Martial Arts and participating in your own way

Research reviewed September 25, 2026

A little context before we begin

These papers studied specific programs around the world, not Freedom Martial Arts students. The activities, teaching approach, and support differed from study to study, so results do not apply automatically to every martial arts class. They help us ask better questions, but cannot promise what any one child will experience.

What the research found

Tics are involuntary movements or sounds. Understanding that distinction matters in a class with instructions about being still, listening, or waiting. A tic should not be treated as deliberate disruption or evidence that a child is not trying. The Tourette Association offers information for families and other adults who support children.[26]

The studies reviewed here do not establish Martial Arts as a treatment for tics. One small study observed eighteen young people with Tourette syndrome before, during, and after aerobic exercise. Tic frequency was lower during and shortly afterward. This examined a single aerobic exercise session, not a martial arts program.[24]

A Canadian observational study found a modest association between activity and tic severity in 110 children with tic disorders. It did not assign an activity or establish cause. These findings support further questions about exercise, but cannot promise what joining a particular class will do for a child’s tics.[25]

Choose goals that do not depend on fewer tics

Learning a movement, enjoying physical activity, meeting familiar classmates, and feeling comfortable asking for help are worthwhile goals. Your child does not need to show a change in tic frequency for the activity to matter. Ask what they would like to get out of class. Their answer may have little to do with the condition that adults are understandably thinking about.

It can help to agree that participation will not be judged by appearing still or silent. A child who tics while listening may still understand the direction. Ask how the instructor checks understanding through a demonstration or a brief explanation. The useful question is whether the instruction makes sense and the activity is workable, not whether the child looks like everyone else.

Discuss the practical details privately

Before joining, explain what you would like the instructor to know and ask your child what they are comfortable sharing. Discuss what happens if a movement or sound interrupts a turn, whether a brief break might be useful, and how to rejoin without unnecessary attention. If tics affect a particular movement or contact activity, bring any relevant care guidance into the planning conversation.

Ask how the school responds to comments or teasing from other students. Also ask how it distinguishes a tic from a safety instruction that needs another explanation. These are reasonable questions about the environment. The details should be agreed with the school rather than assumed from a welcoming statement or from somebody else’s experience in a different program.

Listen to how the experience feels

After class, ask about the movement they enjoyed or the part they want to understand better. Make room for concerns without turning every conversation into a review of tics. Your child might want an instructor to respond differently, explain something to a partner, or simply give them less attention during a tic. That preference is useful information.

Notice whether your child feels included, understands how to ask for help, and wants to return. If the experience is uncomfortable, discuss what happened and whether an adjustment is practical. Keep any questions about treatment or troublesome symptoms with the relevant clinician. An activity can be a positive part of life alongside care, while making no claim to replace it or control the condition.

What this looks like at Freedom Martial Arts

Talk with us about your child’s interests, how tics may show up during an activity, and what you would like an instructor to understand. We can discuss the class experience and possible starting arrangements around your child’s needs and current availability.