Shotokan Karate has not only made a huge impact in my life, but in my boys life as well. My boys had been interested in karate for about a year before I signed them up. I was hesitant at first because I was afraid it would encourage my boys to be more physical with each other. I was unfamiliar with what karate actually taught. A year later, I would encourage every child to take karate.
Karate teaches:
Confidence: The confidence that karate gives is like no other sport I’ve known. My boys are fairly shy and karate is teaching them to be more confident. In this last year they have both made huge strides in socialization.
Leadership Skills: I am in awe of the teenagers that help run the classes at our dojo. They are true leaders not only at the dojo but in the community. They enjoy helping the lower belt students and provide a lot of encouragement.
Respect: Karate teaches respect for not only superiors, but for other students and the dojo itself. I love that Shihan requires the students to pay full attention, say “yes sir or “no sir”, to shake hands with your opponent and to always have good sportsmanship.
Discipline: Karate requires a lot of training and self-discipline. If you want to succeed, it takes determination. To take yourself to the next level, training occurs inside and outside the dojo. The fun part about training karate with my kids is we can practice at home together.
Self Defense: Of course one of the big aspects of karate is to learn how to defend yourself. Hopefully these skills will not be needed but everyone should learn self defense skills. They should also be practiced regularly in different scenarios. I especially think this is true for females.
Fitness: A love for physical fitness should start as a child. Karate provides vigorous exercise. It also improves flexibility, requires strength and is a good cardiovascular workout.
Concentration: Karate requires a great deal of concentration to learn the intricate moves. For frigidity kids, they really have to focus on standing still at attention and following directions.
Learning to Value Hard Work: A good dojo makes you work hard for your belt promotions. Nothing is given at our dojo, it is earned. Kids learn that they need to work hard for their achievements. This makes their accomplishments so much more special. This also teaches kids to set goals and work for them.
What I see from the kids that have taken karate for years, is that these skills carry on outside the dojo too. The teens I train with are the most caring, confident, encouraging and disciplined people I know.
As far as my fear of increased violent behavior from my boys, I was so wrong. Yes, my boys roughhouse and love to wrestle. However, they are well aware that kumite (sparring) is only done in the dojo or if we supervise at home.
If you are contemplating karate for your kids, stop into a dojo near you for a visit. Watch how the kids behave and how the instructors interact. Talk to the parents and get an idea of how the dojo is run. Of course not all dojos are created equal. However, I think most will encourage the above skills.
Read more about karate:
Starting Martial Arts as an Adult
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I totally agree with you. While my three kids take Tae Kwon Do, the benefits have been the same. I actually started them there because I needed one extracurricular activity for all three, in the same place at the same time, but three years later, they’re still loving it.
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Hi Gina,
I am so glad that your kids are enjoying Tae Kwon Do! What I love about martial arts that it is good for all ages! It sure helps when you can take your kids to one practice instead of running in many different directions! Thanks for sharing!
Renae