Why Study with DMA?
The arts taught DMA are grounded in the history of Japan and the tradition of the Samurai. Jujitsu began as an unarmed form of combat, specifically created for the battlefield. (See History of Jujitsu.) Karate was created to be used in combat on the island of Okinawa. As time went on, the class of the samurai died out, but the arts they taught did not. Today, DMA continues to carry on those traditions focusing on practical application and techniques that work. In addition, training in the martial arts will provide you with many other benefits including:
Personal Protection: Jujitsu is often called a parent art of the Japanese martial arts. Modern Judo, Aikido, and Karate are all derived from the tradition of Jujitsu, but choosing to focus on one aspect of the art. Because of the all-inclusive aspect of Jujitsu, it is often called a complete martial art. In a traditional Jujitsu dojo (school) a student will learn punching, kicking, throwing, chokes, joint manipulation, ground fighting, and how to use your opponent’s energy against them. This all-inclusive approach to the martial arts will give you the best chance of surviving a real life encounter with an attacker.
Physical Conditioning: In addition to the obvious benefit of learning to defend yourself and your loved ones, classes at DMA will also provide you with many not so obvious benefits as well. The practice of the physical techniques increases the strength and flexibility of your muscles, strengthens your tendons and ligaments by improving blood flow, and strengthens the skeletal system by increasing calcium absorption. Also the practice of Ukemi, or falling, will train your body to prevent many of the injuries people encounter in daily life. Falling down can be extremely destructive to the human body, but by training in ukemi, you will find you can walk away from accidents that would severely injury the normal person. And of course, martial arts is a wonderful way to get into shape and lose weight in a fun and relaxed environment.
Self-Discipline: Proper practice of the martial arts not only benefits the body but the mind as well. Because of the destructive potential of the techniques taught in class, a high level of discipline is strictly essential to the safe practice of the arts we teach. You will learn to focus the mind in conjunction with the body, giving you an increased level of self-discipline and focus that will carry over to your daily life.
Stress Relief: Martial Arts is a fantastic form of stress relief, giving you a chance to escape from the daily grind of life for a few hours each day. That escape will help refocus your mind and teach you how to manage the day to day stresses of life. Here at DMA we focus on balance in all things, including our martial arts training.
Personal Development: Research has shown that martial arts is an extremely helpful in the development of children and adults. Through the practice of martial arts, students and parents often see increase in both fine and gross motor skills, verbal skills and perceptual skills. Martial artists also develop strong values such as self-respect, respect of others, teamwork, and perseverance. Research has also shown that martial arts is one of the most effect ways to help children and adults develop strong social and leadership skills that will help them to succeed in life outside the dojo.
Competitive Challenge: For those of you that are looking for a competitive challenge, we also offer you the chance to test what you have learned against other martial artists, both in class and in sanctioned tournaments. Competition is encouraged, but is not required for advancement. For those of you interested in the Mixed Martial Arts, Jujitsu or Karate is a great place to start as well, though DMA of Sioux Falls does not train specifically for MMA.