Now more than ever, parents are finding that kids martial arts classes have 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 – The Best Martial Arts Style For Kids
First, let’s take a step back and define a really important word. What does “success” mean to you? To some people, success means attaining wealth or impacting people’s lives. To others, it means spending time with family or buying cool cars. No matter how you slice it, most successful people, like world-famous athletes, celebrities, and business leaders, chalk their success up to one key thing- never, ever, ever giving up.
We often forget that every successful person we see was once a child themselves and they turned their talents into lasting success mostly through perseverance. That’s why we teach perseverance and discipline in every single martial arts class. These skills are the foundation of leadership.
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. Can you see why it’s so important to establish discipline and perseverance early on? Especially if you want your child to become the most successful versions of themselves, however, they define it- you have to lay that foundation.
Self-discipline and perseverance are critical for performance in school too. 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 huge 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 get their homework done on time without an adult’s influence. Kind of awesome!
Martial Arts Teach Kids Confidence
So we’ve got this amazing kid who’s gotten great grades and behaves like an angel- that’s awesome for us as adults, and it is great for the kids too… But it’s natural to ask how the best martial arts style for kids benefits the students here and now? Where is that short-term benefit to complement those life-long habits of success we’re building?
Well, the coolest thing about martial arts is that punching and kicking are not our main lessons in class. There’s something more important underneath. 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 because they’re just learning 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 not confidence. You have to pair both discipline and 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 an actual impact. The instructors get through to them, and the kids become more confident. They see that they 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. It’s amazing to see the transformations that occur in kids who enter our classes shy and unconfident and end up letting their real personalities shine through!
Moreover, confidence is huge for helping kids become what we call bully-proof. If there are bullies at school (and in your child’s head), they don’t stand a chance against a confident child. 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 the best martial arts style for kids. The benefits are honestly endless.
Martial Arts is for Everyone
Now that we’ve established how martial arts 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 in other sports, as they’ll learn those life 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 being picked on.
They get to focus on their growth and improvement (while they cheer on their peers of course!). And because it’s an individual sport, kids learn how to set and get their own goals and recognize their achievements. It’s excellent for boosting that confidence in not-so-sporty kids and allowing them to be proud of themselves in a new way.
Don’t forget that martial arts is a form of self-defense. Self-defense is, in our opinion, essential for everyone to have in their back pocket, no matter their age, gender, or ability. It’s a skill you don’t want to have to use, but will wish you learned if you need it. Don’t worry- we don’t make bullies in our program. We teach nonviolent forms of conflict resolution and show students that physical self-defense should only be used in a true emergency. But, if a bully gets violent or an emergency happens, your child needs to know how to protect themselves.
Join our Kids Classes in Houston!
Now you know why more kids than ever are taking martial arts classes! Martial arts is a fantastic 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! Give a shot at our Trial Offer!