Toowoomba kung fu class helping kids to fight back against bullies

A well placed fist can sometimes help against physical bullying, but it can do nothing against the ‘psychological attack’ that is often subjected to bullying victims.

After overcoming a prolonged and sustained bullying campaign during his youth, a Toowoomba kung fu teacher is looking to pass on the hard lessons learnt to a new generation to defeat bullies.

Chinese Martial Arts and Health Centre Australia and Kids Kung Fu Toowoomba head SiFu Lester Walters said after enduring years of bullying he now wanted to give people the tools to help stand up against bullies from all walks of life.

Mr Walters said he believed that martial arts training could help kids who were victims of bullying, but perhaps not for the reasons that were often assumed.

“It is a common misconception that being able to physically fight against a bully is all that’s needed to stop them. Well, in my case, I was quite capable of physically fighting for myself. So, my bullies simply turned their campaign into a social and psychological one instead. A campaign that in my case lasted for years,” he said.

“A well-placed and well-trained fist can sometimes help against physical bullying, but it can do nothing against the kind of brutal, sustained social and psychological attack that is typical in most cases of bullying.”

Chinese Martial Arts and Health Centre Australia SiFu Lester Walters conducts a kids’ kung fu session with Sierra Fox (left) and Tiarna Fox, Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr Walters said the true power that bullies wielded over their victims was not properly understood, and that typical bullies could often be intelligent and manipulative while simultaneously ruining their victim’s lives.

“Victims of bullying will often question their own self-worth because their abuser or abusers have tricked them into believing that they are worthless,” he said.

“Quite often, they will in fact do just about anything to conceal the fact that they are being victimised and will instead suffer in silence because their abusers, along with the occasional ignorant and insensitive spectator, make them feel ashamed for even being a victim.”

Treyton Fox receives instructions from Chinese Martial Arts and Health Centre Australia Sijeh Sherrilyn Walters during a kids’ kung fu session. Picture: Kevin Farmer

To help combat bullying, Mr Lester believes the right kind of martial arts training can teach a person how to defend themselves physically, mentally and socially.

“Martial arts training can help a person to develop a sense of self-worth that is independent of external conditions,” he said.

“It can do this because self-worth is founded on self-awareness and self-knowledge.

“The right kind of martial arts training exposes both a person’s strengths and their weaknesses, their good and bad sides.

“It builds and improves self-control as well as mental and physical strength and overall competence.

“It requires socially awkward people to learn to overcome their social anxiety and awkwardness within a supportive and nurturing environment, through exposure to such exercises as sparring, intensive partner application practice and partner bag-work.

Chinese Martial Arts and Health Centre Australia Sifu Lester Walters instructs Ruby Orford during a kids’ kung fu session. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“Although we should always seek to address bullying using the proper channels and avoid physical conflict, bullies are not beholden to that code of conduct, so the right kind of martial arts training will also teach a person how to defend themselves physically if it comes down to that.”

In addition to their regular kung fu and self defence programs for adults, the Chinese Martial Arts and Health Centre Australia recently launched a new Kids’ Kung Fu program based at Action Indoor Sports, Toowoomba, designed specifically for children aged five to 12. Contact the Chinese Martial Arts and Health Centre Australia for more information.