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For the past three summers, students and staff from the Martial Arts World of Glen Allen have been occupying the pools at SwimRVA. The routine seasonal invasion of the aquatic center is a part of the Summer camp program that Martial Arts World offers. The program includes many activities such as martial arts classes, field trips, leadership development, self-defense lessons, fitness, bully prevention, and as mentioned, pool visits.
One may wonder, “How is pool time beneficial for a martial arts?” As a matter of fact, we did wonder. So, we decided to ask and, after speaking with the CEO and Master Instructor of Martial Arts World of Glen Allen, Tina Bane, the blend of martial arts and aquatics reveals a naturally beneficial correlation between the two.
Why Water?
The benefits of swimming sync uniquely with martial arts to improve martial artists. According to Bane, the physical activity and full body resistance of swimming and aquatic exercise are beneficial to the martial arts curriculum. Aquatic activity aligns with The Martial Arts World Core Rules of Health due to the excess energy that is used and physical exertion that motion in water requires.
Witnessing the children from the summer camp splashing around and showcasing their best smiles, it’s hard to realize the authentic developments which are very useful for aspiring martial artists, such as increased stamina and flexibility, that take place during their swim time. Bane explained, “If you are a swimmer, it makes it twice as hard to get an arm bar on you because of the flexibility of your shoulder; your joints don’t lock out as easy on the upper body.”
In addition to the health benefits of swimming, there’s another, much simpler, reason for why Martial Arts World continues to bus its kids over to SwimRVA. “The kids enjoy it, it gives them the opportunity to get in the water and go to the pool,” said Bane. Summer pool time is considered a fun activity for the youth, but unfortunately is not always easily accessible. On top of utilizing the pool to host a great time, parents of MAW were offered an opportunity for their children to take swim lessons at the facility. Getting a chance at fun and safety usually bodes well for parents and children.
Building Together
Martial Arts World aims to implement its pillars of success in its functional core, and summer camp is no different. The 5 pillars of success are mental fitness, physical fitness, moral fitness, financial fitness, and life fitness. Every time the MAW campers touched down on the instructional pool deck, they witnessed five similar principles hanging on the SwimRVA walls: courage, dignity, truthfulness, persistence, and success. Martial Arts and Aquatics together, make more sense than the initial thought of such a pair.
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