Martial Arts for Children

Martial arts are systems of combat and cover a wide range of fighting styles. Some popular types are taekwondo, kung fu, karate, kickboxing, boxing, and tai chi. It is great for children to learn the art of martial arts because it teaches them so much at such a young age.

Starting Your Child Early

It is a great idea to start you child in martial arts early in life. The benefits are amazing! They learn self-control and self-defense, plus it aids in physical, mental, and spiritual development. It also makes your child wiser and more disciplined. It is all around great for kids and adults alike. Other benefits of starting your child early include:

• They learn self-discipline: According to Journey Brazilian Jiu Jutsu Academy, which teaches martial arts kids classes, martial arts teach patience and restraint, which is something a lot of kids aren’t taught these days by their parents alone.
• Improves their listening skills: Kids are required to listen the whole time in order to learn certain moves.
• Conflict resolution: Martial arts teaches peaceful conflict resolution rather than violence.
• Respect: Children are taught respect for elders and others as they learn the art.
• Teamwork: They learn teamwork because martial arts training requires working together.
• Improved self-esteem: When children are young, they are just beginning to establish their self-esteem, and martial arts is a great way to gain it because it boosts confidence as well.
• Self-defense: This is important for a small child or any child in general, because bullying is real and while the best thing to do is not to fight back, sometimes children are left with no other options.

What Age Is Best to Start?

An important matter to consider when deciding to enroll your child in martial arts is age. What is the right age to start your child? I’ll go through each one with you.

• Taekwondo specializes in head-height kicks, jumping, and spinning kicks. Children can begin as early as age five. At that age, they should be able to follow directions, understand moral concepts, and be able to focus. You will know if your child is ready by taking these factors into consideration.
• Kung fu focuses on concentration and self-discipline. Most places will let you start your child around four years old. Some won’t take children under six. It all depends on the place or teacher.
• Karate is probably the most well-known martial arts style and is popular with young children. Its physical aspects help develop defensive and counterattacking body movements. The same age range applies for this one too. Between three and five is the best starting age for karate.
• Kickboxing combines karate and boxing and uses a mixture of kicks and punches. According to KickboxingGuide.com, kids can start kickboxing as young as six years old; however, some people wait until their child is between 10 and 15 years old.
• Your child can begin training at any age for boxing but shouldn’t actually box until they are at least nine or 10 years old.
• Tai chi is an ancient Chinese art. You should wait until about 14 or 15 years old to start your child in tai chi. It requires more concentration than the above-mentioned methods and therefore is not suitable for younger children because they don’t have the required attention span. It is, however, a good idea to start training your child early on your own. After all, you will have more patience for your child than someone else will and you will give your child a head start before putting them in it.

What’s the Best Martial Art for My Child?

It all depends on the age of your child. If you have a toddler, you will want to start him on karate, kung fu, or taekwondo. Just research each one and decide which one sounds best for your child, and then you can call around and find out what age your child needs to be and whatever else you need to know.

If your child is older (six to 15 years old), any of the categories would be perfect! You can choose from any one you want, but then you will have to be sure they are offered in your area. If you are in a small city, you may have to check in the surrounding areas in order to find a suitable place.

Still Not Sure?

Martial arts are great for all ages and it is recommended to start your child early in life because it becomes a part of them as they age. You often learn things in martial arts that you may never learn otherwise.

It is an awesome option for kids of any age. If you are still unsure, you can always purchase training videos and try to teach your child yourself and see how they do. Then you will have a better understanding of how they will do in class.