The Spiker brothers, Jason, 5, Jared, 4, and Jonathan, 11, top to bottom, get together for a little horseplay before practice . Photo by Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin

Sherilyn Hashiro, top, practices a move on
Elisabeth Lane. Photo by Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin

Sprawled on a mat, Jonathan Spiker looks up, smiling. The 11-year-old is playing around with his younger brothers. Jared, 4, has his older brother immobilized in a judo press and is grinning from ear to ear.

"It's something they enjoy doing," says their father, John Spiker, as he watches Jonathan, Jason and Jared horse around before class.

The Spikers are members of the Shobukan Judo Club in Liliha.

Since he was 5, Jonathan has been training in judo, a sport where you rely heavily on your own strength.

Despite occasional tears and stinging pain, instructors say self-defense classes are good tools for child development.

"He was hyperactive but pretty shy around people," John Spiker says. "But through exposure in tournaments and training, he has learned to put those fears aside and become competitive. He's very mature now.

"As far as the mental aspect, I hoped he would gain confidence, self-esteem and pride, and the social skills that go along with interacting with other students. And there is the physical development besides exercise and self-defense. . .the coordination, concentration and just conditioning for him."

Off the mat, Jonathan applies the same kind of discipline toward his school work.

Judo instructor Stanley Ida shows
13-year-old Garret Hashiro a technique.
Photos by Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin

"When there is a tournament, he has to prepare and train just as he would have to study and prepare for school work," his father says.

In his short career, Jonathan has won eight national titles and four gold international medals.

Unlike judo, in aikido there is no competition and a lot less contact.

"You need to harmonize with the person attacking you," says Gayne Sogi, an aikido instructor. "It is strictly a self-defense course."

Since he was 13 years old, Sogi has been practicing and teaching aikido.

"My father took me for self-defense purposes but as I got into it I realized it evolved into something more than self-defense. It teaches you how to relax," Sogi says.

For children, aikido helps with their overall development and teaches them how to be responsible.

"It teaches them how to deal with stress. How to concentrate and cultural etiquettes: being kind to one another, being respectful, learn to share and be humble," Sogi says.

"Like I tell my students, the most important thing you have to have is respect," says YBA judo instructor Stephen Ida. "If you lose that respect you're going to get in trouble.

An instructor for more than 30 years, Ida has seen his share of children who fell by the wayside.

But for those with stick-to-itiveness, "It makes you humble," he says.

"It's what we call one-to-one sport. You've got nobody to blame but yourself.

"In a small way, it keeps them away from the sidewalk."

The discipline of martial arts extends beyond the dojo, says Shotokan Karate Center chief instructor Paul Imada.

"You can see the difference between children that don't get involved with martial arts and children that do," Imada says. "It kinda pushes them into self-confidence. You develop better concentration in other things."

Shotokan karate is not about learning a perfect kick or takedown, according to Wes Nakamoto, the assistant chief instructor. "We'd rather they walk away with the value system," he said.

"The key is that you try the very best you can," says Imada. "And that should transcend into anything that you do.

"That sense of satisfaction should be good enough."