Inclusive martial arts include each and every one irrespective of age, gender, religion, nationality, economic standing, social status, skills, limitation, disability, or any other kind of classification. Whereas adaptive martial arts are adapted to suit the special needs of persons with limitations or disabilities. Although having this minor difference; however, since both inclusivity and adaptivity are synergistic, often times inclusive martial arts and adaptive martial arts are used synonymously. Nowadays, inclusive or adaptive martial arts programs are offered all over the world by almost all martial arts schools.
Ikkaido: Inclusion – Empowerment – Wellbeing video “Inclusive Martial Arts – Everyone can enjoy the feelings that acheivement brings”:
Conscious Warrior Martial Arts video “Disabled Martial Arts — RESPECT!”:
ShawTVSSM video “Wheelchair Karate”:
Peter Quanten video “JKS European Karate Championship 2014 Wheelchair demo by Sensei Eric Bortels & Niki Vandereyt.”:
Karate Austria video “Karate Do for persons with disabilities KARATE 2016”:
sportsmission11 video “Westerleigh Judokwai – a fully inclusive judo club”:
Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism video “Inclusive Martial Arts Class Hosted by Britini D’Angelo”:
Active Derbyshire and Active Notts video “Adaptive Karate showing sport is accessible to all!”:
ITF Taekwon-Do – Master G, VII Dan video “Adaptive, Inclusive Martial Arts”:
Benefits of inclusive martial arts
Generally, disabilities may be physical, intellectual, or emotional. Inclusive martial arts not only makes martial arts accessible to a wider audience having any kind of disability, but also promotes the values of respect, equality, and community. It ensures that everyone, regardless of their background or abilities, can experience the several benefits of martial arts.
—Physical health
——Improved flexibility, motor coordination, muscle strength, and overall fitness
—Mental health
——Enhanced discipline, focus, self-confidence, and self-esteem
—Social skills
——Opportunities to build friendships
——Sense of belonging within a supportive community
—Self-defense skills
——Learning practical self-defense skills adapted to individual ability
—Individual growth
——Empowerment through setting and achieving individual goals
——Fostering a sense of resilience and accomplishment
——Increased socialization with social inclusion
——Greater emotional maturity with self-regulation of emotions
Michigan Medicine video “Could Tae Kwon Do be the silver bullet for ADHD?”:
Jessica Leichtweisz video “How Taekwan Do Can Help Autism”:
ABC News video “New Cancer Treatment, Kids Kicking Cancer, Gives Children Strength Through Martial Arts Training”:
Model Me Kids video “”No Limits” Karate Class for Kids with Autism”:
Greg Moody video “Martial Arts and Autism”:
KRDO NewsChannel 13 video “Breaking boards and barriers: How martial arts helped 2 people with autism embrace their …”:
Jacob Romo video “Wheelchair Krav Maga”:
MasterSchmidt video “Defense-Ability Demo: Combat Hapkido for the Disabled”:
Features of programs of inclusive martial arts
Besides the normal features, there are some special features for adaptive or inclusive martial arts.
—Inclusivity
——Everyone is welcome, regardless of any sort of classification, where everyone encourages and supports everyone else
—Adaptability
——Adapting exercises and techniques to suit different abilities
——Adjusting training intensity and movements to accommodate special needs
—Safety
——Adaptive equipment to facilitate movement
——Appropriate supervision
——Safe training environment for zero injuries
—Empowerment
——Encouraging to achieve individual goals
——Fostering a sense of confidence and achievement
—Values, Tenets and Principles
——-Inculcating achievement, modesty, perseverance, self-control, self-discipline, indomitable spirit, respect, humility, honesty, integrity, courtesy, and self-sufficiency
—Community
——Promoting a healthy, supportive, and an inclusive community, where everyone feels valued and can joyfully benefit from the physical, mental, and social aspects of martial arts
—Facilities and Programs
——Accessible training halls equipped with wide doorways, ramps, changing rooms and toilets to facilitate everyone
——Trained instructors to teach students with various disabilities and diverse groups, in a supportive, inclusive, and adaptive manner
——Initially, some special programs for individuals with particular limitations may be offered; however, ultimately, every student, irrespective of any classification, can participate in a single course, so as to foster complete inclusivity
CBC video “Blind Martial Arts | CBC”:
Daytona Beach News-Journal video “Blind karate teacher shows students how to beat obstacles”:
60 Second Docs video “Karate Coach With Autism Fights For Disability Inclusivity”:
Localish video “Blind and Autistic Kids Earn Black Belt | All Good”:
United Response video “Karate for People with Learning Disabilities | Abel Karate”:
Example curriculum for an inclusive martial arts course
An inclusive martial arts curriculum needs to be designed in such a way that it can cater to various abilities, ages, genders, and backgrounds. The curriculum should emphasize inclusivity, adaptability, and safety, while ensuring that the students learn martial techniques and also experience an increase in their levels of skill, confidence, overall development, and well-being. Based on these considerations, an example curriculum is presented below.
