A
new six-week jiu-jitsu summer camp in St Michael opened on Monday, seeking to help young people manage their emotions, control anger and build discipline through martial arts training.
The camp, organised by the SWC Ryu-Jiu Jitsu Organisation School of Martial Arts, caters to persons aged eight to 18 and runs until August 14.
Spokesman Shane Lynton told Barbados TODAY that the camp, which is being hosted at the Israel Lovell Foundation on My Lord’s Hill, was created to help young people develop emotional regulation, discipline and focus while steering them away from violence.
Jiu-jitsu instructor Wayne Raphael. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham/Barbados TODAY)
He said: “The whole purpose of it was to create a situation where we can help young people with emotional regulation. That is the aim of our system, and to create discipline and focus as well. That is the major aim of the summer camp.”
Lynton dismissed notions associating martial arts with violence: “I can see why people will have that type of thinking that it may encourage violence. Our type of system actually does the opposite. Even though it’s martial arts, the first aim is to not use the techniques to hurt anyone.
“The aim is to have persons remain calm under pressure. Being back at school, you always have the situation of people baiting you or applying peer pressure, and this system helps you to remain calm in those conditions.”
The participants would also develop greater discipline and focus while learning to regulate their emotions in challenging situations, he said.
Jiu-jitsu Master Soke Michael Cheeseman. (Photo Credit: Lourianne Graham/Barbados TODAY)
According to him, the SWC Ryu-Jiu Jitsu Organisation instils a philosophy that self-defence should only be used as a last resort:
“Our principle that we are driving home to young people talks about, ‘I’m humble, I care about you. I do not want to fight, but I will defend myself and my honour, my principle and my family if I am forced to. So it’s not the aim to engage in fighting.”
Lynton also revealed that the organisation plans to expand its programmes beyond the summer camp, with evening classes for adults expected to begin later this month.
“We know that from a mental health perspective that sometimes men don’t always like to talk about our emotions, and sometimes we might bottle up the emotions, and this system can help.”
He also highlighted the practical self-defence aspect of the programme, recalling an incident earlier this year involving one of the organisation’s students: “We had a situation earlier this year where a student, part of the organisation, was attempting to be robbed and she was able to use the system to get out of the attack to defend herself because we’re living in a time now that you have to defend yourself. You have to protect your family.”
The organisation also plans to introduce a special programme for senior citizens, Lynton said, noting that the techniques taught would be simple but effective enough to help older people protect themselves if confronted.
Recalling incidents involving elderly victims of crime, he said: “You had the old lady where she’s walking in her neighbourhood, and somebody pulled off her jewellery and ran with it. We want to give opportunities for the elderly folk to be able to defend themselves as well, and the type of techniques being taught are very simplistic techniques. It might seem easy, but with proper training, they will be able to follow through and defend themselves.”
(LG)
The post Jiu-jitsu camp aims to steer youth from violence appeared first on Barbados Today.
