SPECIAL NEEDS MARTIAL ARTS
Martial Arts is a great activity and a wonderful fit for special needs individuals. SPECIAL NEEDS MARTIAL ARTS is an adapted fitness program utilizing martial arts to assist those with special needs in coping, managing and striving to overcome their acquired impairments and handicaps via a process of discovering and empowering their abilities, talents and strengths. In addition to improving fitness and health, martial arts training also inculcates the values of respect, honesty, integrity, teamwork, among others, to prepare them for life and social integration as they progress to adulthood.
Martial Arts Benefits
Martial Arts training has a structured platform that works well with special needs individuals. There is a curriculum (adapted differently for each SN student) to follow and progress in order to achieve the next level or rank. There is constant repetition in learning kicks, punches and forms and this suits a special needs student well that they can take comfort in this structure. As they learn more and more intricate movements, neural pathways in the brain are strengthened to help improve cognitive function. This provides a challenge and goal for the student to reach. In turn, we see many who diligently work towards this goal and when they achieve it, they get a sense of satisfaction, a boost of self confidence and a sense of self-worth.
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Depending on the student's condition, he or she may not go through a martial arts curriculum as above. Instead, sessions may be in a form of play therapy with martial arts movements. Progression to working towards achieving levels and rank may happen at a later time, depending on the student's progress.
Private Or Group Class
As different disabilities and personalities may or may not fit this form of therapy, a potential student must first go through an evaluation process of around 20 minutes to gauge condition, behaviour, level of concentration and focus, and interest. If the student is a fit to this program, he/she will start in an individual (private 1-to-1) or group SN class (if there is one available). A curriculum will be developed specifically for him/her called the Individual Training Plan (ITP). Training sessions will range from 45 mins to 1 hour with the instructor on a one-to-one basis. Students will work within their capabilities and will be challenged to progress whenever they are ready.
Not all special needs individuals are a fit for a martial arts program. Some may be geared towards other form of physical programs like dance and swimming, which may be more beneficial to the individual.
The evaluation will endeavor to find out :-
1. The ability of the potential student to understand instructions, listen and perform required tasks
2. The interest shown by the potential student in the activity being conducted
3. The initial rapport between instructor and the potential student
The Instructor
As a Taekwon-do instructor (my credentials are listed here), I have worked specifically with Special Needs since 2016 as the co-founder of SEN Master Academy (SMA), a specialty school for Special Educational Needs Martial Arts Therapy. I have worked with students on the Autism Spectrum Disorder, Downs Syndrome and Development Delay from ages 6 to 26. Though I have left the Academy as a business co-owner, I am still associated with SMA and am still involved in teaching a handful of classes there. This has allowed me to spread my wings away from the Academy and offer Special Needs Martial Arts to individuals beyond those 4 walls.
SN classes are conducted at Lil Ninja Dojo, Atria Plaza in Petaling Jaya. Housecalls can also be arranged depending on location.
Contact me (call or Whatsapp) at 017-888 7878 for enquiries and information
Teenager Martin Law showing off his very first medal win at the 2nd SEN Master Academy Championships in the Special Needs division
A Hodgepodge Of Special Needs Events Through The Years
Mainstream & Special Needs chilling out together. That's what inclusiveness is all about!
Aidan Ng winning gold at the 2nd SEN Master Academy Championships 2019 Special Needs Category.
If you believe it, you can achieve it!
Our SMA Special boys winning 2nd & 3rd place at the CHITF World Championships in Melbourne, Australia in March of 2019. First place went to Argentina.
SMA's Special teenagers achieving their new belt ranking after grading together with the mainstream kids in 2018.
The SMA team doing its part in corporate social responsibility by providing free monthly MA class to the Bandar Menjalara Secondary School's Special Needs Classes of about 50 students back in 2017-2019
Our younger Special Needs kids proudly showing off their certificate of participation in our very first SEN Master Academy Championships SN events in 2017
SMA was featured on Focus Malaysia magazine back in 2016 highlighting our endeavors in Special Needs Martial Arts Therapy.
Sin Chew Jit Poh, a daily Chinese newspaper interview on SMA and Special Needs back in 2016
Being interviewed during a "live" TV3 segment on "Malaysia Hari Ini" in 2019 on Special Needs where SMA performed a demonstration with a mix team of Special and Mainstream kids
Demonstration by the kids on "Malaysia Hari Ini". Special needs kids can surprise you when you least expect it, especially when they are put in the spotlight!