Top 10 Benefits of Martial Arts for Young Children

Are you experiencing undesirable behaviors in your children? Such as tantrums, disrespectful language, selective listening, and physical fighting  with siblings or class mates? Parents often call us and ask how Total Impact Martial Arts can help teach their children respect, self control, and discipline. They often ask what the best age is to start their child in a martial arts program. We also receive calls from parents and schools in regards to children who are the victims of bullying – or acting out as the bully. They reach out to us to find ways to strengthen the children’s confidence and teach them tools that will empower them.

When children increase their self-confidence and improve coordination, they are better prepared to handle difficult situations and often stand up for others. Martial Arts has become increasingly popular as the secret ingredient to anti-bullying efforts. Enrolling your child in a martial arts program at an early age has countless physical, emotional, and mental health benefits. We find such joy in introducing kids to training with Total Impact’s Little Ninja’s program as young as 4-5 years old! It’s never too early to start learning important life skills.

Curious about getting your child started with a martial arts program? Check out these top 10 benefits of martial arts for young children…

1. Self-Defense: Our Total Impact training programs focus on body alignment as well as proper form for kicking, punching, sparring, and technique. Martial Arts is a reality-based art form. In life, we all have to learn how to “take” hits and get back up. Accepting how to get hit, teaches kids how to relax, better respond, and actually protect themselves better. Whether in the dojo or on the playground, learning how to maneuver and anticipate a hit, makes them wiser on how to actually avoid getting hit.
2. Focus on Individual Growth: Martial Arts targets the student’s own self-improvement. This eliminates any stress that children feel if they have anxiety about team competition or letting down anyone on their team. The routines are broken down into patterns and they work on their own specific goals.
3. Self Control and Good Decision Making Skills: What is self-control? It’s learning how to pay attention and focus on one’s self to behave accordingly so they are able to complete a task in a timely matter at school or when home with mom or dad. Self-control is an important life skill to master so your child understands how to successfully achieve their goals in martial arts training as well as in life. An important by-product of self-control is good decision making skills. As parents, we know that while we do our best to protect them, we cannot keep them in bubbles. Making good decisions for themselves when they are in difficult situations is huge for their self-confidence as well.
4. Mind-Body-Spirit Connection: The foundation of our system believes in impacting every student’s mind, body and spirit as a whole. As we know kids are getting “lazier, crazier, and moodier” due to too much screen time. Psychology Today explains how “interactive screen time is more likely to cause sleep, mood, and cognitive issues, because it’s more likely to cause hyperarousal and compulsive use.”  Martial Arts is a total body workout which is high energy and full of fun. Our instructors value teaching children how to keep active, make healthier food choices, and how to really listen to their body.
5. Team Work and Social Interactions: Our curriculum creates a healthy environment for kids to socialize together and understand that there are situations when working together in groups is necessary. As the child’s character and respect develop through martial arts, they learn that we are better together when we work as a team in school or are part of a community. Added bonus, kids love to be in our classes with their friends and are often smiling, laughing and having great fun! The students develop friendships and experience being part of a community.
6. Anti-Bullying Education: Unfortunately, bullying is still a real issue for young people of all ages. Bullying behavior is intentional and shows up in many forms. In a previous blog, we talked about repeated aggressive behavior is traumatic and causes many major issues for children such as anxiety, anger, depression, changes in eating and sleep patterns, and decreased interest in activities that used to bring him or her joy. Click here to read more about the top 5 benefits of martial arts training to help combat bullying!
7. Conflict Resolution: Martial Arts promotes a peaceful approach to conflict resolution. Students are taught proper form, ways to fine tune motor skills, and physical coordination. We teach them that physical combat is always a last resort. But if a child is in a dangerous situation, they will have the ability to defend themselves with strength and body awareness.
8. Coordination and Motor Skills: Our Little Ninja’s program builds strong bodies, physical coordination and helps kids fine tune their motor skills. Increasing muscular strength and improving general wellbeing will support children with other activities such as dancing, art projects, soccer, baseball, or football.
9. Balance and Posture: As we know, 4-5 year olds usually don’t think about their balance or if their spine is in alignment. This skill set is critical for their little, growing bodies. If a child has poor posture, this will lead to improper breathing, cramped organs, jaw pain and intestinal problems. Through balanced movement and age appropriate forms and drills, children naturally correct their posture and improve their balance.
10. Making Friends: Total Impact understands how making friends is an important part of everyone’s childhood. We want to help young people make new friends while teaching them the important concepts of sharing, compassion, respect, listening, and conflict resolution. Our team provides activities such as game days and movie nights throughout the year to provide other ways for the students to interact.

Our children have the incredible opportunity to positively impact the world by staying active, healthy, and rise up to help others. Martial Arts provides the total system to help them achieve all of their goals. The long term effect of the benefits of martial arts will be seen throughout their lives. When choosing a dojo, it’s important to understand the style of teaching and the student-teacher ratio. Total Impact Martial Arts offers free introductory class for all of our children’s programming: Little Ninja’s and our entire kids karate program. We want parents and children to feel comfortable with who we are how we teach! It’s a new decade and a new year, the time is now!

Learn More About Total Impact’s Little Ninja’s Martial Arts Program

The Total Impact Little Ninja’s program is geared towards children, ages 4-5 years old and is considered a pre-karate program. In the Little Ninja program, students will learn martial arts techniques equivalent to our white and ½ yellow belt in the children’s program. It is a fun, high energy, developmental program that will prepare your child for the Total Impact Martial Arts Children’s program. All little Ninja’s receive a camouflage belt and achieve stripes until they can graduate to white belt. This is a reward driven program that promotes positive learning and team building.

Are you interested in enrolling your young children in Martial Arts program? Total Impact offers a variety of classes which are appropriate for all age groups. We believe it’s never too early to introduce kids to the benefits of martial arts! View our schedule to find an after school or weekend class.