There are dozens of benefits of a kids Karate class, that’s why it’s been practiced for thousands of years. But from our perspective, the best 4 benefits are healthy stress management, discipline and perseverance, better grades, and bullyproof-ness. Not too shabby, right? Check them out below…
1. Stress Less
From juggling unprecedented issues like cyberbullying and social media pressures, to making friends in a socially distanced world, kids nowadays are struggling to manage their stress. Stress happens to everyone, so it’s worth teaching your child early on about how to cope with and manage the stresses of day-to-day life in a healthy way.
That’s where martial arts comes in! One of the benefits of a kids Karate class is that they have mental and physical outlets for their energy. Our instructors are ninja-like and sneaky in how they teach important life skills that help your little one succeed outside of the dojo, including stress management. They have a real passion for teaching martial arts to kids, and they pass along their sense of discipline and perseverance to your little ones with every kids American Jiu-Jitsu class they attend! Which leads us to…
2. Discipline and Perseverance
Just like stress is a part of life, so are challenges. All humans, including your child, are faced with tough decisions and mountains they need strength to overcome! Whether it’s a math test they’re studying for or an audition for a lead role they want to knock out of the park, your child will need discipline and perseverance to see it through. Kids Karate class helps bring these traits out from your child, trust us! Though it’s not always easy, and that’s intentional.
There will be days when your child doesn’t want to come to class, just like there will be days when they won’t want to go to swim class. They’ll say they just don’t “feel like” doing either of them, but our world-class instructors teach them how to stay strong and do the right thing to achieve their goals. If a student is struggling to break a board, maybe they’re crying or feel like they can’t do it, we’re not giving up on them. All of us, instructors and classmates included, are going to rally around that student and cheer them on. Because they can do it, and when they finally do, they feel on top of the world. Believe us!
3. Improved Grades
This one is music to parent’s ears! One of the biggest benefits of a kids Karate class is that it helps improve your child’s grades. How? Well, as we mentioned, they learn how to self-discipline, which helps them stick it out when doing their homework or during a long school day. But perhaps one of the best benefits of martial arts for kids is that it helps them improve their behavior.
When our students learn how to control their bodies and listen to their instructors, we see those skills transfer to the classroom. Instead of getting distracted by the pencil sharpener, the teacher’s instructions, and whatever their classmate is doing. They keep their attention on their teacher and learn better than their peers. We see these improvements time and time again, year after year, and it always makes us proud. Body coordination and focus are key components of kids martial arts that they’ll carry with them well into adulthood.
4. Bullyproof
Of all the benefits of a kids Karate program, this one might be the most surprising. We’re keen on building our students up to be bullyproof, meaning they gain the confidence they need to stand up for themselves and others in a non-violent way. First, we help them grow their confidence. As our young martial arts students notice themselves improving in the dojo, like perfecting their punches and kicks, gaining better coordination, and learning new moves after lots of practice, they become more confident in their ability to “do hard things.”
We also instruct our students to never misuse their martial arts outside of class. Instead of their fists, they learn that their voice is their weapon. We teach them how to speak confidently and with eye contact to our instructors, their peers, and the classroom bully, to stand up for themselves and others. It’s an awesome process, and we’re very proud of our bullyproof kids!
Conclusion
So did these benefits surprise you? We’re not surprised at all! We’ve seen it year after year. Kids will walk in our kids Karate school with behavioral issues, low self-esteem, or difficulty focusing, and they walk out the door with improvement in all these areas and a huge smile on their faces. It’s the greatest part of our job! Hopefully, now you see that the benefits of a kids Karate class go far beyond just self-defense. Martial arts is a life-changing tool that promotes success far beyond the mat! Check out our life-changing, transformative kids American Jiu-Jitsu classes right here at our school!