and I ain't no spring chicken!) and the instructor and students in my (former) school really didn't have any understanding or appreciation of what it was taking me to do so. Perhaps the MA world as a whole needs to approach this issue in a whole new way, and think of providing services and instruction to the disabled, in such a manner that they can see that the MA can be of as much value to them as it is to any able-bodied person. :asian:

 

[Chiduce]

Tunetigress; I think your statement was very well said. My sifu is currently teaching a handicapped student. This student has no legs and relys on artificial legs for training. he is getting pretty good and has won a few trophies at several competitions. I feel that the martial community does need to pay a little more attention to what type of training can be offered to the handicapped student. Kata, as well as forms can still be preformed. Weapons training is still weapons training for those whom can train with them. Sometimes, i think also that it takes a special kind of instructor or teacher to train those whom are less fortunate because os mental, physical, or both types of handicaps. Yet, is this not what we are instructors for? I see that we as instructors are those special people whether we like it or not! If we do not step up to the challenge, then it is ourselves with the handicaps. Sincerely, In Humility; Chiduce!

 

[arnisador]

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1002,45%7E509943,00.html

"All-but-blind artist has meticulous style"

The style is apparently Shaolin Kempo, United Studios of Self Defense, Wheat Ridge, CO

 

[tunetigress]

Arnisador, that was a timely article for me to read; thanks for the link. When disabled later in life like the man in the article or myself, we still have the knowledge and skills from our pre-disability years to help guide and shape our life. We develop a wide range of coping mechanisms just to help us get through our 'normal' daily activity based on our existing skills Learning new skills and continuing the pursuit of former talents becomes frustrating, if not impossible, when we are suddenly unable to move, think, or even breathe in the manner that we did before. If we cope well, people say, 'hey, you LOOK good, what's your problem? You don't LOOK sick!' If we can't adapt we are simply pushed into the background and ignored. The onus is on the disabled person to 'adjust the attitudes' of the people we must deal with in the able-bodied world, and it likely won't surprise you that MA instructors do not come equipped with a 'reset' button!

It was heartening to note that the blind man's instructor tailored his instruction specifically to his needs, using the skills he had retained, and then developing them to a high level. IMHO there are not very many MA instructors out there who have even given the topic of training or even living with disability a second thought. Many MA instructors are dedicated to teaching their art in the 'traditional' manner precisely as they were taught. They feel it is important to train all of their students in precisely the same manner, with the same expectations and requirements for all. Many of them, as well as their students may say that this approach is only fair, and that they can't go around making 'exceptions' for people who 'can't cut it.' Perhaps they feel that they risk being accused of 'diluting' the art, or heaven forbid, being a McDojo for trying to cater to the non-traditional MA student through modification of teaching and/or testing procedures. Perhaps instructors could start looking at anyone and everyone as a potential Martial Artist? Why not focus on people's abilities and modify instructional methods to suit them? Wouldn't the hard-earned accomplishments of your 'disabled' students make you proud of your effort and ability in instructing them? Do they have to bring home medals and trophies, or be able to beat the best fighters in the region to bring pride and /or honour to YOUR school? Perhaps. :asian:

 

[arnisador]

You've got a great attitude Tunetigress, and that helps more than just about anything in life!

 

[tunetigress]

Well Arnisador, attitude is about all I have left after a year of illness and disability. Thankfully for me, there happens to be an instructor to whom attitude is of prime importance, or my attitude wouldn't be half as good as it is right now. Other than that, all I have is my family, Kenpo, computer, and a heap-big Compo case. :asian:

 

[LanceWildcat1]

My son, born with Spina Bifida and wheelchair bound since birth, is starting to learn some self defense techniques due to the kids that like to mess with his wheelchair. We live in an area that looks down on the disabled, when most of them are inbred and have a problem with using any common sense in business. A few years ago, I taught my son some technique's that he could use to protect himself from kids who like to torment those who may not be as non-disabled as themselves. He used a technique of smacking a kid in the shins with his wheelchair to stop the kid from tipping my son's chair over. I was called into the school over this, and had a real 'go round' with the principle and the other kid's mother. My contention, backed up by my son's friends, was that what my son did, he did to protect himself. The mother threatened a lawsuit and was told by me to 'just do it'! I told here that I would bring out in court how her son had tormented my boy and would bring other kids to verify it. She, at that point, changed her tone and appologized for her son's behavior. My son never had a problem with that kid again. There have been other minor problems, but my son had used common sense and diplomacy to resolve them. He's been dumped out of his wheelchair on a couple of occasions and had to have help getting back in by other students. This usually resulted in the kid doing the tipping over getting shunned for awhile by other kids. Good object lesson.

 

[arnisador]

That's a tough situation LanceWildcat1. You need to think about his ability to defend his self-esteem as well as his person, obviously. Good luck.

 

[Nightingale]

I used to teach (casually, not in a real formal class type thing or anything) a friend of mine who was blind. Before I taught him anything, I put a blindfold on a sighted friend of mine and taught a technique or two, just to get the feel of what to do. I concentrated on attacks that could be felt, like grabs, rather than punches, which they may or may not know is coming. I explained stuff like clutching feathers and obscure wing, and how you can tell what the grab is when you grab their hand. There was a lot more of me actually picking up his leg to show him how to kick, because he couldn't see me demonstrate, so I had to make him know how it was supposed to feel. I taught him short 1 to help teach him how to move, and I must admit, last time I saw him his short 1 looked better than mine. We lost touch after I graduated college, unfortunately. He lives in Florida, and I'm in California. he said he was going to look for a kenpo school in or near St. Petersburg that was willing to teach him...dunno if he found one or not.

 

[tshadowchaser]

Kids canbe verry crule and down right mean at times. The fact that your son is learning to defend himslef is great. The fact that the other kids will shun the offender is even better.
Not knowing the fullcondition of your son is he able to use his hands and arms enough to learn locking techniques?