Criptaedo: Martial Arts for People with Disabilities
Topic: Exercising with Disability
Author: Paul Brailer - Contact: Contact Details
Published: 2015/03/12 - Updated: 2021/08/26
Contents: Summary - Introduction - Main - Related
Synopsis: Criptaedo is a martial art designed to educate the community of people with disabilities on self-defense and fitness. In the summer of 2012, two of my friends - Jaret and Tony - and I started talking about self-defense for people with disabilities. I, jokingly, said we should call it Criptaedo. They liked it and so the name stuck. Since then we have done numerous speaking engagements with demonstrations, have been to subject of multiple articles and have produced instructional You-Tube videos.
Introduction
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practices, which are practiced for a variety of reasons: self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, entertainment, as well as mental, physical, and spiritual development.
Main Digest
My name is Paul Brailer. I am a black-belt from the Art of Karate in Barberton, Ohio and the creator of Criptaedo, a new martial art designed to educate the community of people with disabilities on self-defense and fitness.
I haven't always had high self-esteem and confidence. Being born with spina-bifida, growing up was difficult. I had kids picking on me and doctors, teachers and caregivers discouraging me from new experiences or anything that they perceived would hurt me. This led to a low self-esteem and self-image which followed me into adulthood.
As an adult, I looked for the approval of others.
When I reached my 30s, I lost a few of my friends from poor health in a short amount of time. Another two of my friends were mugged. This got me thinking... how could I stay active and healthy and be able to defend myself if I had to? Then one day, a chance meeting changed everything.
I was at a local hamburger station and I saw a lady named Heidi wearing an Art of Karate T-shirt. We started talking and she didn't assume that my disability meant I couldn't do karate, which was a BIG self-esteem boost. She invited me to the school to watch a class. I signed up and 4 years later, I am the first person in the school born with a disability that achieved black-belt!
I had to modify what the instructors were teaching the ambulatory students to fit my abilities. For example: for a front kick, I do a palm-heel strike and for a round-house kick, I use an elbow-strike.
My skills have had gone through real-life trials as well.
Instead of being a victim of a mugging attack, I was able to defend myself. My assailant, probably realizing I was not the easy target he assumed, fled the scene. But he left me with a desire to teach these skills to others.
In the summer of 2012, two of my friends - Jaret and Tony - and I started talking about self-defense for people with disabilities. I, jokingly, said we should call it Criptaedo. They liked it and so the name stuck.
Jaret now runs the technical side of Criptaedo and Tony is one of the instructors.
Since then we have done numerous speaking engagements with demonstrations, have been to subject of multiple articles and have produced instructional You-Tube videos. In October of 2013, Criptaedo became a non-profit organization.
We are excited to begin physical self-defense classes and are looking forward to demonstrating at the Chicago & DC Abilities Expo. Martial Arts has improved my self-esteem and self-image. It is not yet where I would like it to be, but it's not where it was.
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Cite This Page (APA): Paul Brailer. (2015, March 12 - Last revised: 2021, August 26). Criptaedo: Martial Arts for People with Disabilities. Disabled World. Retrieved September 17, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/fitness/exercise/criptaedo.php
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