ADHD and the Martial Arts

Believe it or not, but learning an authentic Martial Art is one of the best things that a parent can do for their ADHD child. As we all know ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Up to 1994 it was called ADD- Attention Deficit Disorder). There is differing research on what exactly ADHD is , but let’s just say that it is a medical condition that somehow affects the focus and attention span.

Though we aren’t exactly sure of the specifics we do know that ADHD is due to some form of difference in brain function. But whatever that is, what is more important is the fact that people with ADHD have trouble focusing, act impulsively, and because of that seem to get into trouble. For more discussion on this topic I recommend that you look at what Wikipedia has to say about it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention-deficit_hyperactivity_disorder

I don’t want to spend a bunch of time writing about what ADHD is, rather what we can do about it. Two of the best ways to deal with ADHD is through mental conditioning and behavioral modification. Authentic Martial Arts are perfect for this. Notice that I say authentic- it really doesn’t matter which art it is that you are doing but it does have to be a real martial art, not a fly by night feel good factory, nor a glorified day care with belts. The reason I say this is that the very things that make a martial art authentic are the things that make it beneficial for those with ADHD. By this I am primarily addressing the mental, physical, and spiritual balance that authentic Martial Arts have to offer.

Let’s begin with Mental Conditioning. I would like to define this as “preparing and conditioning the mind to think and perceive the world in a certain way.” The Martial Arts do this by creating a strong moral fiber- what we call Bushido, the code of the warrior. If you are not familiar with the concept of Bushido, perhaps the idea of a knight’s code of honor is another way to phrase it. But whatever you want to call it, Martial Arts instill in the student an extremely high moral code of honesty, integrity, and a stronger sense of right and wrong than somebody who does not study the Martial Arts. If you want more information about this go to my website at www.CroleysMartialArts.com and look at the articles page. I think you will see what I mean.

This strong mental conditioning is beneficial to the student with ADHD because it gives them the impetus to attempt, and eventually succeed in displaying tremendous self control. This strongly structured moral code is an absolute must have if the student with ADHD is to ever have the mental discipline to even begin to control their symptoms.

Next, lets discuss behavioral modification. I would like to define this as simply altering a particular behavioral pattern, or you could think of it as changing habits. A Martial Arts class provides a rigidly structured, disciplined environment where the student knows exactly what they are going to do and how it is supposed to be done. All children need structure, ADHD or not- but an ADHD student needs even more than the average person. With structure and discipline, the student with ADHD is able to change the negative habits that he or she has developed into positive ones.

The Martial Arts Classroom is a highly valuable tool in helping this particular student population change negative habits as the student know what to expect and what is expected. Not only that, but with the belt system in place the student is rewarded for this positive behavior. It might also be noted that the focused physical action is a tremendous behavioral modification tool for the ADHD student. Often times these students tend to get in trouble because they have so much physical energy bubbling up everywhere it shouldn’t. But with a structured physical class, the student is able to take that energy and harness it in a positive direction.

Over the years that I have been teaching, I have seen hundreds of students with ADHD achieve very positive results from learning the Martial Arts with us. Though I have never done an actual formal study, I cannot tell you how many parents have approached me and told me how much better their children are behaving at home and at school because of the Martial Arts Education they have received with us.