When Jennifer Zeller saw her 8-year-old autistic son receive three first-place trophies at a karate tournament, she knew she had done the right thing.

"I was so tearful with joy and don't think I have ever been more touched and proud at the same time," Zeller wrote in a letter to the editor in hopes it would encourage parents in similar situations to let their children try new activities.

"The Grandmaster called over a team of judges from another ring to come over and "judge,' while he himself took my son Nikolas to the ring and personally administered his three events privately before the other children arrived at the ring. Nikolas was beside himself with glee when the judges all gave him "8.0s,' " Zeller wrote.

Zeller, who lives in Lacey Township's Forked River section, enrolled Nikolas in the Kum Sung karate school on Hooper Avenue in the Toms River section of Dover Township.

"Martial arts are good for special-needs kids. I felt it would be good for him," Zeller said in an interview May 20.

She and her son were turned down at another school. According to Zeller, the instructors there said Nikolas monopolized their time and they didn't feel they could meet his needs.

At Kum Sung, it was a different story.

"The owner, she was so open. She never even gave it a second thought," Zeller said.

Youn Kum Sung runs Kum Sung Martial Arts, which has several locations, with her husband, who goes by Master Kum Sung because he said his first name can be a bit confusing.

Master Kum Sung said his teaching philosophy focuses on the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of martial arts, and respect for others is the first thing taught.

"We stress equality. If you don't respect other people, then you don't respect yourself," Master Kum Sung said.

Lack of respect leads to anger and violence, which is especially dangerous when combined with martial arts techniques, he said.

Nikolas is treated no differently from any other child his age, Kum Sung said. He said about 80 percent of his students, and even some instructors, are classified as special needs in some way, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and Down syndrome.

Kum Sung said that learning a martial art is good for people with special needs because "it helps them to feel confident. They know they don't fit in or are a little slow. When they learn a martial art, it makes them feel proud. They fit in."

And Nikolas appears to have found his niche.

"He feels just like the other kids," Zeller said.

Some of the other students in the class are taking a liking to him, such as one girl whose brother has autism.

"She's taken it upon herself to mentor him," Zeller said.

According to Kum Sung, Nikolas also might feel just like everyone else because of how his parents treat him.

"Sometimes it's the parents who are being handicapped by babying their children. Nikolas's parents do a wonderful job," he said. "They ask for no special favors."

He also said that Nikolas earned those trophies himself.

"He is very excited to learn. He is eager to learn. He is just like any other kid," Master Kum Sung said.

Still, Zeller is touched by what Master Kum Sung did at the tournament.

"I think everyone who saw it was proud even if they didn't know Nikolas. It was so surprising to me that someone with hundreds of students there took the time to personally give my son his own mini tournament before the other kids arrived so he could get "first place'!" Zeller wrote in her letter.

"I think the Kum Sungs deserve to be recognized for their human compassion. . . . I would love for them to get a newspaper write-up with how they gave my son Nikolas a better gift than anything you can wrap in a box with a bow — acceptance and self-esteem!"
Asbury Park Press on 06/3/06
BY NICK PETRUNCIO
COMMUNITY EDITOR

Oh, I can agree with this. I know a few people who have "special needs" and who practice martial arts, and it helps them tremendously. It's physical activity which focuses on the mental aspects, as well, which is one of the many reasons for which it is so effective, I often find.

A good antidote to society's overinsistence on team sports.  Something like this should be mandatory for UT fans.  [walks off, day dreaming]

I hold a green belt/blue stripe in Rhee Taekwondo.  It was either learn or continue being beaten up each day.  It's wonderful how the bullying stopped when I started breaking their noses.
Alison

It still sounds funny - a mother being proud of a son who can beat up everyone! :grin:

It is not so much about teaching kids to beat up other kids.  It is supposed to teach self control more than anything.

My neice had to be taken out of her karate class because she was told not to do any of the moves outside of class or when a sensei was not present.  Young kids who do not have some degree of self control or at least some sense of obedience to this rule, should not be allowed to take martial arts classes.  They have to understand that they could seriously hurt someone.  

It is a different case when a kid is defending themselves.  I was always taught not to strike first, walk away from conflict and ignore insults.  Once another kid hit me on purpose, that was it.  They would get it.  They would never try it again.

My brother reached blue belt in Tang Su Do, but I was only in the class for a week before I got tired of it.  I was only seven or so at the time, so I don't really remember what drove me away....  I just have this vague memory of having to sit off to one side while everyone else practiced, I don't remember why....
Anyway.  I do dance now.  I'm pretty good (if I do say so myself).

As someone who participates in marital arts, I have to say that it's a great thing for anyone to try. If you don't want to get hit, you learn to defend yourself better. The first thing I learned was not to participate if you could lose your temper, and to treat your opponent with respect and courtesy.

I hold a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and train in Mixed Martial arts, the stuff has done wonders for me. I can also tell there is at least one kid on the spectrum in the classes that I teach (he also holds a black belt), and what the master said was almost right. 100 percent of Martial Arts students are special needs. Any school that has the attitude that you should not take into consideration the students character is not worthwhile. Every student is taken into consideration. Some students you should be gentle with, some students like it rough. Some students work well in groups, some work alone. Some students can lead, others must follow. Any teacher that does not take these factors into consideration isn't doing his job.

I also think martial arts is good, for special needs kids because they don't just focus on the fighting. They also discuss the morals behind it, like when not to fight, and that there is honor in not always solving everything with violence.

Like, I grew up watching Ninja Turtles, and there was alot of emphasizing the moral perspective from Splinter the rat, as well as the action and fighting stuff. Well, and of course, the humor and slapstick was great as well.

Hee!  I used to love watching that as well.  Although sometimes I didn't like the way one of the artists drew April O'Neill standing with her feet about two metres apart.  Didn't look heroic, as I think was the intended effect, more like she had a bad case of piles!
Alison :smile:

I was told by a mother with a child with Aspergers is that martial arts is very good for people on the autism spectrum. I did well in Tae Kwon Do.

I have a black belt aswell. I started when I was 5 or 6, and stopped when I was 13 or so. It really helped with my coordination and anger issues when I become overstimulated. I was able to pick things up rather quickly, and after only 2 weeks in the kids class I was invited to the adult class.

I have black belt too (Kempo/Shaolin).  Did lots of sparring - loved it!!  

I did not do so well in team sports. Except baseball. A blind man used to round up all of us kids to play; he was the pitcher. Not sure what his vision was, it was the 50s so he was a piano tuner.

I fence twice a week.  I haven't gotten any badges yet, but one of the reasons is because I've really been only doing it for half a year.