The WellChild Ki-Aikido Program

Special Programs for "at risk" and disadvantaged children

The WellChild Ki-Aikido Program takes the benefits of Ki and Aikido training to children who might not otherwise have access to it. Children from low income families can have fun, develop self discipline, learn new ways to look at conflict, and experience calmness and relaxation as powerful. The training can help children in their daily lives, where many of them are at increased risk of delinquency due to the effects of poverty and family situations.

The current focus of the WellChild Ki-Aikido Program is to bring children into our regular Children & Youth classes at the main Dojo (school). We have reserved one third of our class capacity for children from low income families. By bringing children into our regular classes, we have the opportunity to interact with parents and guardians. Parents can support and improve the Aikido experience of their children.

The WellChild Fund provides tuition, uniforms and belt testing for the WellChild Ki-Aikido Program. Donations come from special events such as our Trivia Night and Samurai Challenge. Most of our support is from individuals like you. You can donate online at our donor page with Google Checkout. Just follow this link.

The story of the WellChild Program goes back to 1999. That year a strategic planning committee of Saint Louis Ki Society decided that providing training for at risk children should be a high priority for the school. For many years and from many sources, we have heard that Aikido is good for children. Psychiatric and Social work professional involved in family therapy have recommended our classes for children in their care. Many parents have praised our teaching and been surprised by the ways that Aikido made a positive impact on their children. Resources were developed in 2001 to allow SLKS to hire a full time Executive Director, and the planning and implementation of the WellChild Program began.

WellChild Ki-Aikido classes started in October 2001 through funding from the US Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. It was provided through a grant from the Missouri Department of Public Safety and the Juvenile Justice Advisory Group . In collaboration with Edgewood Children's Center, Neighborhood Houses, and Herbert Hoover Boy's and Girl's Club, we provided Ki-Aikido training at schools and community centers. That funding ended in 2007.

The Benefits Of Ki-Aikido

Physically, Aikido techniques consist of moving out of the way of an attack, moving into the center of action, and redirecting the attacker's momentum. Students are taught to receive Aikido techniques safely by properly falling and rolling away, instead of resisting. Children enjoy the vigorous movement, tumbling and rolling exercises.

Our training also uses visualization techniques, meditation, breathing, stretching, and movement to teach how mind and body are connected and interactive. A light push is often used to test the stability of students in various postures and movements. This “ki test” provides a form of biofeedback, revealing the quality and depth of physical relaxation and mental calmness. Each test gives students direct feedback that immediately shows the effectiveness of correct posture, good movement and a calm disposition. These tests may be a light push to check physical stability or a simple hold or restraint that checks the student's ability to move. Reaction against the test results in failure, while a response that keeps the student focused and calm while offering no direct resistance results in success. Power comes from balance rather than resistance or fighting. Simple verbal cues are practiced to recall this calm relaxed state in class and, with practice, in any situation. Larger, more complex movements are practiced in close coordination with a partner. Students are taught to get out of the way of a move, such as a hard push, get into the middle of the interaction, and redirect the movement into a neutral outcome that does not conflict with the movement of the practice partner. Any feeling or display of opposition will get in the way of skillful execution of the movement. From both a physical and mental perspective, the student is actually helping the practice partner. At the same time, the practice partner learns to go with what happens in order to remain balanced and, if necessary, safely fall or roll away.

Meditative and yoga practices have been shown to reduce anger, reactive aggression [i] , depression and anxiety [ii] . Numerous studies indicate that martial arts reduce anger, anxiety and aggression and increase self-control [iii] .

WellChild Ki-Aikido Program addresses the need for:

• Quality after-school and summer programs that are enticing to children,
• Training and skill development in self-control and self-discipline,
• Positive character development,
• Close interaction with adult role models of positive behavior,
• Involvement in activities for which the child receives positive recognition.

WellChild Ki-Aikido program provides:

•  An appealing and positive activity for children in the after school hours when the risk of delinquent behavior is highest,
•  Skills and techniques for avoiding violence and aggressive behavior as victim or perpetrator,
•  Practice and exploration of new ways of acting and thinking,
•  Small group close interaction for an intense learning experience,
•  Practice in concentration and poise,
•  Adult role models for positive behavior,
•  An experience of relaxation and calmness as powerful,
•  Skills for developing and maintaining positive behavior.

WellChild Ki-Aikido program serves:

Many of the children served by the WellChild Ki-Aikido Program are at high risk for delinquency due to poverty and family situations. They may be living in families with three or more of the following characteristics that are considered to be “high risk”.
•  Child lives in a family with income below the poverty line,
•  Child lives in a single parent family,
•  Child lives in a family where no parent has full time, year round employment,
•  Child lives with a household head that is a high school dropout,
•  Child lives in an area that has higher than average crime statistics.

[i] Dua, Jagdish K.; Swinden, Michelle L. Effectiveness of negative-thought-reduction, meditation, and placebo training treatment in reducing anger. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology , 1992, 33, 135-146.

[ii] Rhead, John C.; May, Gerald G. Meditation in a specialized correctional setting: a controlled study. Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy, 29, (4), pp.105-111, 1983.

[iii] Nosanchuk, T.A. and MacNeil, M.L. (1989) Examination of the Effects of Traditional and Modern Martial Arts Training on Aggressiveness. Aggressive Behavior 15: 153-159.
“Martial arts practice cultivates decreases in hostility” Daniels, K. and Thornton, E.W. (1990) An Analysis of the Relationship Between Hostility and Training in the Martial Arts. Journal of Sports Sciences 8: 95-101.
“Martial arts practice cultivates decreases in anger” Brown, D.R., Wang, Y., Ward, A., Ebbeling, C.B., Fortlage, L., Puleo, E., Benson, H. and Rippe, J.M. (1995) Chronic Psychological Effects of Exercise and Exercise Plus Cognitive Strategies. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 27: 765-775.
“Martial arts practice cultivates decreases in feeling vulnerable to attack” Madden, M.E. (1995) Perceived Vulnerability and Control of Martial Arts and Physical Fitness Students. Perceptual and Motor Skills 80: 899-910.
“Martial arts practice cultivates self-control” Brown, D.R., Wang, Y., Ward, A., Ebbeling, C.B., Fortlage, L., Puleo, E., Benson, H. and Rippe, J.M. (1995) Chronic Psychological Effects of Exercise and Exercise Plus Cognitive Strategies. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 27: 765-775