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A week or so ago I received an email from a parent from Indiana who has a teenage son who suffers from Aspergers. I was being asked to help her decide if BJJ would be good for him - as the 'Master' of a local TaeKwondo school told her it would not be a good idea. She sent me what the TKD Master wrote and it made me sad that a martial artist could be so naive having probably never training in the gentle art. Without evening touching on the philosophies or positive benefits of Jiu Jitsu he had dismissed it as being 'practice for cage fighting' that 'intense throws, chokes , twisting of necks and elbows'. With another one of her sons insisting BJJ is the way to go - somehow she contacted me. I researched the illness for a while and I emailed her my opinion about how I believe, with the right teacher in the right environment, it could help her son. Not that I am an expert in Aspergers but I have a simple belief 'Jiu Jitsu is for everybody'. With a little Googling I tracked down a couple of places within 90 minutes of them that offered Gracie Jiu Jitsu for her. After she contacted the teacher (who has a Black Belt in Gracie Jiu Jitsu) of Lucas Martial Arts, some 27 miles away from her, on Monday her son attended his first Jiu Jitsu class.
@ first class at Lucas Martial Arts Now we are in regular contact it sounds like Jiu Jitsu could bring a little light into their lives. I've also asked that she tells this TKD Master about any successes that come of this - so perhaps a seed of understanding can be planted with him.
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