Martial Arts Benefits for Children

Beyond the obvious benefits of kids learning martial arts, there are several reasons to consider when enrolling your children in this type of class. Of course, they will get the knowledge to defend themselves if necessary, but it also teaches them how to avoid dangerous situations in the first place. Victims often become victims because bullies and predators see them as weak. The confidence they gain by attending these classes will teach them to walk taller and have a stronger, more confident air about themselves. The chances of them being tormented by a bully drops significantly just with this one benefit. The obesity rate of our children is a major concern for parents and caregivers. The cardio fitness factor that martial arts has will help them be healthier from the inside out. Not only are their hearts going to be healthier and more efficient, but they are going to have stronger muscle tone as well. Even though it doesn’t involve weights, they are still getting the benefit of repeat routines and a huge jump in core strength. Preventing injuries during sports play is half the battle in terms of staying healthy. Students of martial arts learn to be more flexible and do stretches on a regular basis. This new flexibility will help them prevent injuries because their muscles aren’t tight and they are used to this kind of motion in class. Now, the difference between a regular workout routine and martial arts is that karate and other forms teach you mental strength at the same time. This mental strength teaches them how to stick with something and keep going, even when they want to quit. That translates into higher mental focus and persistence, which means better grades, higher test scores and the ability to control themselves during difficult situations. If they had problems controlling their emotions before, this will give them the tools to handle the situations effectively, without blowing up. Going through the changes of life with tools like this makes it much easier and it all stems from going to class consistently. Everyone needs a support system of their peers, and our karate instructor, Mindy Jorgensen, speaks to the importance of friendships made in class. This group becomes closer as they continue to advance and these friendships often continue outside the walls of karate school. By building relationships that are positive, they are less likely to seek out negative circles and they will stay out of trouble. There are plenty of reasons to enroll your children in our martial arts classes and all of these extend into adult life. Start by helping them become more fit, physically and mentally, and give them the tools they need to be successful!