Under your belt

Choose your art

1. Martial arts includes a variety of sports or skills, most of which originated in Japan, China, or Korea as forms of self-discipline, self-defence and respect. You can find a complete list of martial arts which are recognised in the UK on Sport England. Some of the most popular activities include:

• Aikido

Based on spherical movements, the purpose of Aikido is to turn an attacker’s force against themselves. Put simply, this sport seeks to develop self-defence in a non-violent way.

You can find out more through the British Aikido Board

• Chinese Martial Arts

These tend to be grouped together as Kung Fu, and are incredibly varied in their style and method. Tai Chi, for example, is a much slower and calmer sport, where athletes focus on soft movements. Nanguan, on the other hand, teaches short and tight movements, where athletes focus on precision and speed.

You can find out more through the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts

• Judo

Unlike Karate, traditional Judo does not involve striking or kicking, but instead teaches strength, balance, posture, and stamina. Its name means ‘the gentle way’, and the purpose of it is to develop a calm and gentle mindset through participating in challenging physical activity.

You can find out more through the British Judo Association

• Ju-Jitsu

This loosely translates as the ‘science of softness’ and teaches self-defence techniques which require the least amount of force. Ju-Jitsu is similar to Judo; however, it is more focused on ground fighting and your ability to keep an opponent on the ground as long as possible.

You can find out more through the British Ju-Jitsu Association

• Karate

This is one of the most widely practiced martial arts, and its movements largely involve striking, kicking, and blocking. The name ‘karate’ means ‘empty hand’, and the sport’s aim is to develop happiness, humility, and peace of mind.

You can find out more through the British Karate Federation

• Kendo

Meaning ‘the way of the sword’, Kendo is contact sport where athletes learn the art of Japanese fencing with bamboo swords and protective clothing/armour. It is fast-paced and places great importance on courtesy and etiquette.

You can find out more through the British Kendo Association

• Sombo

This combat sport is a combination of Judo and Wrestling, and originated in Russia. Its name means ‘self-defence without weapons’ and it trains participants in hand-to-hand combat.

You can find out more through the British Sombo Federation

• Taekwondo

Originating in South Korea, Taekwondo means ‘foot and fist way of life’. Like Karate, Taekwondo teaches punching and kicking techniques; however, it focuses more on athletic kicking, while Karate tends to concentrate on hand movements.

You can find out more through the British Taekwondo

• Tang Soo Do

Alongside self-defence techniques, Tang Soo Do also teaches endurance, co-ordination, and flexibility. As with most other martial arts, there is a focus on developing self-discipline and mental well-being.

You can find out more through the UK Tang Soo Do Federation

Start training

1. Each martial art will have its own minimum age, so it’s best to contact local providers to learn more about which sport is best suited to you. Most of the National Governing Bodies listed above have a ‘find a club’ page or a general enquiries contact number or email on their website.
2. To help select your sport, leaders could organise a taster session for one of the weekly meetings. If there is an adult within the section or district, or a parent who studies a martial art and is happy to run a taster session, this guidance should be referred to. Alternatively, if the plan is to invite an external facilitator, make sure to comply with these guidelines.

Recording improvement

1. Whether the choice to practice martial arts is to be in or out of your section, make sure that a record is kept of what has been learnt or improved upon each week for at least three months. There are a number of ways you could do this:

• take a short video or picture performing a technique each week
• ask whether you can plan a sports showcase (see requirement 2 of the Cubs’ Physical Recreation Badge)
• update an ‘under your belt’ worksheet on a weekly basis by colouring in the belts for each session of the martial arts class, and writing about something earned or improved on in the box below (see the PDF attached).