Now more than ever, parents are finding that the best martial arts style for kids has an incredible effect on their kids, helping them achieve better grades and become more confident people. That’s because martial arts for kids is about way more than just punches and kicks. It’s about showing kids how to 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 Kids Martial Arts Classes
First things first: What does “success” mean to you? Some people define success through wealth, material goods, the time they spend with their family, or the number of lives they impact, but there’s no concrete definition. 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.
Because we only become aware of successful people when they’ve become successful, we don’t remember that they were once “normal” people who built their lives on important lessons like perseverance. It’s not a coincidence that we teach perseverance and discipline in every single martial arts class. Learning the best martial arts style for kids is how leaders are formed.
Persevering through the tougher parts of life and disciplining oneself to do what’s right, even when it’s hard, makes a person successful. These skills make people kind, compassionate, and respectful to others, and they create better community members and industry leaders. Establishing the foundational skills of discipline and perseverance early on is absolutely essential for every child to become their most successful versions of themselves, however, they define it.
Self-discipline and perseverance are critical for maintaining good grades. That’s why we’ve seen plenty of kids come into their first martial arts class with low grades and behavior problems, and soon experience major behavioral improvements and get higher grades to boot. Our instructors help them become “indistractable,” listen carefully to their teachers, instructors, parents, and peers, and learn how to motivate themselves to complete their homework and projects without an adult’s influence. Kind of awesome!
Martial Arts Teaches Kids Confidence
So over the span of their martial arts classes, we see these kids really transform. They get better grades, push through to achieve their goals, and behave like angels- that’s great for us as adults. But you may be asking yourself, how do martial arts classes benefit your child right 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 the punches and kicks, though helpful for sure, are kind of a disguise for something deeper. Karate for kids isn’t just a self-defense curriculum. It’s a tool we use to teach confidence from the inside out, a skill that will help kids right off the bat.
Martial arts can be challenging for kids, especially because they’re just starting to learn hand-eye coordination and focus. A confident child is going to persevere at something because they know they can do it. That’s a good thing. An unconfident child will persevere because they think they’re dumb, a failure, or that they’re not going to make someone proud. Which is a really bad thing. You have to pair both the discipline and the true confidence to have your child become the best they can be.
So in those moments when your child is struggling, our instructors come in and teach them how to positively talk to themselves. 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 a real 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, 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 important topic.
Confidence is really important for helping kids become what we call bully-proof. If there are bullies at school, they 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. Imagine if all the 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
Now that you understand how martial arts classes build the foundation for life-long success we’ve established how the best martial arts style for kids fosters life-changing success skills in kids, we’ll touch on two other practical benefits. First, martial arts is a great place for kids who are sporty, as they’ll learn those awesome skills that make them better athletes overall. But it’s also a real home for kids who are not so sporty and may feel left out because of it. Because Taekwondo for kids is an individual sport in a group setting, kids who maybe aren’t 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. And because it’s an individual sport, kids learn how to set and get their own goals and recognize 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.
Don’t forget that the best martial arts style for kids is a form of self-defense. Self-defense is, in our opinion, absolutely essential for everyone to have in their back pocket, regardless of age, gender, or ability. It’s one of those things 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 make it very clear to students that physical self-defense should only be used as a last resort. 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 kids self-defense 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!