Martial Arts
Martial arts are widely accessible to individuals with mobility impairments in South Africa, with training and competition available at social, club, provincial, and international levels.
Many disciplines can be adapted for wheelchair users, allowing athletes to participate fully through modified techniques, specialised training approaches, and inclusive coaching.
Beyond the physical benefits, martial arts offer discipline, confidence, mental focus, and a strong sense of community. They provide an excellent source of exercise, personal growth, and meaningful connection with others.
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1. About Martial Arts
2. Diversities
3. Structure
4. Benefits of Martial Arts for persons with Cerebral Palsy
1. About Martial Arts
Martial Arts and Games Committee (MASA) Is the official Governing Body for Martial Arts in South Africa, as sanctioned by the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee. MASA caters for a variety of disabled including those in wheelchairs, this is known as Wheel Chair Martial Arts. This not only is a source of fun, but is great exercise, a challenge, teachers discipline, and is a great way to meet new people, not to mention, learning a way to defend yourself. Criminals do not discriminate!
MASA was created in 1994 with the guidance of the South African Government, the prime objective of the organization is the unification of various Martial Arts under one organization, which is managed using the fundamental principles of integrity, fairness and non-discrimination.
As a result of this approach the Martial Arts and Games Committee SA has developed into an organization which assists smaller groups with administrative training and guidance, so that they ultimately conform to the recognition criteria as stipulated by the SASCOC and the constitution of MASA.
2. Diversities
Due to MASA being an organization for all martial arts, it is in fact a multi-coded sports organization, which concerns itself with martial arts specifically.
As a result of this, MASA has opted to adopt a unique structure which accommodates even the smallest group and ensures that all groups have equal input and voting rights, thus large individual styles cannot use MASA as their individual powerbase to control the other groups.
3. Structure
MASA does not have provincial organizations as this could cause some smaller groups from being excluded in various decision making processes, but instead MASA has opted for a block representation system, ensuring that all organizations through their democratically elected representatives form part of the National Executive Council of MASA.
When a new affiliate becomes part of MAASA, they are placed in a “block”, which is a committee specifically concerning itself with the functioning of martial arts that has its origin in a specific region.
The following blocks exist in MAASA at present:
– Japanese Weapons
– Japanese Throwing Arts
– Korean Martial Arts
– Mixed Martial Arts
– Sports Martial Arts
– Pankration
– Amateur Kick Boxing
Each affiliate which forms part of these blocks has two members that are democratically elected at the annual congress of MASA) who then form part of the executive of that specific block insuring that all affiliates have equal representation and voting privileges.
All the executive members of the various blocks (two per affiliate) then in turn elect two members (at the annual congress of MASA) from their blocks, to represent the block on the National Executive Council of MASA. These elections take place annually. Thus MASA in conjunction with the SASCOC sets the guide lines and assists the various blocks to comply with the criteria.
Any application for National Colours are evaluated according to the selection criteria, as well as the compliance to the set overall criteria.
4. Benefits of Martial Arts for Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a disease that can be debilitating both physically and mentally for an individual. Doctors and researchers alike are constantly searching for new kinds of therapies for people afflicted with such a condition. Martial arts like karate have been included in physical therapy regiments used to help people with cerebral palsy as far back as 2001, according to USA Today.
“Martial arts are the total opposite of cerebral palsy,” said paediatric neurologist Dr. Janice Brunstrom in an interview with USA Today. “It’s all about control of movement and control of power.” Read More: ….
The JKA Karate Centre in Cape Town is just one of the clubs in South Africa that also cater for persons with disabilities, including persons with Cerebral Palsy. For the last nine years, Ryan has fastidiously studied karate at the Milnerton JKA Karate Centre in Cape Town. He is full of praise for his instructor, Sensei Debbie Evans, and his fellow students who, he says, pull no punches in his training.. Read More: ….