Kids Jiu Jitsu – Martial Arts Benefits at Harts in Conshohocken! Jiu Jitsu Kids!
A blurb about our author:
My name is Courtney Caporizzo and I am purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. I currently run three youth martial arts programs. One in Tae Kwon Do and two in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Outside of teaching, I am an active competitor and practitioner in BJJ and TKD. I spend my days finding new and exciting ways to train myself and my students. Living the martial arts lifestyle takes place on and off the mats. Always be your best and give your best.
A Lifestyle Above the Rest
The biggest myth about youth Martial Arts is that it promotes violence. This is not true. Martial arts teaches kids about themselves and how to become a better citizens. Through martial arts kids and adults learn many things besides the traditional techniques one thinks of when they watch a “Kung Fu movie.” The message of martial arts is high self esteem and living a positive lifestyle.
Martial arts have many benefits for children and adults alike. Below I have compiled 10 major benefits of martial arts for kids:
1. Self-Control and Concentration:
As someone who has taught youth martial arts for over 10 years, I cannot tell you how parents on day 1 tell me how their child needs help learning to concentrate. Martial arts is the answer. Through learning focus and stillness, your child will learn to focus. Instruction and detail are key components of martial arts. In order to be successful at martial arts, your child will learn to be still and to listen. In classes children learn how to pay attention to details, recall techniques when asked, and perform the techniques on the spot. And these skills will carry over to all aspects of their lives!
2. Goal Setting and Achievement:
Successful people set goals and lay out plans to attain those goals. The same is true for martial artists. Kids earn stripes on their belts to help them see their progress. Once a stripe is earned, kids immediately set their sights on earning the next stripe. As a coach my job is to encourage them to practice, to learn and to grow. With a set goal in mind, they work hard to achieve it, eventually earning enough stripes to earn a new belt. And the best part of martial arts is that there is always more to learn, thus there are more goals to set and achieve.
3. Self Esteem and Self Respect:
Through achieving goals, working hard and making progress, kids learn to be proud of themselves. And learn to love themselves. Think about the power of that statement. Kids will be proud of themselves. They begin to feel stronger physically and mentally through the challenges of martial arts. Kids learn to value their time on the mat, and to respect themselves and the hard work they put into every class. At Hart Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Martial Arts, we coach our students using positivity, not punishment. Our students are encouraged to make the right choices and praised when they do. So instead of always hearing, “No. Don’t do that.” They hear, “Yes! Fix this and try again. Perfect! I’m proud of you.” And this style of coaching will help to foster his/her self esteem.
4. Exercise:
Martial arts are a great way to help to encourage children with a healthy lifestyle. A huge aspect of martial arts is to take care of your mind and body. As martial artists children surround themselves with like minded individuals. Kids learn to strength their bodies while having a blast learning exciting new techniques. My making their bodies physically fit, the kids will feel better and be able to achieve anything they set their minds to.
5. Learn to Cope with Upsets:
Unfortunately, we all have to deal with disappointments in life. How you handle the “loss” is important. As a martial artist, not every training session goes how I planned. Sometimes I get frustrated with my performance, but how I handle that frustration is key. Kids experience the same thing. Whether it is not earning a stripe, getting taken down, mixing up a technique, whatever the disappointment, your child is taught how to handle the situation, and how to turn it into a positive experience. We always say, there is no loosing, only learning.
6. Learn to Overcome Fear:
Being able to overcome fears is an important part of martial arts. Kids are put on the spot, and taught to spar, lead warm-ups, teach younger students, etc, and for many students new experiences can create fear. But martial arts will help you to tackle those fears and use the energy in a positive way. Martial arts is known to connect the mind and body, and overcoming fear is an important part of that connection.
7. Leadership:
Youth martial arts will teach your kids to have the confidence they need to be a successful leader. Children learn how to make good decisions, and how to avoid conflict, both of which empower him or her to stand up and be proud. Because of this our students have the confidence to be leaders on and off the mat. At Hart Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Martial Arts we give students responsibilities both during class and at to complete at home. These responsibilities help to foster responsible kids who are ready to become leaders.
8. Conflict Resolution:
Martial arts teach kids how to recognize conflict and how to handle it. Many people have the misconception that knowing how to defend yourself will make you resort to violence to solve the problem. However, having a plan for how to deal with a bully confidently will ensure your child’s safety without them ever having to punch or kick the bully. Reputable schools teach students that no matter what a bully says to them, they should not take it to heart. We believe at Hart’s the children should have the emotional intelligence to know that they do not have to accept the bully’s negativity but if forced to defend themselves they do so effectively and confidently . At Hart BJJ and Martial Arts we make sure each child knows they are strong, awesome and have a positive understanding of self worth.
9. Team Work Makes the Dream Work:
Although martial arts is an individual’s journey, the individuals are only as strong as the team. Martial arts teaches students how to be an important and useful member of a team. Because martial arts is physically and mentally strenuous, students learn to help one another, to encourage each other to keep going, and to reach common goals. There is no sport better for teaching teamwork and self responsibility than martial arts.
10. Breathing:
We take breathing for granted sometimes and we assume that because our bodies do it naturally, that we do not need to focus on it. However, this is not true. Learning how to breathe correctly to increase athletic performance is important, but martial arts will take you farther. Learning to center your breathing and to control it in times of stress or anxiety is an important aspect of martial arts. It helps kids and adults like to learn to control their emotions, ease their minds and to relax their bodies.
The above mentioned 10 benefits of martial arts for kids are by no means the only benefits of martial arts. I know for a fact there are more. These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to martial arts for kids. Remember, that our goal is to help kids to become better individuals and better citizens. We want to help to create strong, decent, caring and confident people. If you know child living in the Conshohocken area, who we could help from any of the above mentioned benefits , please tell share this article and tell them about Hart Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Boxing and MMA in Conshohocken, PA.
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