Martial arts benefits span a spectrum of physical, mental, and social attributes, all of which are learned and improved through martial arts training.
PHYSICAL FITNESS The benefits of physical fitness for kids are well-documented. According to the American Council on Exercise, physically active children have fewer chronic health problems than kids who are sedentary. Martial arts classes exercise all joints and muscle groups. Regular training causes incremental improvements in fitness.
PERSONAL SECURITY Kids who are preyed upon by bullies, or reside in neighborhoods where street violence is common, the ability to defend themselves allows them peace of mind. In almost all cases, they never have to use their martial arts techniques on someone. Their increased awareness and presence deters violence. In effect, by understanding and mastering a higher level of the force continuum, they can acheive their goals by using lesser levels of force.
LEARNING ABILITY Learning to execute the complex and foreign techniques of martial arts requires extreme mental focus. Students need to concentrate under pressure ensuring that a technique is executed crisply and correctly. Students often find this focus is applicable to academic studies as well, citing improved concentration and focus, even under stress as in college entrance examinations.
GOAL SETTING The requirements for each belt level are defined in detail and represent incremental improvement in that martial art. Successive belt ranks require more difficult and comprehensive knowledge, and represent new challenges to overcome. Kids learn to take on new learning in chunks. Upon passing the tests required to receive the next level, they can look forward to the next belt level, and so on. Learning to tackle complex and comprehensive bodies of knowledge by breaking them down into smaller portions is a skill that can help outside the martial arts as well, whether it's learning to swim or learning calculus.
DISCIPLINE The regimented nature of martial arts instruction fosters a deep sense of self-discipline in students. One can't become a legitimate black belt overnight, and so students learn that their worthy goals will require patience, hard work, and dedicated study over several years. The message is that if it's worth anything, it's worth working hard for.
Martial arts training has become popular for children diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) because the training moderates some ADD traits. Martial arts training teaches students self-control and concentration--in order to perform a technique correctly, students must focus intensely on their task. Furthermore, the self-confidence gained through martial arts training lets ADD kids feel able and "normal", not burdened by the stigma of being labeled with a "deficit." Discipline, to many people, is all about doing what you must do even when you don't want to do it. Martial arts training instills such discipline by showing a path of rewards for hard work.
CAMARADERIE Martial arts students feel a strong sense of camaraderie with their fellow students. This feeling of fellowship is based primarily on shared experiences and surpassing of challenges, but is also based in tradition. The sense that the martial arts are special, and learning martial arts is a special privilege, remains.
SELF-ESTEEM Self-esteem is largely based on a student's self-worth; if students feel capable, able, and confident, then they enjoy a healthy self-esteem. Martial arts training builds self-esteem by providing small challenges that build incremental successes. Students learn that they can overcome the challenges as they improve in their training.
RESPECT Showing respect is intrinsic to the martial arts, and is a core facet of the cultures from which many martial arts originate. Students show respect to each other, their instructor, and even to their school upon joining each class session. This encompasses several messages: gratitude, for the learning the student receives, and respect, an acknowledgement of the other person's abilities.
Martial arts teach students to value age, rank, expertise, and experience. Respecting those who know more than you do (greater expertise), and have proven it (higher rank) shows that you are worthy of them teaching you their knowledge. This respect for instructors and senior students can often carry over to classes in regular schools as well.
CALMING Martial arts classes, because of their intense workouts, allow students to release nervous energy until they are drained from the exertion. Working up a good sweat has always been a great way to diffuse anger. Experienced martial artists exhibit calmness outside of the training hall as well. This inner peace is due to several factors, but is probably a result of experiencing stressful situations when learning self-defense --and overcoming them. The confidence gained through mastery of martial arts techniques also lends itself to keeping calm in stressful situations.
WHY GIRLS SHOULD STUDY MARTIAL ARTS
While the reasons for studying martial arts apply to all kids, there's special reasons why girls should learn martial arts.
Girls often don't have the same avenues as boys for developing self-confidence or exhibiting mastery. Boys are channeled into sports at young ages, finding spots on Little League baseball teams or pee wee football squads. Without similar sports opportunities, girls are left with just academic, social, and family settings to build assertiveness and self-esteem.
Martial arts techniques are often easier for young girls to learn than young boys--a girl's natural flexibility is an advantage over boys the same age. In some arts, upper-body strength, usually a male advantage, is not as important as lower-body strength, usually a female advantage. As a result, girls can enjoy a unique pride in their abilities--they can think, "if I can do as well as a boy in martial arts, I can do as well as a boy in math class."
Assault and Rape Prevention
Lastly, girls need a particular focus on self-defense. Techniques and awareness learned through martial arts training can help girls avoid assaults before they occur and defend themselves if an assault takes place. With the seemingly prevalence of abductions in modern times, it makes sense for girls to learn at least basic self-defense and rape prevention techniques.
The martial arts offer so many benefits for kids that it seems unbelievable that some parents don't want their kids in the quan. But thanks to unfavorable impressions of violence on television or in the movies, the martial arts has taken a bad rap.
The solution is to come and visit us. We'll give you a lesson, on the house, show you our school, and introduce you to some of our instructors. You'll have a chance to talk to our students and their parents to hear how martial arts has improved their lives.
We look forward to seeing you.
Shun Shifu Phil Weaver and Shifu Liz Weaver
