Karate Growing Stronger Together
Karate growing stronger together is all about raising healthier and more resilient kids. With all the technology available in the world these days such as computers, mobiles and video games. It is very hard for parents to get your kids involved in exercise. Thinking back , when I was growing up our parents had to struggle to get us inside, because we to busy playing outside. But now It’s hard to get your kids outside away from all the online games like Fortnite in order for them to get some exercise.
So what are the many benefits of getting your kids into a dojo. Parents have various reasons for considering self-defense classes for kids. These can range from wanting them to be able to defend themselves, bullying, socialising or maybe just to get fit.
HAVE YOU WONDERED IS KARATE GOOD FOR KIDS?
Absolutely! While there are pros and cons to everything we do. There are a huge amount of benefits for kids that parents should know. If they are considering enrolling their child in martial arts.
Check out all the great benefits of Karate for kids as well as some things to be aware of here!
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF KARATE?
The philosophy of Karate is far more than a sport and its benefits are far-reaching and interconnected. It’s almost hard to slow down and explain them all to you, but here we go!
GET FIT
It’s recommended children do at least 60 minutes each day of moderate to vigorous physical activity. It doesn’t have to be a full 60 minutes at once – several shorter sessions through the day work too.
At least 3 days per week, children and young people should incorporate vigorous activities. And activities that strengthen muscle and bone in the 60 minutes.
Kid martial art classes are a great way of learning necessary skills in order to protect yourself. But they also make exercise fun!. We need to show our kids, that exercise can strengthen their growing bones and muscles. But we also want to encourage kids to see that working out and staying active and healthy is a way of life.
Kids who do martial arts see that working out is hard work but it can also be super fun. And we’re instilling in them from a young age that working out and staying active and healthy is a way of life.
BURN EXCESS ENERGY
We all know that kids have way too much energy and are bouncing off the walls. Martial arts is a great way to burn off some excess energy. Also calm your child down for the evening. Be it doing pad drills, hitting the punch bags or doing fitness games. Doing martial arts is one of the best ways to get a great workout.
GETTING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE ( KARATE GROWING STRONGER TOGETHER)
One of the best traits I ever learnt was to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Know that when your kids are consistent with their training. Will not only improve their skills in the long run, but will also gain confidence of what they can achieve.
Kids seem to doubt themselves when it’s something they struggle with. But as they train they will see that it does not matter if something is a little hard to master. If they never give up, they achieve anything they put their minds too.
This always reminds of the quote “Great things never came from comfort zones.” “Be willing to step outside your comfort zone once in a while. Take the risks in life that seem worth taking. The ride might not be as predictable if you’d just planted your feet and stayed put. But it will be a heck of a lot more interesting.” — Edward Whitacre, Jr.
COORDINATION SKILLS
Karate improves coordination by making students more mindful about their bodies; how they move; and how the body functions. Karate helps children develop higher coordination skills through moves such as kicking, jumping and turning quickly. This improves kids coordination by making them more mindful about their bodies; how they move; and how the body functions. Karate helps children develop higher coordination skills. Through moves such as kicking, punching, jumping and even learning kata all helps achieve this skill.
Executing karate techniques involves precise hand-eye coordination. Whether it’s a punch, block, or strike. A child must focus their vision on the target and coordinate their hand movements accordingly. Over time, this improves their hand-eye coordination, essential for many activities both in and out of the dojo.
BUILDING SELF CONFIDENCE (KARATE GROWING STRONGER TOGETHER)
It does not matter if you’re a kid or an adult learning a new skill. Taking on a new project can feel like a lot of hard work at the beginning and you may even doubt yourself at first. Some of the greatest achievements we make are not easy but they are worth it.
Take for instance if you look at martial arts, in order to achieve a black belt it can take anywhere up to 6 years. Which is a long time, especially if you are a kid. So, it is vital to keep building confidence in kids to help them succeed as they take on their life long journey.
In the junior ranks in most martial systems. They do provisional ranks which are like stepping stones. This shows the students they doing the right thing and that if we just keep going we’re going to reach our goals. By setting little goals for themselves it does not feel so overwhelming. As they start to achieve their goals they start to believe in themselves and their self esteem will get stronger and stronger.
IMPROVING FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION
Martial arts evolves in learning a complex series of movements. These type of techniques are impossible to execute without highly focused concentration. A lot of kids struggle with concentrating and focusing on one task for a long period of time. But as with all skills anyone can do it and it just takes time.
