Now more than ever, kids are majorly impressing their parents with their Best martial arts for kids transformations, helping them achieve better grades and become more confident people. That’s because martial arts 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 for Kids
Okay, let’s start off with a really important question… 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 one concrete definition. No matter how you slice it, most successful people, like world-famous athletes, celebrities and business leaders, credit their major success to one key thing- never giving up.
Something we tend to forget is that every successful person we see was once a child themselves, and somewhere along the way they turned their talents into lasting success mostly through perseverance. It’s not a coincidence that we teach perseverance and discipline in every single class, every single week. These skills are the foundation of leadership.
Being able to persevere through tough times and possess the self-discipline to do what is right, even when it’s hard, is what 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 critical for every child to become their most successful versions of themselves, however, they want to define it.
Self-discipline and perseverance are critical for maintaining good grades. That’s why we’ve seen countless students come into 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. Our instructors help them become “indistractable,” listen thoughtfully to their teachers, instructors, parents, and peers, and learn how to inspire themselves to complete their homework and projects without an adult’s influence. Kind of awesome!
Martial Arts Teach Kids Confidence
So we have this amazing kid who’s gotten great grades and behaves like an angel- that’s great for us as adults, and it really is great for the kids too… But it’s natural to ask, how do martial arts 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 the punches and kicks, though life-saving as you grow older, are kind of a disguise for something deeper. 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 they can be.
So in those moments of struggle (which are inevitable, by the way), 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 an actual impact. The kids become more confident because our instructors get through to them. They see that they really are able to do anything they put their mind to (with the right attitude), and they become so excited and proud of themselves as they hit 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 really important 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, another cool thing about martial arts is that it’s a great place for kids who are in other sports, as they’ll learn those awesome skills that make them better athletes overall… But it can also serve as a real home for kids who are not so athletic 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 art 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. 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 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, your child needs 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!