STRENGTH
Discover your inner strength, which gives you confidence in who you are, and develop awareness of your physical strength and knowledge of what your body can do in different situations.
Martial arts helps students discover confidence in how they develop and succeed through the curriculum. A reward system of belt colors helps increase their confidence because it shows the public what they have accomplished mentally and physically. As they progress through the system, they discover how much they know and are then able to teach newcomers, which boosts their confidence. All effort is rewarded in time, and everything they learn has meaning.
Why Strength
The physical aspect of strength as a tenet is easy to recognize. The inner strength goes a lot deeper. This tenet teaches confidence, but also perseverance. Martial arts is about constant practice, thought, and refinement. This experience gives the student a physical and emotional connection to inner strength, as well as the ability to see the reward at the end. By incorporating this tenet, confidence can not only help deter bullies but also give someone who is being bullied a mental toughness to recognize there is something better beyond this bullying situation.
The Stance
This stance invokes strength by having a powerful base with one leg bent forward, and the other leg stretched out behind you. Your arms are in a strong block position in the shape of a X. This stance lets you feel your leg muscles all working together to create a powerful stance with your legs, and your arms are symmetrical in action to create unity and strength. What is very strong about this stance is that it’s considered a block in martial arts, and it works perfectly with this tenet because it’s showing a defensive posture, rather than an offensive posture.
Performing the stance
This stance helps you associate with strength because it feels very powerful and has a self confidence factor. It works your leg muscles, helps your posture, and also help stretches your legs.
Set your feet shoulder-width apart.
Keep your front leg bent with the foot pointing forward. Your lower leg should be perpendicular to the floor.
Keep your back leg straight out with your back foot at a 45-degree angle. The distance between your front and back leg are twice your normal gait (two steps).
Square your hips and point them forward.
Balance with 60% of your weight on your front leg and 40% on your back leg.
Point your arms down in front of your waist, making an X at the forearm with your hands in fists.
Your top hand should be on the opposite side of your body from your front foot.