Why kids should do Martial Arts

In our day and age everything seems to promote violence. Music contains aggressive lyrics, video games allow you to kill, steal or maime, and the news is all negative and almost depressing as we reminisce about the 'good ole days' when we were growing up. 

With all this going on the thought of getting your kids involved in Martial Arts doesn't seem like the best idea at first. You may be surprised to learn that enrolling into a martial arts dojo / gym is REALLY beneficial to kids. The movies, game manufacturers have got it wrong - martial arts is not about going around punching and kicking everything that moves.

In fact, here are a few reasons why kids should be doing Martial Arts…

1. Nurturing Self-Dicipline. All martial arts have a grounding in self discipline. Kids today get rewards for almost everything and while this works very well lessons in self-restraint and personal discipline aren't easily to learn. Kids doing Martial Arts are taught this discipline at every lesson. After all - punching or kicking someone just because you disagree is totally unacceptable.
2. Enhancing social skills - the fact is we as parents keep our kids on tighter leashes than we were given as parents, the press paint a very constant and negative picture of the dangers that may be out there. socialising is left for school or social media. Martial Arts clubs allow kids to make new friends, friends with a common interest. Most Martial Arts training is completed with friends in a partner-driven formal. It also promotes camaraderie and teamwork.
3. Getting the little ones off the computer is a great idea in theory, but there only so much that you can do. Enrolling your kids into an Art that is physically demanding and fun will keep your kids healthy and give them the right foundations to take into adulthood. 
4. Setting and achieving goals - Most Martial Arts systems are based on a syllabus with periodic examinations called gradings. When your kids are selected to take a grading examination and then pass the sense of achievement is very hard to beat. This teaches them a valuable lesson about setting and reaching intermediate goals.
5. Improved Self Esteem - Confidence comes with achievement, every new friend they make, every new technique they learn, every grade they pass, every competition they take part in helps to increase your kids confidence. Kids with a low self esteem often grow in confidence in short periods of time.
6. Respect - Something that is missing in modern life, respect is achieved through Martial Arts training, the arena that you train is steeped in tradition. It will be taught through repetition and will automatically be carried forward into everyday life.
7. Conflict Resolution - By teaching kids self defence through Martial Arts training they will also be taught that conflict is the last option. Frequent training teaches kids that they have no need to prove themselves on the playground and respect for others is more important than caving there skulls in. It also gives them the ability to defend against an aggressor as a last resort.
8. Better Listening Skills – In order to master the skills kids are being taught through the grading syllabus, your child will have to listen. combining verbal instruction with physical moves is a proven way of promoting better listening skills. The instructors can see what children are not processing information correctly because it will be obvious in the techniques performed they can then spend extra time on the kids ensuring that listening objectives are met.
9. Improvement in Other Areas of Life – The benefits of martial arts training don’t end in the gym. The boost in confidence, increased fitness level and new cooperation skills will also help your child navigate school life, behaviour will improve at home and generally they have an all-around good influence on you child as he develops into an adult.
10. Becoming a more considerate person - as they progress thought the grading syllabus children will take on more responsibility in the club, they will be chosen to demonstrate techniques and even given new students to mentor. This again has benefits outside the gym with more consideration being taken at school or at home with siblings.

If you are worried about nurturing the demons within, go and have a look at some of the clubs in your area. Speak with the instructors, other parents and try not to be too dismissive of the arts before you've done some research. You may even find that training is the perfect activity for your entire family to do together!