How Children Benefit from Martial Arts Training
Posted: August 11, 2017
Benefits of Martial Arts for Kids
The mystique attached to martial arts is undeniable for a majority of the adults. Likewise, though on a much different scale in the day to day life, martial arts have a positive effect on children who participate in the sport. Unlike what most people think, martial arts are not only meant for the less confident or self-fulfilling kids. It is intended for children from all walks of life and personalities. Following are the benefits of martial arts to children.
- Self defense
Most of the time, this is the primary reason why parents engage their kids in martial arts schools and academies. Crime rates involving children seem to be going up day in day out, hence alarming the parents. You cannot be with your child every day all the time; the least you can do is to protect them. Martial arts are the perfect way to train children on their self-defense in fun and involving way. Of course, you do not expect your three-year kids to be having million dollar moves, but the simple defensive moves that they learn, go a long way in giving you peace of mind.
- Self-discipline
One of the major basic values that martial arts teach children is self-discipline. There is no way a child will learn, understand, remember and pass the courses without discipline. If a child seems to be out of hand at home and school where discipline is concerned, TaeKwonDo, for instance, is one way to reinforce their focus and discipline. Once the kid starts martial arts training, you’ll be certain to get positive behavioral developments from the kid.
- Self Confidence
While martial arts are for all categories of children, it does better to children who seem to have low self-esteem. Why is self-confidence so necessary? Everywhere the child will go, they will be expected to voice their thoughts and concerns. Be it at school, at home, at the hospital or even when playing with their peers. Self-confidence is the beginning of molding a total person, who can be relied upon to become a productive adult. It is the stepping stone to a successful life. Martial arts enable the kids to surpass the ridicule and bullying from fellow kids.
- Physical Fitness
Martial arts involve a lot of physical actions. There are multiple moves and tactics to be learned and mastered. That means the kids will have to keep repeating the same moves over and over until when they are perfect. As such, the kids will automatically be healthy and strong. There is no room to retain excess fat in the body and risk becoming obese. With time, you will notice a change in their feeding and exercising habits. They will eat healthier foods and exercise more often without your coercion.
- Self-Control
One of the major mental benefits of martial arts is self-control. Younger children will often be unreasonable and throw tantrums about anything and everything. Martial arts training teach the children to develop control over their minds and bodies. This is done through exercises which are trained in class. The training begins in their mind, and their bodies follow. You will notice that kids who attend or have attended martial arts classes, are not easily angered and they rarely pickup fights with other kids at school or home.
- Improved concentration/focus
Kids must be the only creatures in the world with the shortest concentration and memory spans. Their focus is only for a very limited period of time, and they forget almost immediately. With martial arts, the aspects of concentration and focus are among the major training lines. If a child cannot focus during martial arts training, then they cannot learn anything. Martial arts focus on three major forms of focus. These are; focus your mind, focus your eyes, and focus your body. These three forms of focus greatly shape the kid even to focus on other things in life.
- Improvement on other Sports
Martial arts are a sport themselves since they involve aggressive physical activities. The training involves the need for power, timing, speed, coordination, and flexibility. All these aspects are important in other sports such as football, soccer, baseball and even field events.
- Respect
Kids who are involved in martial arts activities get to learn of the possible hidden abilities of other people. They learn to respect people of all ages, religions, and races. They also learn to listen to their superiors and follow instructions.
In conclusion, martial arts is more than just kicking, punching and jumping. It is a way of helping your child choose a healthy life. Once you train them at the tender age, they will stick with that kind of lifestyle for the better part of their lives. The benefits that come with martial arts for kids outweigh the misconceptions that such arts are for violent kids and bullies.