Martial arts are discipline and a sport. The practice also
has many benefits for people from all walks of life—including children. The
practice combines benefits spanning physical, social and mental attributes of
our lives, so much that a child can essentially gain a stronger understanding
of all three. The martial arts can help children mentally and physically
prepare themselves for adulthood and gain a significant amount of confidence
along the way.
The main benefits of martial arts essentially encompass life
skills, which includes:
·
Confidence and personal security
·
Self-esteem
·
Having respect for others
·
Self-control
The martial arts also help children strengthen their
learning abilities. The practice provides them with a significant amount of
disciplinary learning techniques that teach them concepts like goal setting and
concentration. Martial arts for children also provides them a way to improve
their physical fitness too.
Some parents think martial arts may be too violent or
inappropriate for young children, though it's more myth than truth nowadays.
Many childcare experts commonly recommend martial arts for young boys and girls
as a valuable extracurricular activity. In fact, martial arts also has benefits
for children suffering from mental disorders.
Parents with children who have attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder or ADHD have reported their children gaining better
self-control and concentration skills, thanks to regular martial arts classes.
These two life skills are usually underdeveloped in ADHD children, which makes
martial arts rather valuable to them for early development.
Most children generally get enrolled in martial arts
programs featuring practices like aikido, kung fu and karate.
The usual martial arts class runs for around an hour long, some extending their
class time longer on weekends. The class typically starts with a bow and ends
with a bow to their teacher or master.
During a martial arts class, students warm-up and start
practicing basic skills of their selected art, which may include kicks, punches
and blocks. Although just warm-up, it requires a significant amount of
attention and concentration.
A notable component of martial arts is their belt
progression system. Beginners start with a basic white belt before moving
through the ranks of many other colors before finally attaining a black belt.
The testing process for every new level happens after a three month period,
providing children a great way to practice setting and eventually achieving
their long-term goals. Parents interested in enrolling their children into
martial arts classes can start once their child reaches the age of four through
six. Around this age, most children have the muscle strength to control their
movements.
