Billy Blanks pushes martial arts to help kids with autism

By MARY SHEDDEN
The Tampa Tribune
Published: November 07, 2011
Updated: November 09, 2011

The first time Billy Blanks showed up at karate class, the instructor bet $5 he wouldn't stick it out.

Blanks, then 14, seemed like a lot of kids who showed up at the Martin Luther King Center in Erie, Pa., in 1969. Also, Blanks had spent years in special education classes because of dyslexia that went undiagnosed and untreated.

The boy knew martial arts offered something different. It would pay off, he told himself, as long as he watched the instructor's every move and practiced every afternoon at the gym.

Within six months, the teen's focus improved, at home and at school. In a year, he had earned a black belt.

"It really gave me a chance to see that I could do it, that I could really be successful," said Blanks, who today is known worldwide as the creator of the Tae Bo kick boxing workout.

"I was learning how to bring my body under control. I got my mind under control and it gave me confidence."

Blanks' personal experience has evolved into a new mission: To introduce physical fitness to children with autism and other special needs. He'll do just that this week in St. Pete Beach, when he leads two community workouts as part of the 2011 National Autism Conference.

Social interaction, language and communication are key challenges facing children and adults living with the highly complex autism spectrum disorders. Research shows that regular movement, such as exercise, can help with treatment, especially for children with still-developing brains.

Blanks, who still teaches regular classes, said he's seen first hand how music coupled with the fast-paced punching and kicking in his workouts appeal to children with autism. It helps them gain confidence and connect with others.

You can read the rest of the article HERE.




Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Environment Plays Bigger Role in Autism Than Thought

Study in Twins Finds a Shared Environment Influences the Development of Autism More Than Shared Genes

By Brenda Goodman
WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

July 4, 2011 -- One of the largest studies of twins shows environment may play a larger role in the development of autism than previously recognized.

Several small studies conducted over the last three decades have found that it is much more common for identical twins to be diagnosed with autism than it is for fraternal twins.

That’s led to the belief that the lion’s share of the odds of developing autism is written into a person’s DNA, with a much smaller percentage coming from something in the environment.

The new study, which is published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, found that autism was surprisingly common in fraternal twins, despite the fact that they don’t share as many of the same genes as identical twins, suggesting that something in their mutual life circumstances may be playing at least as strong a role as genetics.

“There are lots of neuroscience papers that begin ‘Autism is one of the most heritable conditions in psychiatric genetics and shows over 90% heritability...’ and I don’t think people should start their papers that way anymore,” says Harold Hill Goldsmith, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

You can read the rest of the article HERE.

If you no someone on the Autism spectrum that might benefit from training karate training.  Please contact me at 803-462-9425.  I have worked with several children ranging in age from 8 to 14, including one boy who was non verbal and extremely severe.  Most Autistic children benefit from getting exercise and focusing on core skills that require good self control and hand to eye coordination.

You are welcome to try a class for FREE!

Sensei Chris Feldt
Samurai Karate Studio
Columbia, SC 29229
803-462-9425
samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com