BALANCE & BOW

The most powerful thing a martial artist does is bow, because it takes strength to show respect.

BALANCE & BOW! is Book 10 of the Little Champions series. It clears up the biggest misunderstanding about martial arts straight away: they are not about fighting. They are about becoming confident, calm and strong enough that you never need to fight.

This colourful, fact-packed handbook takes children aged 8-12 from the ancient arts of India and the Shaolin monks of China to the Olympic Judo mat and the Taekwondo arena. It explains the history, techniques and big ideas of the world's great martial arts, and the qualities they build: respect, self-control, patience and courage. Everything is written in clear, friendly language that children can read on their own or share with a grown-up. Every activity is designed to be safe to try at home.

Inside, young champions will discover:

• The story of martial arts, from Kalaripayattu and Shaolin kung fu to Jigoro Kano, Gichin Funakoshi, Bruce Lee and today's Olympic Games

• The dojo: the kamiza, the uniform, and the dojo code followed around the world

• The bow: standing, kneeling and Korean bows, and why respect always comes first

• Karate, the art of the empty hand: kihon, kata and kumite, core stances, punches and kicks, and the kiai

• Judo, the gentle way: famous throws, holds, breakfalls, scoring and the idea of mutual welfare and benefit

• Taekwondo: the five tenets, the signature kicks and how Olympic scoring works

• Aikido, Muay Thai, Kali, Capoeira, Krav Maga, Sambo, Wing Chun, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA

• Belts and grading: what each colour means, how a grading works, and what a black belt really means

• How training builds balance, fitness and reaction time, and what martial arts do for the brain, from the prefrontal cortex to "mushin"

• The inspiring true stories of champions Daria Bilodid and Kimia Alizadeh

Packed with hands-on learning:

• 10 Chapter Challenge pages

• TRY THIS! activities, including the perfect bow, a dojo in your living room, the horse stance challenge, the breakfall arm slap, the front kick chamber drill, a stillness practice and a design-your-own 30-day challenge

• SCIENCE boxes on board breaking, the levers of Judo, the roundhouse kick and neuroplasticity

• DOJO WISDOM and CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT boxes on humility, perseverance and self-control

• Clear safety guidance on what must only be learned with a qualified instructor

• A 10-step Martial Arts Starter Plan, a 68-word glossary, a 17-star Champion Star Chart and a Little Champion certificate

Perfect for children starting their first Karate, Judo or Taekwondo class, young fans of Olympic combat sports, parents looking for a book that builds confidence and character, classroom and homeschool learning, and every reader collecting the Little Champions series.

Step into the dojo. Bow. Begin.