Now more than ever, parents are finding that kids martial arts classes have an incredible effect on their kids, helping them achieve better grades and become more confident people. That’s because best martial arts style for kids is about a LOT more than just punches and kicks. It’s about helping kids become the best versions of themselves they can possibly be! Read on to find out more about this amazing sport and after-school activity.
Discipline and Success in Best Martial Arts Style For Kids
First, let’s take a step back and define a really important word… What does “success” mean to you? To some people, success means attaining wealth or impacting people’s lives. To others, it means spending time with family or buying cool cars. No matter how you define success, most successful people, like world-famous athletes, celebrities and business leaders, chalk their success up to one key thing- never, ever, EVER giving up.
We often forget that every successful person we see was once a child themselves, and that they turned their talents into lasting success mostly through perseverance. It’s not a coincidence that we teach perseverance and discipline in every single martial arts class. These skills are the foundation of leadership.
Being able to persevere through the tough times and have the self-discipline to do what is right, even when it’s hard, is what makes a good person great. These skills make people kind, compassionate, respectful to others, and they create better community members and industry leaders. Can you see why it’s so beneficial to establish discipline and perseverance early on? Especially if you want your child to become their most successful versions of themselves, however they define it- you have to lay that foundation ASAP.
Self-discipline and perseverance are critical for performance in school too. That’s why we’ve seen plenty of kids enter their first martial arts class with low grades and behavior problems, and then do a 180 with better behavior and higher grades than ever as classes progress. We help them become “indistractable,” listen thoughtfully to their teachers, instructors, parents and peers, and learn how to motivate themselves to get their homework done on time without an adult’s influence. Kind of awesome!
Martial Arts Teaches Kids CONFIDENCE
So we’ve got this amazing kid who’s gotten great grades and behaves like an angel- that’s awesome for us as adults, and it really is great for the kids too… But it’s natural to ask, how does karate for kids benefit the students here and now? Where is that short-term benefit to complement the life-long habits of success we’re building? Here’s a secret, the coolest thing about martial arts is that punching and kicking are NOT our main lessons in class. There’s something more important underneath. Martial arts isn’t just a self-defense curriculum.
It’s a tool we use to teach real inner and outer confidence that’s going to help kids right off the bat. Martial arts can be challenging for kids, especially as they’re just starting to learn how to control their bodies and focus. When they’re trying and trying to get a certain move right and continue to persevere because they KNOW they can do it, that’s confidence. When they’re persevering because they think they’re dumb, a failure, or that they’re not going to make someone proud, that’s definitely not confidence. You have to pair both the discipline and the inside-and-out confidence to have your child become the best martial arts style for kids.
So in those moments of struggle (which are inevitable, by the way), our instructors, our instructors come in and teach them how to engage in positive self talk, which is essentially just telling yourself good things. Instead of “I can’t, I’m dumb, I’ll never get it so what’s the point,” we teach our students to say “I can and I will, I’m trying my best, and I will keep going until I achieve my goal.” And the remarkable thing is, this positive self-talk starts to have an actual impact.
The instructors get through to them, and the kids become more confident. They see that they can truly do anything they put their mind to (with the right attitude), and they become so excited and proud of themselves as they achieve their goals. Some of our favorite moments are with kids who enter our classes shy and unconfident and end up letting their real personalities shine through! One more thing on this.
Confidence is HUGE for helping kids become what we call bully-proof. The bullies at school (and in your child’s own head) don’t stand a chance against a confident child. A confident child isn’t afraid to stand up for themselves and others who are being picked on. How amazing would it be if ALL kids were like this! This is why we strongly believe all children should take martial arts classes. The benefits are so amazing.
Martial Arts is For EVERYONE
we’ve established how martial arts fosters life-changing success skills in kids}, we’ll touch on two other practical benefits. First, taekwondo for kids is a great place for kids who are sporty, as they’ll learn those life skills that make them a better athlete overall… But it’s also a real home for kids who are not so sporty and may feel left out because of it. Because martial arts is an individual sport in a group setting, kids who may be shy about being “not so athletic” don’t have to worry about “letting their team down” or getting picked on. They get to focus on their own growth and improvement (while they cheer on their peers of course!).
And because it’s an individual sport, our students build a better relationship with setting and getting the goals they put their mind to, and recognizing their own achievements. It’s perfect for boosting that confidence in not-so-sporty kids and allowing them to build a healthy relationship with physical activity. Now that you understand how martial arts classes build the foundation for life-long success
Don’t forget that martial arts is a form of self defense. Self defense is an important and life-saving skill for EVERYONE to have in their back pocket, no matter their age, gender or ability. We always say it’s something you don’t want to have to use, but will definitely wish you learned if you need it. Don’t worry- we teach and emphasize nonviolent forms of conflict resolution and show students that physical self defense should ONLY be used in a true emergency. But, if a bully gets violent or an emergency happens, it’s important for your child to know how to protect themselves.
Join Our Kids Classes!
So now you know why we believe that ALL kids should take martial arts classes! Martial arts is an amazing tool we use to teach kids the life-changing skills of discipline, perseverance, and confidence. Plus, it’s a great sport for any child to be proud of their accomplishments and become positive leaders in their community! Get started today with our risk-free trial. Your child will LOVE IT!