There are so many reasons why training martial arts are a great activity for people of all ages, but I’m just going to tell you about a few of them here.

The best part about these reasons is that they apply to children and adults and everyone in between.

Throughout Asia, martial arts are taught to school children just as physical education classes are part of our children’s school day. If we would make the shift from general physical education classes to a martial arts curriculum, we would be giving our children all the benefits of a general physical education class and so much more.

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Self-Defense

Training martial arts is like insurance. You hope you never need it, but you’re happy to have it when the need arises. Contrary to what many people think about training martial arts, it does not promote violence. In fact, training for self-defense allows you to develop focus, awareness, concentration and confidence to handle pretty much any situation that comes your way in a calm manner before it gets physically violent. It does however; also give you the physical skills to defend yourself if you need to.

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Discipline

We all know what it means and we all need more of it. Martial arts are known for its ability to create discipline in adults and children. This discipline comes in the form of focus, concentration and respect. These are all skills taught through your training. Anyone who trains martial arts needs to be able to focus and concentrate on what they are learning so they can achieve the optimal benefit of their training. This concentration and focus carries over to other parts of life, including work, home and school. Another aspect taught through training martial arts is respect of others. Put these together and you have someone who shows discipline, confidence and respect.

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Self-Confidence

You probably see it all the time. The self-confident person seems to get all the breaks. Martial arts can give you or your child the self-confidence you need to succeed. Training martial arts has a way of helping you believe in yourself and this will help you to stop standing in your own way of success. Training martial arts also helps you get in tune with your mind and body which gives you the skills you need to control and defend yourself as well as handle whatever situations that come your way.

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Fitness and Fun

Yes, you can use both of those words in the same sentence and they can go hand in hand with martial arts. One of the reasons why people quit at their fitness programs is that they get bored. That’s what happens when some people join a gym and plan to do the same thing over and over again. With martial arts you are constantly practicing and learning new skills. This will relieve boredom and your desire to stop training.

Martial arts are exercises that children, adolescents, adults and seniors, can practice regularly. It is an activity that can continue throughout life. Children won’t outgrow the ability or desire to practice martial arts as they get older. It is a lifestyle rather than an exercise.

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Social Skills and Respect

The social skills taught in physical education classes can also be enhanced through martial arts. Because of the nature of martial arts, people often find that practicing martial arts requires concentration and focus and these skills carry over to other parts of life as well, including school, work and later, jobs and family. Additionally, martial arts tend to focus on respect (both for self and others) which is a great asset for any school child and will give the child the skills needed to cooperate, take turns and follow rules appropriately.

Some people worry that teaching martial arts will foster a sense of violence and give bullies the skills they need to continue harming others. Martial arts do the opposite. A common characteristic of bullies is that they lack impulse control and also don’t know how to manage their anger. Martial arts can solve that because it helps reduce stress, it improves concentration and control and it teaches respect of others. In this sense, it also helps children who are bullied because it gives them the confidence they need to combat bullying before it even starts.

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These are just a few reasons why martial arts’ training is so important for children of all ages. Our world is changing, and we need to help our children prepare for the challenges that come their way in life. Having discipline, social skills, respect for self and others and very important in today’s world, self-defense training, will give them the confidence they need to succeed in all areas of life. Children need a positive outlet. Martial arts fulfill that need.