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Taekwondo > Benefits of Martial Arts
Why Should Kids Participate in the Martial Arts?
Most of the uninitiated public, think of martial arts as fighting. Mixed martial art reality shows help perpetuate this concept. Kids watch the movies and see one martial artist whoop on 100 bad guys and they think wow that would be cool!
This is not martial arts. Regardless of whether it's Karate, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, et al, – martial arts is a great activity for kids. It teaches kids values like goal setting, perseverance, persistence, respect, integrity, self-control, focus and confidence to name just a few.
Below are 11 great reasons why your child should take up martial arts.
- Self-Defense
- Self-Confidence
- Belts and Ranking
- Discipline
- Individual Achievement
- Gender Equity
- Exercise
- Respect for Strength
- Competition
- You Can Do It with Them
- The Never-Ending Season
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Self-Defense:
The number one reason why most people take up a martial art is for self-defense. All martial arts teach you various techniques to defend yourself. At Karate for Kids we also teach you the way to think about defending yourself. The most valuable defense from attack is your mind. To prevent an attack is far superior to having to defend an attack. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal of self-defense is to get away safely. At Karate for Kids students will learn solid defense techniques to stop attackers.
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- Self-Confidence:
Martial arts are an excellent way to boost self-confidence. As children become proficient in martial arts their confidence increases. Knowing that you can defend yourself if need be is very empowering. At Karate for Kids the instructor’s constant encouragement goes a long way to help them achieve this goal. The added bonus is that this same confidence will eventually carry over into their everyday life.
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- Belts and Ranking:
One of the most important life skills’s that your child can learn is goal setting. Most Martial Arts styles use some system of colored belts to indicate the knowledge and skill levels of their practitioners. This is an excellent method to track and monitor your progress to Blackbelt. This teaches children the importance of setting a goal, working hard for that goal, monitoring the progress of their goal and then reaping the rewards of persistence and perseverance that they can achieve their goal.
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- Discipline:
What parent doesn’t want there child to learn the benefit of perseverance and persistence; the mantra of never quitting or giving up even when it gets tough. In order to instill auto reflex action and perfection in technique, the skills learned must be practiced over and over and over again. A student learns that they can over come and push through to achieve their goals. At Karate for Kids our motto is, “Yes, I can.” Martial arts also teach students the benefits of frequent practice, and the patience to get there. Remember the difference between a Blackbelt and a white belt is that a Blackbelt never quit.
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- Individual Achievement:
In the martial arts each child’s success is based on his or her own individual merits. Students young and old are not judged against each other. They are judged by their own personal ability and attitude. This is why special abilities challenged students can also participate in martial art classes. In most other team oriented sports you have starters and you have bench sitters. At Karate for Kids every one participates. Yes, some students may not be the best in the class or in a competition, but that will be because the student tried and lost, and not because they weren’t good enough to make it off the bench.
Teamwork and sportsmanship are emphasized in team sports, which are truly great life skills to learn. Through martial art sport competitions the student will learn all about sportsmanship and the meaning of a good attitude. At Karate for Kids our Leadership team is all about learning to work with others to achieve mutual success.
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- Gender Equity:
Martial arts are not just for boys; just watch the movies to see how many female martial artists there are. Regardless of gender it will not be any easier for a girl to attain her Blackbelt than for a boy to attain his Blackbelt.
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- Exercise:
The typical martial arts class will often be comprised of warm-up calisthenics, teaching and practicing of moves and possibly some sparring. During this time in class your child will be constantly on the go – stretching, crunches, punches and kicks. The workout each child gets will not only assist in the natural development of his or her muscles, but also help them build stronger CardioVascular systems.
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- Respect for Strength:
Typically the parents of (even slightly) mischievous children think about when they send their kids to martial arts class is: “Is my kid going to become a bully and use this to hurt others?” Although this is a legitimate concern, at Karate for Kids we remind students that the techniques they learn in the dojo stay in the dojo unless they are truly defending themselves. As children progress through the curriculum they will learn to respect their newfound strength and techniques. From this respect and confidence they will also gain a disdain for bullying as well.
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- Competition:
Just like in team sports there are martial art competitions or tournaments. Competition is great for kids to test their skills and show their progress. As in any competitive sport there is some one that will be crowned winner for the day, but this gives rise to a sense of respect for their opponents, as well as motivation to do better the next time. At Karate for Kids competition is not required but encouraged for those that wish to compete. Karate for Kids is part of the ATA (American Taekwondo Association) which hosts the largest single style tournament circuit in the world. The ATA tournament motto is that “to compete is to win.” In today’s competitive world ATA competition is a great way to teach students about what it takes to be competitive.
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- You can do it with them:
Many martial arts schools offer classes for both adults and children. Most schools do not run those classes simultaneously. However if the whole family is participating you will all have a common activity to use as a bonding tool. What better way to demonstrate to your children the aspects of physical fitness and life skills such as setting a goal together.
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- The Never-Ending Season:
Martial arts are not a seasonal sport as many team sports are. The Martial Arts are a year-round affair and for some of us a life long endeavor. Some of the students at Karate for Kids also participate in other sports and sometimes take a break to participate in these other sports. They return to pick up where they left off to finish their goal. Having this year round consistency also helps build the discipline to stick with it. This approach allows children to progress at their own pace. As I mentioned above for some of us this is a life long endeavor of valleys and mountains to pass along the knowledge of many of life’s lessons.
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