Purpose
To provide a tailored program that targets neurological and physiologic wellness by using elements of martial arts. These foundational skills include memory and attention, balance and motion, postural stability, social interaction, and self-regulation.
Background
Traditionally, martial arts practise has been used for combat purposes. However, in recent times, martial arts have become more than just self-defence. Martial arts provide an opportunity to build self-control and regulation through not only physical movement and body control but also an attitude of respect and reverence for people and space. This is an element that may improve behaviour in children by helping them understand and abide by a code of conduct and subtly shaping attitudes that can be generalised to many areas of life. Most forms of martial arts foster this style in a clean, low-stimuli space, which can make focus and learning easier.
Justification
The Stability and Coordination program captures fundamentals from Psychology and Occupational Therapy. Strategies in this program will assist individuals with identifying,
quantifying and adjusting skills to perform optimally. To enhance this development,
Neurofeedback will be used to adjust the brain’s state of arousal. This combination is the core of the stability and coordination program. Our team will develop a personal growth map for the participant, both physically and mentally.
Target Audience
This program is geared towards children or adults who may have barriers to their sensory development, self-regulation, and executive functioning and would like to learn aspects of martial arts but require a tailored approach. Techniques will be taught to assist you in developing the skillset needed for the transition to movement-based programs such as martial arts classes or sports.
Benefits
- Multidisciplinary support
- Multidisciplinary support
- Increased day to day functioning
- Connectivity between physiological and neurological systems
- Better sleep hygiene
- Confidence
- Improved memory and attention
Evaluation Process
The program will be consistently reviewed by both our Principal Psychologist and Occupational Therapist to monitor behaviours and capacities. This consistent review and
evaluation will assist in tailoring you or your child to provide the best possible outcome.
- OT assessment/Observations
- Graded session plans based on individual capacity
- Monitored progress
A levelling system is also put in place to encourage intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as well as provide rewarding feedback for both the client and practitioner. The levelling system is broken into 4 levels which consist of:
- Level One (Yellow) Following instruction, body awareness, balance
- Level Two (Purple) Body to eye coordination
- Level Three (Green) Combination of movement sequences
- Level Four (Blue) Footwork, discipline through following instruction, consistency
When reaching the final level and maintaining a consistent pace, a transition to higher-level programs can be recommended.
Program Outline
The martial arts preparation program will run for 8 weeks or on a more intensive 2-week program for groups of 3-4. One to one sessions are also available upon necessity. A typical session will be a 1-hour session broken down into:
- Stability and coordination exercises for 30 mins followed by,
- Neurofeedback session for 30 mins
