Wrapping Up Ninja Camp 2018
Woo hoo! Ninja Camp 2018: Bully Blockers and the Ninja Sleepover may be over, but we've still got tons of video and photos to share with everyone. We've already shared a few clips on our Facebook and Instagram pages, and you can see the rest by clicking the links below. The Campers (and Instructors) had a TON of fun with physical and mental challenges, workouts, and a whole lot more. But it wasn't just fun and games! Here's how we spent our time at Ninja Camp 2018:
On Day 1, Campers learned about different types of bullying and how to identify bullying behaviors. Next, we discussed and demonstrated the steps that they should take if they are being bullied or witness bullying.
Step 1 is to ask/tell the person to stop.The kids practiced being assertive with several different partners, looking into their eyes and telling that person to stop the behavior.
Step 2 is to notify an adult, preferably a parent. We talked about and demonstrated the difference between “tattling” and telling, and encouraged the kids to talk to their parents about bullying even if they haven’t yet experienced it so that together you can come up with an action plan of how you would like to deal with such matters as a family if they ever come up.
Step 3 should be used only as a last resort and is something we hope the kids will never need, but is still very important for them to know. This step was teaching the kids how to deal with a more serious physical confrontation, and how they can physically stop someone who is aggressive or threatening, shoving, or hitting.
After a lengthy discussion about when it is appropriate to use self-defense techniques on another kid, the consequences they may face even if they are acting in self-defense, and the difference between defending themselves against another child versus defending themselves against an adult attacker or kidnapper, the kids split into groups and worked on techniques designed to stop someone who is trying to hit or push you, create space between yourself and your attacker, and defend yourself in a way that will let the bully know that they don’t want to mess with you without badly injuring them.
For a demonstration of the Bully-defense techniques we worked on, speak with one of our instructors.
On Day 2 of Ninja Camp, we switched things up a bit, and the main focus of the day was “Stranger Danger”. We spent some time discussing who a stranger is, what a stranger can look like, and that not every stranger is a bad person, but you never know. We also discussed the things they can do to make sure they’re not easier targets for predators:
Always tell your parents before you leave the house or go somewhere.
Use the “Buddy System”
Keep important phone numbers with you in case of emergency (parents’ cell phones, 911, etc.)
We always really try to stress to the kids that although knowing how to physically defend yourself against a bigger and stronger attacker is very important and could end up saving their lives one day, if kids find themselves in a position where they are facing an adult attacker alone, they’re already in extreme danger, and it is better to take the steps to avoid a situation like that than to just rely on their self-defense knowledge alone.
Here are the ways we taught the kids to avoid a physical confrontation with a "bad guy":
Never talk to anyone you don’t know unless you are with a parent.
If a stranger does try to talk to you, ignore them and get to a safe place where you can alert a trusted adult.
Listen to your gut. If someone is making you feel uncomfortable or something doesn’t feel right (you think someone is following you, a car drives slowly beside you, you see a friend or sibling interacting with a stranger, etc.), get to a safe place and tell a trusted adult.
If someone chases you or tries to pull or lure you away into a car or building, get to a safe place as fast as you can and alert adults that can help you by yelling “No!” or “Fire!”.
After we drilled the importance of being able to avoid and recognize dangerous situations with strangers, we taught them some basic yet effective techniques, specifically designed for a child to use against a much bigger and stronger attacker. Before we began we also talked about the amount of control and force they should use when stopping a child bully versus the amount of force needed when trying to stop and adult.
Then it was time for the challenge and the fun. I think this is the most important drill we do in Ninja Camp. First, we drill a few different techniques with the kids, ones that have the power to stop an adult with less risk of the child injuring him/herself (we generally tell the kids not to use straight punches against adults because they run the risk of hurting their fingers and wrists, especially when punching upwards, or if they do not regularly practice Martial Arts). These include knees and kicks to the groin, palm and hammer strikes to the nose, elbow strikes, and strikes aimed at the eyes.
Next (this is the good part) we had one of our long-time students, Mr. Garrett, wear what we call the “Bad Guy” suit. This protected his entire body and face while still allowing him the range of motion and flexibility to try and “kidnap” the campers on a one-on-one basis. The kids had to escape from the Bad Guy and get to the safety area before they could be pulled or carried to the “danger zone” (inside a car or building or somewhere that other people are not likely to be around to see or help them). The kids work on improving their power, speed, the accuracy of their kicks and strikes, and agility, but what makes this drill so important is that they are able to realize how helpless it feels when they have been picked up or have someone holding both of their wrists, and how they have to fight the urge to panic before they can fight the actual attacker. Many of them start off giggling and being silly until they see just how quickly and easily an adult could just scoop them up and take them away. It had a very sobering effect on them and by the second or third round, I’m proud to say that almost all of the campers were reacting and striking in a way that I believe could stop a predator!
I encourage parents to quiz the kids at home about what steps they can take to avoid dangerous confrontations with strangers, what targets they should be aiming for when fending off an adult attacker, and have them demonstrate for you some of the kicks and strikes they learned to be used against adult “Bad Guy”.
Sorry for the longer explanation, but this is something that is very important to me as an instructor and a parent. Let’s help keep our kids safe!
After all that hard work of practicing kicking and striking and fending off attackers, the kids got to cool off with a water balloon fight!
And finally, on Day 3 of Ninja Camp, we honored the longtime tradition of heading down to North Beach for some fun in the sand! Kids started off with a group workout and stretches in the sand, then reviewed the kicks, strikes, and combos they learned in the previous two days of Ninja Camp. Later, the campers got to play dodgeball, sword fighting, had a sandcastle building contest, and participated in tons of other games and challenges that help instill in them the importance of teamwork, communication, cooperation, sportsmanship, and friendship. We ended the day with a beach picnic and an epic water war!
All of the students who completed the Bully Workshop on Day #1 and the Kidnap Challenge on Day #2 received their awesome Ninja Camp patches. We also awarded special badges to our "Stars of the Day" on each day of camp for campers who showed outstanding effort and a great attitude.
To see all of the photos from Ninja Camp 2018 and the Ninja Sleepover on our Facebook page, Click Here. While you're there, be sure and give us a "Like"! We've also got more video from Ninja Camp coming to our Instagram.
Aaaaaaand of course we had to go out with a bang! The Ninja Sleepover was as wild as ever with a Pizza Party, Pinata, Games, Challenges, a Cup-Stack contest, and more fun than a barrel of ninjas! Just around midnight, they rolled out their sleeping bags and settled in to watch the Lego Ninjago Movie. What a great way to end another amazing week of Ninja Summer Camp!
Remember to check out our Ninja Camp 2018 photo albums on our Facebook page by Clicking Here, and to follow us on Instagram @ussdsc (Click Here) to see some awesome video clips from the Kidnap Challenge.
If you're interested in making sure your child is better prepared to defend himself/herself from bullies or child predators, or having fun and learning focus, self-control, responsibility, and respect while working towards becoming a Black Belt martial artist one day, see one of our Instructors to learn about the programs we offer and to schedule a free introductory lesson.
Registration for Ninja Camp 2019 begins in February! We'll see you in the Dojo :)
