Hey parents! Coach Marc Hagebusch from Texarkana Jiu Jitsu here to start talking about some of the physical benefits kids get from studying martial arts. I want to start with one that might surprise you.
Here it is…
Studying martial arts makes kids less destructive because it helps them control their movements.
Now, you might be thinking, how can learning martial arts help kids be less destructive?
I know it seems counter intuitive, but it’s true!
Young kids don’t have the same motor control that adults do. When an adult performs any motion, it’s a deliberate thing. The link between your mind and body is so smooth – and developed – that you don’t even need a conscious thought. You want to pick up a glass of water, and so you do it. End of story.
Kids can’t do that with many movements at least not yet. They haven’t learned to control their movements. The older they get, the more controlled and coordinated they become. But very young kids – and our youngest students especially – don’t have that control. They want to do things, but they don’t know how.
Sometimes, their motions can seem destructive. They reach out to pick up a glass of water, but their lack of coordination and control makes them spill it, instead.
What kids learn when they study martial arts is that movements have consequences. We teach them that by repeating a movement, they can learn to control it.
We work with kids at their level to help them gradually improve their physical coordination and control. These changes won’t happen overnight, but they will happen with ongoing practice. The movements we teach young kids are simple ones. We ask more of them as they get older to challenge them and help them develop better coordinated skills.
What does this mean for you as a parent? It means that if you have a child who is accidentally (or deliberately!) destructive, studying martial arts with us can help. Deliberate destructiveness is rare in young children, but it can happen. We think that studying martial arts helps with both issues. Improving the deliberate side by giving them a physical outlet in our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu martial arts classes.
A related issue is that martial arts classes give kids an outlet for their energy – and that’s something I’ll talk about soon!
If you want to start your child on the road to physical self-control, then I suggest starting with a trial membership. It will give your child a chance to experience Texarkana Jiu Jitsu first-hand and get a taste of what we do. You can click here to sign up now.
Until next time!
Coach Marc Hagebusch
PS: Look for another post soon that will talk about kids, energy, and martial arts – you won’t want to miss it!