Karate and its hidden benefits

By Meir Breuer

Issue of Sept. 19, 2008

I will always remember being overwhelmed as a Yeshiva day school student. Another thing I clearly remember is the outlet I chose to help me cope. It was, and still is, practicing karate. Karate is not necessarily for everyone. However, due to its unique qualities, I feel that it is worth a try for almost anyone.

Occasionally you may find a martial arts instructor who emphasizes inappropriate behaviors, but the association of terms like “karate” and “martial arts” with fighting and violence –– which can dissuade parents from sending their children to karate classes –– is inaccurate. Taught properly, karate offers many benefits.

I am beginning my 25th year as a student of karate and my 20th as a karate teacher. I am part of the Tora Dojo karate system. (Tora in Japanese means Tiger and Dojo means school.) Professor Haim Sober of Yeshiva University devised the system in 1967. Tora Dojo is an exclusively Jewish system, with schools in the U.S. as well as Israel and Russia.

As both an occupational therapist specializing in pediatrics and a 2nd degree black belt, I can attest to the many potential benefits of karate and related martial arts. Students of karate benefit from improved listening skills, heightened ability to focus and maintain eye contact, proficiency in relaxation/ meditation exercises, improved peer interaction and social skills, enhanced breathing capacity, self-esteem, coordination, balance, muscle strength and flexibility, and the ability to master self defense. The physical work is unique, and addresses very controlled movements. For some, this can be very difficult and frustrating. However, accomplishing the challenge can be very rewarding.

Excellent coordination is not a requirement for entering a karate program. In fact, lack of coordination is a reason to enroll in karate classes. While some need to work harder than others, coordination actually improves with practice, and practice is key for realizing all the objectives of karate.

While the recent Olympics emphasized competition, a concept very much stressed in karate is that there really is no competition against others. Rather, one competes only with one’s own weaknesses. One learns to be honest with oneself, acknowledging strong and weak points and learning to focus on improving weak points. When one accomplishes these personal achievements, colored belts that signify proficiency, or rank, are awarded. These belts are a symbol for students to “see” their accomplishments and at the same time to strive continuously for refinement of the art. By studying the martial arts in their proper context a student internalizes a sense of discipline that can become a useful tool throughout life.

Feedback I receive from parents confirms to me the benefits of karate. Parents have said: “The meditation and the breathing exercises helped my child focus better before taking an exam.” Or, “My child has a noticeably higher self esteem since he’s earned that karate belt rank. “ Another parent commented: “He put in a lot of effort and it paid off.”

Rather than being attracted to karate lessons because of the prestige of the belt that a child can earn, and because of how quickly one can earn such belts, I would encourage parents to take a broader view that encompasses the development of valuable life skills.

Frequently, especially among children, the ability to mentally focus — to listen, concentrate and pay attention — is very poor. An authentic martial arts class focuses on the development of this skill. The student is first taught how to relax the mind, and then he is taught concentration exercises. Improvement in the ability to focus frequently carries over into one’s daily activities –– benefiting school for younger children, driving or social situations for teens and, for adults, work and family situations.

A concern of many observant Jews is whether the practice of martial arts involves forbidden Eastern religious practices. While some non-Jewish systems emphasize bowing to pictures and statues, Tora Dojo does not include such practices in its system. At my recent karate exhibition, Rabbi Simcha Lefkowitz of the Anshei Chesed Shul was a guest speaker and he expressed strong support for karate and encouraged others to join.

Martial arts provide a means through which Jews of all ages can develop their bodies and minds, learn self-defense and relaxation skills, and improve their self -esteem. It is my goal to help as many Jewish students as possible reach their potential through the study of karate.