Inside Martial Arts Pedagogy: Practical and Academically Grounded

Source: accadis Hochschule Bad Homburg, 23 October 2026

Owners of private martial arts schools who teach children and teenagers deal with more than technique. They also need to understand their legal obligations and teach in ways that fit each age group. To bring research into everyday teaching, Prof. Dr. Yvonne Thorhauer (Head of Research at accadis and an experienced kickboxer) and Klaus Nonnemacher (President of WKUWORLD) developed a continuing-education programme within the accadis Department of Education. The first University Certificate in Martial Arts Pedagogy course started in November 2026.

• Legal foundations: Prof. Dr. Anne Jakob, a lawyer and lecturer at accadis, visited a martial arts school in Frankfurt to see real training conditions. In the course she covers supervision duties and liability for private schools.
• Neurobiology and developmental psychology: Prof. Dr. Barbro Walker, Head of the Department of Education, teaches how the brain learns movement and how development shapes what children can learn at different ages.
• Core themes: how the brain learns movement, as a basis for better training methods; teaching values such as respect, self-regulation and frustration tolerance in an age-appropriate way; and building a respectful, relationship-based culture in the training hall.
• Practical focus: The course combines academic research, legal know-how and WKUWORLD’s experience as a world federation. Direct contact with schools keeps it grounded in what training looks like day to day.

Read the original article (German) on accadis-education.com →