Kids might watch a new technique been performed by their sensei and be completely speechless. Thinking that there’s no way they can do that, because it’s just seems way too complex. But with some practice, patience, training and a little bit of high concentration. They find out it was not as difficult as they first thought.
RESPECT (KARATE GROWING STRONGER TOGETHER)
Martial arts begins and ends with respect. This is shown by bowing, touching gloves or how we speak to each other this is all an aspect of training Martial Arts. You learn not only how to respect others but also respect yourself.
Whether you are an instructor or a higher or a lower rank. We are all there to learn and become the best versions of ourselves. To inspire and encourage each other.
GET CREATIVE
When kids start training in martial arts they are taught a variety of punches, strikes, blocks, kicks and takedowns. In karate for instance we practice kata which is a set pattern of combinations of skills. Also bunkai which is taking the same movements and then using our own ideas of how we can apply these in a real life scenario.
HOW IT WORKS
I like to do this myself, as I have always had a passion for women’s self defence. I love training with guys of all shapes and sizes to see what techniques will work and if not how can I adjust to make it work for me. Sometimes I find I even cross my techniques from different styles as I know my own strengths and weaknesses, so I need to work these out myself to become stronger. As our kids grow and they work through their training, you will see the many benefits e.g. building confidence in kids.
DEVELOPING SELF DEFENCE SKILLS
I strongly believe the kids these days have a lot more threats to their safety, than what we did as kids. As now we live in such tech age world things like social media, school bullying, mobile phones and potential threats from would be attackers. As a society and parents we must do everything possible to protect them.
In order to protect our kids to the best of our ability, we need to empower them so that they can protect themselves. I think it essential we teach our kids to become their own superhero’s. Unfortunately we will never always be there if they get in danger. So by educating our kids the power skills such as martial arts, situational awareness, making smart decisions and to believe in themselves. Which I think in the end is what every parent wants.
BUILDING LIFELONG FRIENDSHIP
When kids work together, this teaches them that friendship is about having fun and playing with each other. But remember some of the strongest of bonds are built as you struggle. Working hard together as a team by helping each other to get more power, assist with a kata are important skills to learn.
All my instructors over the years actually started training together when they were kids and still have the a great respect for each other in their 60’s. I myself have made some amazing friends over the years. Some of them were teenagers I have had the privilege of training with. I loved watching how they grew into strong and confident individuals. They have even helped me learning new skills, this clearly shows it does not matter how old you are. We are all there on the same path and encourage each other to the best of our abilities.
SELF ACCEPTANCE (KARATE GROWING STRONGER TOGETHER)
We need to understand we all have different strengths, weaknesses, talents, faults and imperfections. This makes us unique and we should never try to be someone else just to fit in. Learn how to proud of who you are as a person and what you can accomplish.
Kids are going to find some techniques very easy to learn and other techniques quite difficult. It is important for kids to learn that everyone learns things at a different pace. Some techniques take longer for some kids. But that does not mean it is not possible. Kids need to learn to never give up on themselves. New techniques will eventually become easier and sooner or later, they will be able to assist a white belt. With that exact same technique that they use to struggle with. That level of thinking and training will build a healthy level of self acceptance and self belief.
GAINING COURAGE
Starting any martial arts program can seem particularly daunting at first. This is due to the techniques seem almost impossible at first because you are so out of your comfort zone.
What you will discover that walking in into a martial art dojo for the first time is the hardest part. This happens to absolutely everyone at the beginning. When kids are scared to do something; but somehow they find a way to do it anyway. They’re showing courage. Courage definition is described as the quality of mind or spirit. That enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
WHAT WE LEARN FROM THIS
Adults when they walk into a dojo it is just as difficult, but our problem is that we tend to overthink everything and this becomes our greatest struggle. The more we overthink , the more mistakes we seem to make. I encountered this when I first started to learn kata, as it was so different than what I had learned beforehand. But with practice I learnt to relax and trust myself . First I would learn the pattern, the focus on adding the techniques correctly and finally adding power with a strong ki-ah.
Doing martial arts can be scary and they may feel frightened to even try to do the moves because they’re worried about failing. When we struggle with something it is a way for us to learn, adjust and try again. Helping us grow as individuals. Watching kids triumph over their fears and seeing they’re able to do the techniques shows courage, and they should be very proud of themselves.
HELPS TO STOP BULLYING ( KARATE GROWING STRONGER TOGETHER)
Like most parents around the world. Are you sick of hearing on the news etc about bullying in schools. So the question is how can we bully proof our kids? Bullying has always been a problem and it always will be.
