As bullying continues to escalate in public schools, many kids look to traditional martial arts for self-defense. Unlike some martial art styles, Kung Fu is a comprehensive Chinese art that includes a vast curriculum of traditional unarmed and, later on, weapons maneuvers for combat. Although useful for teaching self-defense, the coolest benefits of Kung Fu are increased levels of self-esteem, discipline, motivation, respect, concentration, courtesy and self-confidence. For the best training, select a "sifu," Kung Fu instructor, you like and take weekly Kung Fu classes at your martial arts school.
Step 1
Ask your friends if they're enrolled in a Kung Fu class. Talk to your parents, neighbors and other people who may be knowledgeable in the different Kung Fu schools and instructors in your area. Most martial arts schools give you a free class to try out their fighting style, so visit a sample class at each Kung Fu school in your area and decide which sifu you like the best.
Step 2
Show the class schedule to your parents or guardians and let them know how many classes you want to take each week. Try to attend at least two to four classes weekly so you can stay on top of your training and continue learning new Kung Fu moves and styles. Talk to your sifu to be sure you have all gear and equipment you need, such as: uniforms, sashes, mouth protectors, groin protectors, sparring equipment and training weapons.
Step 3
Practice a little bit of Kung Fu each night before going to bed to keep your moves and styles fresh in your mind. Take 15 minutes and go through all of your punches, kicks, stances, blocks and "kata" forms in front of a mirror to make sure you are staying on top of your learning.
Step 4
Schedule a sleepover or hangout time with your friends from Kung Fu class during some weekends to practice your moves and forms together. Put on your protective sparring gear--gloves, boots and helmet--and engage in controlled fights with your friends to test out your fighting skills in action. Do all of your sparring on a training mat for safety and avoid targets such as the head and groin to make sure no one gets hurt. Reward yourselves with a post-match marathon of Kung Fu movies.
Step 5
Talk to your sifu whenever you feel ready to advance your next sash and perform your test. Keep up your daily practice to make sure you are learning all of your strikes, blocks and forms correctly. If you find yourself getting bored, remember that soon you'll be learning how to fight with swords and spears.
Tips and Warnings
- While fun to do with friends, video games are a big time waster and can take up chunks of time before you even know what happened. Limit your video game playing to help focus on your training to be a master at Kung Fu. Read books about the Shaolin warrior monks and other Kung Fu masters instead, and attend tournaments, demonstrations and workshops whenever you can.
- Kung Fu is a contact sport and can sometimes be dangerous if you aren't careful. If you experience any pain during your training, inform your sifu and parents right away. Never use your fighting knowledge to bully, pick on or be mean to others. Remember: Kung Fu is a special art that has been carried down for thousands of years, not a crash-course in street fighting.
Things You'll Need
- Mirror
- Protective sparring gloves, boots and helmet
- Training mat
- Kung Fu movies (optional)
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