Share

Tweet

Pin 2484 shares

Martial Arts training regardless of whether it is Judo, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, etc are a great activity for kids much more than team sports such as, Baseball, Basketball and Soccer. If you are willing to sign up your kid for some organized sports activity, here are some reasons why you should choose Judo for your kids:

1. Self-Defense:

The first reason why most people practice martial art is for self-defense. Not only will the martial arts teach you the techniques to defend yourself, but also the way to think about defending yourself. They also help you build up the reflexes you need if you’re ever in a difficulty, and give you the confidence to fight back.

2. Belts and Ranking:

Belts are a great way to help children track their progress and motivate them to strive higher. Belts and ranking may help build the child confidence and their desire to succeed. For this purpose, most Martial Arts styles use a system of Colored belts to indicate the knowledge and skill levels of their practitioners. In many cases the first belt promotion can be attained in few weeks and when children obtain that first belt, it shows them that with the right motivation, they can succeed. One belt is always not enough, once a child passes one belt test he or she is already thinking about the next one.

3. Self-Confidence:

As children become more skillful in their selected style of martial arts, their confidence gets increased significantly. They become more self-assured and confident. The Sensei’s (Teacher’s) encourage their students a lot to help them achieve this goal, but the confidence level will extend far beyond the Dojo (Martial Arts Studio).

4. Exercise:

The classical martial arts class will often be comprised of warm-up calisthenics, teaching and practicing of moves and possibly some sparring. The warm up and practice include the bulk of the time, and for that time your child will be constantly on the go – stretching, crunches, punches and kicks. The workout each child gets will not only assist in the natural development of his/her muscles, but also help them build stronger Cardio-Vascular systems. Even in the most active of team sports such as Soccer, Hockey, or Basketball, children don’t get that much of a workout simply because they generally don’t play the whole game and even if they do, there are still breaks in the action.

5. Emphasis on Individual Achievement:

In the martial arts, each child’s success is based on his or her own individual qualities. Yes, your kid may not be the most winning Judoka in his Judo class, but that will be because he tried and lost, and not because he wasn’t good enough to make it off the bench like other sports in which he may not play the game at all because his coach told him so. Knowing that their own ambition and hard work will drive them to succeed, they will be motivated to follow their dreams without the fear of hating the sport or not having the chance to practice it.

6. Discipline:

The core of any martial art is ‘practice makes perfect’ There is constant repetition in drills and practices with emphasis on details and rhythm. Kicking, punching and throwing are practiced and repeated over and over. Those practices teach them the benefits of frequent practice, and the patience to get there All of this teaches children to respect one another, their opponents and colleagues, and how to play games fair and square.

7. Judo isn’t about brute force, it is about control:

Judo teachers emphasize the concept of maximum efficiency. This is evident, as the root of many Judo techniques is not necessarily brute force, but using your opponents’ movements and strength against him or her. While physical strength and size are important, mental strength is probably the most critical factor in competition.

8. Gender Equity:

Most of parents consider martial arts for their sons, not nearly as many would consider it for their daughters. However the martial arts are one of the few sports where both boys and girls can play together. There are also tremendous international opportunities in Women’s martial arts as well. Your daughter’s red belt will not be any easier for her to attain than your son’s red belt will be for him. It also gives brothers and sisters an opportunity to practice together and learn from one another as well.

9. Respect for Strength:

The first thing parents think about when they send their kids to martial arts class is: “Is my child going to use this to hurt others?” Although this is a legitimate concern, it is always addressed early by instructors who remind students that the techniques they learn in the dojo stay in the dojo except in self-defense, and shouldn’t be used to intimidate people.

As children learn the ropes, they will learn to respect their newfound strength and techniques. They will also quite bullying as well.

10. Competition:

Similarly to team sports, Judo is all about competition. The latter is great for kids to test their skills and show their progress. Unlike team sports, the loser can’t really blame anyone beyond his or herself. But then this gives them a sense of respect for their opponent, as well as motivation to do better the next time. Each Judo tournament is a fresh start, and it is seldom that you get only one match even in the Olympics where there is a single-elimination for the Gold and Silver medals, there is a second-chance round for those who have lost their first matches for them to be able to win a Bronze.