Now more than ever, kids are impressing their parents with their martial arts class transformations, helping them achieve better grades and become more confident people. That’s because the best martial arts style for kids is about so much more than just punches and kicks. It’s about showing kids how to become the best versions of themselves that 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 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 only know about successful people because they’re, well, successful, so, we don’t remember that they were once “normal” people who built their lives on important lessons like 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 tough times and disciplining oneself to do what’s right, even when it’s difficult, makes a good person great. 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 develop into their most successful versions of themselves, however, they define it.
Self-discipline and perseverance are critical for performance in school as well. That’s why we’ve seen countless students come into their first martial arts class with low grades and behavior problems and then turn it around super quick with better behavior and higher grades than ever as classes progress. We help them become “indistractable,” listen attentively 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 Teaches 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 really is great for the kids too… But you may wonder, how does martial arts benefit the students right now? What are the short-term benefits to complement those life-long habits of success we’re building? Here’s a secret, the best 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 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 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 engage in positive self-talk, which is essentially just telling yourself good things. 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 (with the right attitude), and they become so excited and proud of themselves as they achieve their goals. It’s amazing to see the transformations that occur in kids who start off as 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. If there are bullies at school (and in your child’s own head), 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. 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
Now that you understand how martial arts classes build the foundation for life-long success 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 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 athletic and may feel left out because of it.
Martial arts 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 being 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, 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.
It may go without saying, but we’re going to say it anyway… Martial arts is a form of self-defense. Self-defense is an important and life-saving skill for everyone to have in their back pocket, no matter their 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, 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 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! Free Trial Offer!