General Factors
—Adaptation and Modification
——Adapting techniques for different physical abilities
——Using assistive devices, if necessary
——Ensuring utmost safety
——All activities and exercises should be modified as per individual ability
—Etiquette and respect
——Behaving as per the values, tenets, and traditions of the martial art
——Giving respect to instructors and peers
——Observing the rules of the martial arts school
——Embracing inclusivity and adaptivity
—Mental and emotional growth
——Mindfulness and well-being
——Meditation and visualization
——Concentration and focus drills
—Confidence and empowerment
——Goal setting and achievement
——Encouragement and positive reinforcement
——Building self-esteem via systematic progress
——Gaining respect in society for skill attained
—Cooperation and teamwork
——Exercises and drills with a partner
——Games and group activities
——Recognition as a member of the martial arts community
——Getting and giving mutual support
—Tracking individualized progress
——Tailoring training plans to individual abilities and goals
——Continuous feedback and assessment
Physical Factors
(as per individual abilities)
—Warm-up
——Diaphragmatic breathing (standing, sitting, or lying)
——Gentle stretching exercises
——Adaptive range-of-motion exercises
——Balance and coordination drills
—Strength and endurance
——Low-impact cardio exercises
——Bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, and squats
——Resistance training using light weights or elastic bands
—Basic techniques
——Adaptive stances, blocks, punches, and kicks
—Adaptive patterns/katas/sequences
——Individual or in a team
—Basic self-defense techniques
——Situational awareness
——Verbal de-escalation techniques
——Evasion strategies
——Escape strategies
—Advanced self-defense techniques
——Adaptive self-defense moves
——Defense against common attacks like grabs and strikes
——Techniques for different environments like indoors or outdoors
—Adaptive sparring
——Safe and controlled sparring sessions
——Adapting sparring rules to accommodate different abilities
——Emphasizing that sparring always remains a learning session
——Showing respect and sportsmanship for sparring partners
—Cool-down
——Balance and coordination drills
——Adaptive range-of-motion exercises
——Gentle stretching exercises
——Diaphragmatic breathing (standing, sitting, or lying)
—Adaptive competitions
——Taking part in competitions are normally avoided; however, if the student desires, then participation may be allowed in an adaptive competition by following the appropriate formalities.
By focusing on these components, an inclusive/adaptive martial arts curriculum ensures that a positive, supportive, and empowering environment is created, so that everyone can participate, learn, and benefit from practicing martial arts.
UNESCO Chair MTU video “Inclusive Martial Arts: Tips for Coaches to Include Students with Visual Impairments and Blindness”:
KVUE video “Local adaptive martial arts tournament creates space for kids from all walks of life | KVUE”:
World Karate Federation video “Emotional Para-Karate competition #EuroKarate2022 | WORLD KARATE FEDERATION”:
KSL News video “Sandy boy with autism becomes a taekwondo world champion”:
kuro-obi world video “Infinite possibilities of Karate”:
Conclusion
A person who has some ability that is limited, generally has some another ability that is more developed. For example, a blind person may have a highly developed sense of hearing and due to this the blindness may be overcome. Thus, instead of being referred to as a disabled person or a person with limited ability, perhaps a better term would be a differently abled person, because the ability does indeed exist, but in a different way.
BBC video “Online Exclusive: Blind man uses bat-like vision – World’s Weirdest Events – BBC”:
BBC Earth video “Blind Boy Uses Echolocation | Extraordinary Animals | BBC Earth”:
Martial arts provide an excellent opportunity to differently abled persons to realize their full potential. Inclusive or adaptive martial arts adapt martial arts techniques in such a manner that they become welcoming and accessible to everyone. Everyone of any ability, gender, age, or background can experience a respectful and supportive environment, where everyone can participate in martial arts and thereby, avail the innumerable physical, mental, and social benefits of martial arts.
Guardian Sport video “The blind MMA fighter: Ronald Dlamini’s story”:
Change.org video “MMA Fighter with Down Syndrome is Helping Others with Disabilities Get Active”:
Playmaker HQ video “How A Man With No Legs Became An MMA LEGEND: Zion Clark”:
Steph Weaver video “My Autism and Martial Arts Journey- Tyler Weaver”:
BBC London video “The disabled mixed martial arts group fighting for change – BBC London”:
Besides martial arts, all types of sports can also be enjoyed by differently abled persons. Differently abled individuals are also an important part of the society and any achievement, either big or small, certainly gives a tremendous boost to their self-worth, self-belief, and self-confidence.
Paralympic Games video “The Energy Within – Short Film”:
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