When you’re raising kids, it’s entirely normal to be concerned about their safety. For that reason, many parents see MMA and boxing as a big no, imagining the concussions their kids may have during a fight or the bones they may break if they fall.

Honestly, that shouldn’t be that worrying, since kids’ MMA differs from the adult’s sport both in rules, as kids aren’t allowed to make head blows, and in tools, since there are punching bags for kids. So, what are the benefits of MMA and boxing for kids?

Physical Benefits of Boxing & MMA for Kids

These sports enhance physical fitness

In our age and time, kids can’t get off their screens. That’s noticeable in most households. Kids don’t go out anymore. They just sit on the couch all day while their eyes are fixed on their phones, consoles, computers or tablets. According to a survey that was conducted as part of Persil’s Dirt Is Good campaign, 3 out of 4 kids spend less than 60 minutes per day outside.

What’s even more alarming is that their health is deteriorating because of that. 50% of children aged 5 to 8 in the United States have high blood cholesterol. That’s frustrating. What better way to fight that than to enroll your kids in a sport that’s engaging and that involves a lot of movements? Or even if your kids are just practicing punches on a youth punching bag that is better than sitting inside doing nothing.

Boxing and MMA are among the top games with highly intense workouts like the punching drills and punching bag workouts. Enroll your kids in Mixed Martial Arts class and reduce their chances of getting a chronic disease to a minimum.

They boost stamina and endurance

Just like for adults, these sports can give your kid a significant boost in stamina and endurance as they consist of a vast number of movements which results in a good oxygen circulation through the heart and lungs to the entire body.

Coordination, balance, and flexibility

MMA is a sport that involves a lot of movements and requires proper care of balance and coordination, for that it’s bound to grow those skills in your kids.

Self-defense

In addition to building a proper form and strengthening muscles, MMA training creates enough combat skills to allow your kids to confront any dangerous situation they may find themselves in.

Moral Benefits of Boxing & MMA for Kids

Discipline

In a sport that involves strict rules and that requires following the coach’s rules to the letter, it’s guaranteed that your kids will acquire discipline and self-control. Those qualities will benefit your kids’ lives greatly, as they ‘ll grow into well-behaved adults capable of taking care of themselves.

Confidence

When you’re a kid, one the worst nightmares is going out of school just to find the local bully waiting for you. It’s something that I personally suffered from when I was young, and I wish someone took me to a boxing club back then. I didn’t have the guts to stand and defend myself. The struggle is real as DoSomething reports that over 3.2 million students fall victims to bullying each year. If you don’t want your kids to suffer from this problem, you better start looking for an MMA class nearby, as it’s a great way to teach them enough skills to boost their confidence and create the best version of themselves.

Respect

As mentioned above, MMA has strict rules, especially regarding the student-coach relationship. Young trainees have to address their coaches by “Sir”, “Ma’am” or “master” and to show them respect all the time. That’s a great thing as kids nowadays have no respect for grownups, and they’re becoming ruder with time. Give them a few MMA sessions and your kids will get a great sense of humbleness that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Social Skills

How can you live in a community without learning social skills? Hint: you can’t. Just like any other team sport, an MMA class is a community in which kids learn to live together (during the sessions, at least) and master some essential skills for an effective workout. Teamwork teaches kids to accept others no matter their social background, ethnicity or age, and to cooperate to achieve their mutual goals. That feeling of camaraderie you get when you train alongside a partner is priceless, and teaching it to your kids would be a great addition to their set of social skills.

Intelligence and leadership

Boxing & MMA isn’t about brute force, it’s about technique. Kids learn to use their brains to stand to any opponent and defeat any set of brawn. That aspect of MMA and boxing is essential as it boosts your child’s intelligence since it encourages them to use strategic thinking all the time. Your kids’ reflexes will get better over time too, and they’ll develop a fast thinking habit that’s crucial in the real world. Besides, while the kids observe how their instructor approaches their problems as a group, they learn how to lead and solve group issues on their own, which is the core of leadership.

Your kids will learn the hard truth about success

While getting over their failures and pushing themselves to do better, your kids will understand that success isn’t easy and that it requires hard work and dedication. That will help them in real life situations and prepare them to meet the world as is when they grow up.

Most importantly, your kids will have fun

Let them forget about those video games and get the genuine feeling of joy and excitement while they have their Mixed Martial Arts training. I’d rather see a kid kicking and punching a punchbag than holding their smartphone. Also, a proper combat training reduces the risk of depression and anxiety, which is great, especially today, when kids suicide rates are higher than ever.

Related: How To Get Your Kids Into Boxing & MMA

Last Thoughts on Boxing for Kids

Even though many narrow-minded parents perceive MMA and boxing for kids as aggressive sports that aren’t suitable for kids, it’s evident that they do have many benefits, both physically and morally. Your kids will thank you when they grow up. Do not be fooled though, for without proper care from your side your kids’ training may cause more harm than good. Let us hear your thoughts, what do you think about MMA as a sport for kids?

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