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growth. Through these three dimensions; the physical, mental and spiritual; one can grow and mature more completely, thus becoming a more productive member of society.

The first and most basic dimension of personal growth is that of the physical self. Through the training of forms and techniques, one gains several physical and physiological benefits. Physical activities such as weightlifting, swimming and other forms of exercise have been shown to bring about immediate and beneficial effects. The physical aspect of martial arts teaches integration of the mind and body, thereby promoting better coordination. Students are also taught to concentrate, focus and relax, bringing about a direct benefit to mental health and opening the door to mental growth.

The second dimension of holistic growth is that of the mind. The mind is the connection between the body and the spirit. As noted earlier, martial art training promotes focus, concentration and calmness. By learning the self-defense techniques and overcoming the fear of being attacked, students build self-confidence and learn to resolve conflict with non-violent methods.

One example is of a student named Angel who was orphaned at age 12 and became a gang member. Having an extensive record of violence and aggression, Angel was soon to be incarcerated. During his residential program, Angel was enrolled in a martial arts program to supplement his therapy. The instructor taught him a technique of looking through an opponent and focusing inward. Utilizing this technique, they would conduct an exercise that required Angel to develop a non-responsive stare and remain calm while being provoked by someone using abusive language. Initially, Angel could not remain calm at all. He, would either laugh or become angry. However, through repetition he was able to discipline himself to remain calm. Angel was then able to apply this technique whenever he needed to, so that he no longer had any violent outbursts. His martial arts training helped him to avoid a lengthy prison sentence.

The third dimension of holistic growth is that of the spirit. Spiritual growth in martial arts does not entail adopting any sort of religion. Instead, it means learning the philosophies of martial arts so that one can live with Wude, or martial virtue. The concept of Wude comes from the Chinese martial arts and is a combination of the words Wushu (martial arts) and Daode (virtue). Wude is something like a code of conduct that governs the use of martial

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