Friday, August 7, 2015

Meet Ms Melissa MacFarlane from Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts

A Blast from the Past: Meet Ms Melissa MacFarlane from 

Ms Melissa MacFarlane is a familiar presence at Bruce McCorry’s academy, an adept trainer who lends her able hands in taking forward the children’s lessons at the academy. Everyone knows Ms Melissa, but not everyone knows her illustrious past as a young martial artist, who won many laurels at Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy. This story is about Ms Melissa, who has made Bruce McCorry’s proud with her achievements, the academy which in turn, made her nurture her inborn talent.



A Blast from the Past: The Story of Ms. Melissa

It was in 1997 that Ms Melissa first stepped into Bruce McCorry’s. Right from the beginning, she was a precocious learner of martial arts, proving her ability in whichever field she chose to practice. Her competency made Bruce McCorry’s choose her as the representative in many important tournaments, all of which she won with the ease of a professional martial artist, even at a very young age. At the academy, she also became the young vigorous leader of the Demo Team, something which the most efficient students achieve.



What she started as a young student, she did not quit in her later life. Through her high school years, and later when she went to college, and even after that as an adult, Melissa remained a constant presence and a motivating personality at Bruce McCorry’s Academy. As an adult martial artist, she found a great satisfaction in imparting the lessons of martial arts to youngsters and adults alike. Her expertise as a martial artist also became significant in starting the Afterschool Martial Art Program at Bruce McCorry’s. Today, the Afterschool Martial Arts (AMP) has grown into a course to which students from Massachusetts aspire to get into.



Fast Forward: From a Young Trainer to an Adept Artist
After a small break, Ms Melissa came back to Bruce McCorry’s with full force to be an inevitable presence in the faculty. Today, her profession is in the medical field and she's also established herself as an expert trainer at the academy. She enjoys the lessons she imparts, and loves each moment at the academy during her career in the medical field. She is a true, dedicated martial artist.



Martial art is something that often passes on from generation to generation. Today, her two children have made themselves at home at Bruce McCorry’s Academy, imbibing all the passion and dedication that their mother passed on to them. Just like her mother, Kiarra is already working hard toward achieving her Junior Black Belt, whereas little Lily has become a Little Ninja, enthusiastic about martial arts. Ms Melissa is proud of the institution which made her and is now shaping the life of her own children. And as for Bruce McCorry’s Academy, Melissa is a lucky presence, with whose help the children’s lessons have achieved great professionalism and fame.



Ms Melissa’s story is an inspiration of all those who want to make it large in the field of martial arts, and all those who want to see their children succeeding in their lives, achieving big dreams, and making their wishes come true, through martial arts. Perhaps, the story of Melissa can change your life, and make you think what you actually want for your kids. Make the choice today and make a difference!

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Martial Arts for Autistic Kids

How Martial Arts Helps Kids with ADD/ADHD Autism and Dyslexia


A society with children is full of life. Besides assuring the society's continuity, kid's are a source of joy to families. Today, children are being diagnosed with previously rare conditions at an ever increasing rate. Conditions within the Autistic Spectrum are now becoming common. Diseases such as ADHD and dyslexia fall under this group. Although individuals with conditions such as autism are considered to have special abilities like sharp memory and greater reasoning capacity, these abilities are usually hidden away from the individual and might go unnoticed. In addition, children diagnosed with a condition under the autistic spectrum are also limited in a number of ways. Hope for a normal life for such children can only be achieved through proper care.

Medical interventions
Normally, children with Autism, ADD, ADHD and Dyslexia will undergo medical treatment to manage their condition. Psychotropic drugs are a common treatment regime. However, the effectiveness of such drugs is still under question, especially if the patient is a preschooler. These drugs are also known to have side effects which are usually severe on a little one's vulnerable body. But apart from drug, is there a more effective and safe alternative?


A Safer, Holistic and Effective Solution to Autism, ADHD and Dyslexia in Martial Arts
In 2010 a study was conducted in Wisconsin University to determine the effect of martial arts on children diagnosed with a condition within the autistic spectrum. The study revealed that martial arts can help autistic children overcome challenges posed by their condition. Training in a martial art can provide the following benefits to children with autism.


Martial arts helps to promote mental focus. It's especially effective for children who suffer from hyperactivity and attention deficiency disorders. Training helps the child learn to focus their brain on a single activity at once.


Children with autism and other disorders often find it difficult to socialize with their peers. Through martial arts, the child is taught socialization skills such as respect and courtesy. Interacting with instructors and other students also helps to boost self confidence.


Hyperactive kids often lack positive channels to release their energy. They seem too demanding and attention seeking. Through martial arts, the child learns how to channel and release his or her energy in a positive manner. The child learns to become passive and not seek too much attention towards them.


Learning fast is a problem dyslexic children have to grapple with daily. Martial arts provides a way to tune the brain to learn and understand new concepts fast. The child learns how to focus the brain to embrace new knowledge as well as memorize it.


Kids diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome and autism have the tendency to be perfectionists. Perfection is often achieved through repetition of activities and a compulsion to arrange things in a specific order. Martial arts includes repetitive movements which the child will appreciate. However, as the child advances in martial arts training, they get to learn new movements. This helps them change their outlook towards achieving their goals. Rather than perform a task repetitively, he or she will discover that other simple activities can be done to achieve desired results.


Martial arts can also help autistic children learn to envision abstract ideas. Most of these kids have a problem dealing with the abstract. Their brain finds it easier to comprehend concrete ideas. However, it's still even hard for the child to comprehend these ideas fast. Through martial arts, the child's brain is taught how to think abstractly. When training, they can easily view an instance where they are applying their lessons. This goes a long way in developing the brain to imaging and become creative.


Martial Arts for Autistic Kids at Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts Academy
As one of the leading martial arts training academy's in Massachusetts, Bruce McCorry's has a program for autistic children. Located in Peabody, MA the academy has helped many autistic kids overcome their challenges through martial arts training. Our instructors are the best in their respective martial arts fields. We provide a safe and friendly environment that's ideal for autistic children to learn and develop their full potential towards living a normal life. We invite you to call today and visit us, to see what Bruce McCorry's can do for your children.