Kanthak Karate "Secret Sauce"
Balancing the brain
Many people are familiar with the idea that the right brain is linked to creativity, intuition, and the arts, and that the left brain is more related to the logic, analytic, and executive functions. The brain hemispheres control the opposite sides of the body.
If a person is more reliant on one side or the other it can create an imbalance in their available resources, experience, and emotions. Mr. K has specifically designed the curriculum to balance and fine tune the ability to move the left and right sides of the body in concert, and separately, to insure that the student has the best result in brain balancing.
This is where many of the unexpected benefits of martial arts derive from. Who would think that karate classes could make a person calmer? This is a result of more and stronger connections in the corpus callosum, the connection between the brain hemispheres. Creative people (right brainers) can benefit by accessing more structured planning brain function. Logical people (left brainers), can learn to relax and let their intuiton play a greater role.
Modern neurological studies are confirming that movement is necessary for proper brain development, and that the quality of the movement can impact the benefits. Using the latest research Mr. K validated his previous methods, or adapted them to maximize the benefits. The curriculum is sequential, developmental, and progressively develops, balances, and equals out the right and left sides of the body, and by doing so the right and left sides of the brain.
A parent with experience in other movement modalities commented, "Wow, this is really high level physical OT (occupational therapy), but you have the advantage because the kids like doing it, and don't get bored after they learn it."
Making use of the culture
Martial Arts are in a very unique position, because children both expect and accept a level of discipline that other activities lack. They learn this from watching the Ninja Turtles interact with their teacher, and the Kung Fu Panda, etc. It is an excellent opportunity to help the students improve themselves, and therefore improve their lives. It is very powerful for a parent to have another non-custodial adult reinforcing the behavior expectations they encourage at home.
Immediate usability
In Mr. K's system, a good technique is one that is immediately usable as taught, develops an attribute, and teaches and communicates a transferable concept that the student can use to further their understanding on their own.
