Mixed Martial Arts in Public Schools - Report Example

Mixed martial arts in public schools Owing to the immense popularity gained by the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) amidst the American teen population in recent years, mixed martial arts has eventually become the fastest growing sport in the country. The series of reality shows based on mixed martial arts and numerous UFC video game titles are few of the smart marketing strategies targeted at the modern teen audience. Considering the soaring popularity of the game amongst students, many high schools in the US have been thinking of including organised mixed martial arts as part of their extra-curricular activities. In this context, my thesis is that mixed martial arts should be offered in public schools because it gives discipline to people, it is no more dangerous than any other sport and with the new rules and regulations it is a more structured and organized sport. Over the years, racism, religious preferences and Hollywood symbolism have somehow created a negative attitude towards mixed martial arts. In some parts of Europe and America, Euro-centrism still holds its sway and mixed martial arts are still tagged as Asian things. Some authors feel that mixed martial arts cultivates violence and that there is something “counter-intuitive” about developing mental well-being through the teaching of combating skills (Strayhorn & Strayhorn, 2009, p.32). The assertion that martial arts teach violence is, however, not reliable. The researchers who conclude that mixed martial arts should not be made a part of school curriculum have done so by founding their studies on the observation of Hollywood movies or fighting competitions as scientific evidence. (Miles, 2011) This makes their studies severely marginalised and lacking in empiricism, thereby rendering their assertion totally invalid. In the early 1990s, mixed martial arts were deemed illegal in all states of the country, but today it is legal in most of the states. The sport has surpassed even professional boxing in terms of popularity, viewership and revenue. It has grown to become a platform for skilled athletes who master the combined skills of boxing, kick-boxing, wrestling and submission grappling. The fighters speak highly of the degree of self-discipline required for the sport and the opportunity that it provides for venting one’s aggression in a safe environment specially intended for it. Marcelo Siqueira, a world-class karate champion from Brazil, professes that “A lot of people think it’s too aggressive or violent… But after a while, they see a different perspective.” (Porter, 2008) In Japan, mixed martial arts are a compulsory ingredient of a school’s physical education module. All high school students in Japan receive training in mixed martial arts as part of their school curriculum. The Japanese believe that martial arts should be taught in the classroom to boost self-confidence of the students. To combat the insecurity caused by the influx of immigrants and the approaching threat of a new social demographics, Japan has lately executed an improvised martial art style with the view to improve the student’s self-esteem. (Schneider, 2010) The first factor that impedes the proliferation of mixed martial arts in schools is the apprehension of the students and parents regarding the students’ safety. But such an apprehension can be ruled out by perusing the fact that football is the most common sport offered by almost all high schools, irrespective of the fact that it leads to almost 5,00,000 injuries annually, including extreme cases of brain injuries, traumas and spinal shock. (Holden, 2011) Moreover, fights among high school children are a commonplace and regular phenomena. In contrast to an unsupervised scuffle, an organised participation in mixed martial arts would give them a much safer avenue to vent their aggression. If set up, a mixed martial arts club would attract membership in large numbers from students, who are either fond of high school wrestling contests or simply thrilled by the prospect of one-to-one combats. This would expand the magnitude of the talent pool and raise the benchmarked standards of the sport. The best way to incorporate mixed martial arts into the athletic programs of high schools would be by restricting it to teaching the fundamental concepts of the sport such as discipline, focus, self-confidence and leadership, and abstaining from physical combats. Apart from helping to save lives in direct ways through physical combat, there are some indirect ways too in which mixed martial arts can help in saving young lives. Instances are the potential role that can be played by mixed martial arts in curbing the growth of bullying and obesity amidst kids. (Saccaro, 2012) Giving mixed martial arts the status of a high school sport would also help in solving a major associated with school students in the US: the oppression by bullies. According to the National Centre for Education Statistics, almost one-third of all students aged 12 - 18 have been bullied, either physically or emotionally, at some point or another during their life at high school. (National Centre for Education Statistics, 2013) Children who are victims of bullying carry its consequences into their adulthood and suffer from far-reaching effects such as lack of self-esteem, assertiveness and confidence. Thus, training in mixed martial arts and arming the students with self-sufficiency in protecting themselves against bullies can help, to a great extent, in curbing this menace. If the perpetrator knows that his prospective prey is a good fighter, he will automatically refrain from fighting as he will know that the supposedly timid kid might be a better fighter than him. Another issue that demands concern is the growing incidence of obesity amongst the high school children. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that “obesity now affects 17% of all children and adolescents in the United States - triple the rate from just one generation ago.” (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention-USA, 2012) These obese teenagers will, in due course, grow into obese adults, thereby increasing the obese adult population of the US to more than 35 per cent of the estimated percentage. In view of this health crisis, inclusion of mixed martial arts in high schools appears to be not only a preferable but also a mandatory solution. Some experts have recommended its inclusion in middle and elementary school level as well. The vigorous exercises that are part of mixed martial arts program will help them in losing weight. It will also induce in them the persistence and mental strength to improve upon and maintain their fitness in the future. These teens will grow up into mature adults who are conscious of the flip side of obesity and hence will raise their children to be fit and healthy. Thus one may conclude that mixed martial arts has attracted a mixed response from the American society and scholars. Many U.S. researchers claim that martial arts are a violent sport and are of the view that it should not be taught in the schools. They feel that such training would equip the youngsters with tools to become combatants with no obvious purpose. But the teachers of martial arts and many concurrent academic studies have a starkly contrasting view. They feel that the training in these sports should be imparted both in the form of physical activity, and in the form of perceptual concepts accomplished in through classroom study. Teaching mixed martial arts in schools, classrooms and gyms have also shown a proven positive influence upon the students’ mental and emotional parameters like self-discipline, perseverance and self-confidence. REFERENCES “Childhood Overweight and Obesity”. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, USA. 2012. Web. Retrieved on 3 January 2014 from: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/index.html “Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2012”. U.S. Department of Education, National Centre for Education Statistics. 2013. Web. Retrieved on 3 January 2014 from: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators/crimeindicators2012/ Holden, Eric. “Should High Schools Have Mixed Martial Arts and Fight Clubs?” Bleacher Report- Turner Sports Network. 2011. Web. Retrieved on 3 January 2014 from: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/580092-ufc-should-high-schools-have-mixed-martial-arts-and-fight-clubs Miles, Nanette J. Case Study: Martial Arts for Self-confidence in Schools. Fayetteville State University. 2011. Web. Retrieved on 3 January 2014 from: https://www.academia.edu/766189/Measuring_Selfconfidence_with_Martial_Arts_in_High_Schools Porter, Justin. Mixed Martial Arts Makes Its Way to High School. The New York Times. 2008. Web. Retrieved on 3 January 2014 from: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/sports/othersports/18mma.html?_r=1& Saccaro, Matt. “Should MMA Become a High School Sport?” Bleacher Report- Turner Sports Network. 2012. Web. Retrieved on 3 January 2014 from: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1121926-ufc-should-mma-become-a-high-school-sport Schneider, Linda & Silverman, Arnold. Global sociology: Introducing five contemporary societies. New York: McGraw Hill. 2010. Strayhorn, J. M. & Strayhorn, J. C. Martial arts as a mental health intervention for children. Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health (3). 2009. Read More