Bullies are unfortunately are everywhere. They’re in our schools, playgrounds, sports teams, work places and maybe even in own households.
I believe that the solution to help decrease bullying is to empower kids to be strong, assertive and independent. They need to learn de-escalation skills and also how to protect themselves if they’re physically in danger. It is vital to teach kids these skills for them to have a strong, confident self image and empowering body language to further empower them to deal with any conflict.
Allowing your kids to train in any style of self defence or martial arts. This will always help with building confidence in kids. Which in the long run what we all want as parents.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (KARATE GROWING STRONGER TOGETHER)
HOW MANY DAYS DO THEY NEED TO TRAIN?
The time commitment for Karate will vary, if they are just going through the belt ranks it’s recommended at least 2 times a week. But if your child gets a taste for sport karate and wants to compete in either kumite or kata at a high level. They will probably attend 3 or 4 times a week.
While training is great for their physical and mental wellbeing. Parents should make sure that kids still have adequate time to do their homework especially as their get to their senior levels.
WHAT IF THEY START TO GET FRUSTRATED ?
All students learn at different rates and if they struggle with learning a new technique. It is easy to get frustrated sometimes, but it’s important to know that it’s okay. The most important thing is not give up. After a while they will pick it up and they will be able to assist a new student later on.
Be sure to choose a dojo with high-quality instructors. Sensei’s who are whole-heartedly invested and passionate about karate. And will actively look for ways to motivate and encourage your child to set small goals to improve or make sure your child understands the techniques.
WILL THEY GET ANY INJURIES?
Obviously, engaging in martial arts is inherently more physically dangerous than reading a book or some other type of sedentary activity. Bruises and strained or sore muscles are common.
Some children may develop a false sense of security. As they grow in their abilities, they may start to feel like they can take care of themselves and take unnecessary risks. For example, walking through a dangerous neighborhood instead of avoiding it as they might do otherwise.
Again, the quality of instruction plays a significant role. While instructors should be empowering kids to feel confident in their abilities, they should also talk about balancing risks and only taking acceptable or necessary risks.
WILL KARATE MAKE THEM MORE AGGRESSIVE?
One of things you are always taught in karate is to “never attack first”. Karate is more than just a sport, Karate is a way of life. It’s written right there in the full name Karate which means “The Way of the Empty Hand” in Japanese. Karate growing stronger together.
It’s all about learning self-control, respect, discipline, and other noble traits — none of which fit in with an aggressive or bullying attitude.
In fact, children who act out or are already aggressive will usually benefit from getting into Karate. As we mentioned earlier, it gives them a safe space to let out their frustration and teaches them to have better self-control, thus approaching a situation more calmly.
WHAT IF MY CHILD NEEDS EXTRA SUPPORT?
Not everyone learns and thinks the same way. This is frustrating for those who struggle to follow the traditional way of learning.
Instructors who teach Karate classes for kids usually have an idea of how to work with different learning styles and explain concepts in creative ways. After all, the word “artist” appears in martial artist for a reason. Part of the philosophy is learning to be creative and adapt to different situations.
In other words, yes, children’s karate classes for kids with support needs can be very beneficial. The hand-eye coordination improvements and exercise can help these children learn and grow. Most importantly, the self-confidence they attain as they progress through the belts helps them more successfully face the other challenges in their lives.
IS KARATE THE BEST FOR TEACHING SELF DEFENCE?
There are many forms of martial arts out there e.g Karate, Taekwondo, Brazilian jiu jitsu, Judo. Each style has its own pros and cons and popularity tends to ebb and flows over time. Karate is one of the most popular martial arts in the world.
However, when it comes to your child, the quality of the instruction that is available in your area should be your primary concern. A lot of people can teach kids martial arts, you need someone who can also teach your child what to do with it and the appropriate way to handle their training.
Check out of the following blog post link Martial arts a beginners guide which gives you more detail of different styles. As it is really important to choose a style suited to your needs.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Watching your kid be awarded a black belt in Karate will fill you with pride as a parent. Even more so because you know the hours of training, the sweat, and the tears that it took to reach that one special moment. Every belt grading before this was amazing as you watched your child grow, but this is the most epic one.
Even if your child never makes it to this moment, that’s okay. Karate growing stronger together. The important life lessons that Karate teaches begin on day one and are far more important than their status as a Black Belt.