How to Use Martial Arts to Get Smarter

Education doesn't just happen in the classroom. In this episode, Dane Dormio walks us through the ways martial arts can enhance a child's education. The physical and mental skills learned through martial arts can help children in many areas of their lives and education.

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About Dane

Dane Dormio wanted to be a ninja turtle when he grew up.

At age 10, he started Tae Kwan Do and advanced quickly through the ranks.

He built physical fitness and says it was a formative experience.

Next, he moved on to combat oriented marital arts, where he got beaten right away.

He always looked for marital arts to learn.

He began studying internal martial arts.

External and Internal Focus

External Martial Arts: focus on what's going on outside your body, physicality.

Internal Marital Arts: Focus on what's going on inside, your sensations and perception.

Teaching Martial Arts

He progressed from learning to teaching.

Teaching is a part of the learning process; teaching and learning go together.

Teaching is synthesizing knowledge.

He taught from a first principle approach; from a beginners mindset.

His teaching was based on the children's interests.

In 2017-2018, he was invited to Nepal to tech self defense to kids who are at a high risk of abduction.

Martial arts and learning are intertwined.

Things kids learn from Marital Arts

1. Attention

Paying attention is how you learn.

It's like a muscle you build.

When kids are learning things because they want to, they pay attention and this spins into other areas.

2. Learn how to learn

If you know how to learn, you can learn anything.

3. How to feel afraid and safe

Kids need to be put in challenging situations, with a teacher or leader they can trust.

4. To find solutions

There is always a solution no matter how bad things seem.

5. Be still

The ninja skill of "be still."