Bully Proof Kids With Martial Arts

A child with an instructor.

We've all heard about, seen, or experienced the problem of bullying in school. Foisting emotional venom on one, or a group, of children, can affect the emotional development of both the bully and the target. Some children have experienced such a degree of bullying that they develop PTSD symptoms, affecting their relationships with others.

Many school districts search for ways to become more inclusive and to make sure that bullying does not involve their students. One of the programs that was developed is BULLY PROOF KIDS, under the programming developed under the Jackson Association For Fall Prevention And Mobility (JAFPM) in Tennessee.



This program was actually developed by Blair Presson, who is trained in Aikido and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). From his background, he believes in the positive power of martial arts to instill confidence and develop character. The program is specifically built for elementary and middle school students.

Mr. Presson explained, "Jiu jitsu focuses not on fighting but on developing technique in order to accept force yet maintaining your own balance and control a situation while using minimal amount of physical strength. Bully Proof Kids seeks to end the cycle of bullying before it has a chance to develop in a child's life."

By incorporating selected physical skills of both Aikido and BJJ, the child learns to control the force of an aggressor, through defense and control techniques that don't use physical force. Children can also learn sport BJJ techniques that help them remain physically conditioned, as a form of exercise, with a lot of enjoyment in the practice.

A class of kids with instructor.

The main sponsor of the Bully Proof Kids program, JAFPM, has taken a life cycle approach to the prevention of falls and preservation of mobility. So, the development and maintenance of controlled movements, as in the Bully Proof Kids program, develops the type of muscle control that is critical to fall prevention, which is an important part of the program when they reach elder age. Continuing with the martial arts skills also helps to maintain lifetime activity.

An exercise class for elders by JAFPM.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/blair-presson-bully-proof-kids/; this article on JAFPM: http://www.jafpm.com/bully-proof.html; this article on JAFPM: http://www.jafpm.com/life-cycles.html; and the above link.

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