Summary

Martial arts is presented as the optimal sport for children, offering comprehensive physical and character development benefits.

Abstract

The article passionately advocates for martial arts as the best sport for children, drawing from the author's extensive personal experience as a child athlete, teacher, mother, and martial artist. It outlines ten compelling reasons why martial arts stands out from other sports, emphasizing its role in fostering whole-body fitness, inclusivity, individual and team skills, non-competitive progression, self-defense, community, gender equality, character building, and true confidence. The author argues that these benefits are essential for a child's development and can be achieved by pursuing a black belt, which is a tangible goal that any dedicated child can attain.

Opinions

Martial arts provides a comprehensive physical workout, enhancing coordination and strength, which is beneficial for children of all ages.
The sport ensures that every child participates actively, avoiding the issue of "bench warmers" common in team sports.
Martial arts is unique in that it is both an individual and a team sport, allowing children to develop personal skills while also enjoying the support of a group.
The competitive aspect of martial arts is optional, focusing on self-improvement rather than comparison with others.
Every student has the potential to become a "star" by achieving the milestone of a black belt, which teaches the value of perseverance and dedication.
Martial arts fosters a positive community that supports mutual respect and social growth, providing a respite from the pressures of school.
The practice inherently teaches self-defense, empowering children with practical life skills.
Boys and girls train together in martial arts, promoting gender equality and mutual respect.
Building character is an explicit goal in martial arts training, with specific teachings aimed at developing positive traits.
The ultimate aim is to build true confidence in children, which is seen as a critical trait for navigating life's challenges.

Martial Arts Is the #1 Best Sport for Children

My top ten powerful reasons why

Author Photo — Some of our students. Five of them are teen black belts and still training today. /used with permission

If you have children, you’ve most likely thought of getting them into some kind of physical activity. You know how important it is to exercise. And you know that school does not always give them the best social engagement.

So…

I want to convince you that the ideal sport to get your child into is Martial Arts.

Before I give you my reasons,

I want you to know that this belief is based on my life experience including, but not limited to, the following:

I was a child athlete — playing multiple sports competitively from age 7–17.

I was an uncomfortable teen girl — searching, dangerously, for validation.

I was a young adult trying to find my place in life — this is when I began my martial arts journey.

I was a school teacher — teaching special education for 10 years.

I was/am a mom of three — who are now amazing, young adult black belts.

I was/am a devout martial artist — now with 30 years of experience in the Korean styles of taekwondo and hapkido.

I was/am a studio owner and master instructor — and have worked with a few thousand children and their families.

So now, at age 55, I will share 10 reasons I believe the martial arts stand out from other sports. And why there are few things better that you can do for your child than support them in earning their black belt.

I will start with number ten and work my way up to my number one favorite reason.

#10 — Martial arts is a whole-body workout; making it great on its own, or as cross-training.

It helps with body awareness and coordination in general, and it teaches skills that will help in any sport should your child decide to pursue one down the road. This makes it a great first physical activity for young children. For older children and adults, it will improve coordination, strength, and reaction time, which will carry over into your other physical activities.

#9 — In martial arts, everyone gets to play.

There are no bench warmers. This is probably the biggest issue people have with team sports. Many kids don’t even get to play, yet they may put just as much time and effort into their practices. I do understand that is just the way it is, and such is life. But that also makes it one of the reasons I love martial arts. No bench warmers.

#8 — Martial arts is both an individual AND a team sport.

If you like working alone, this is for you. If you like being part of a group, this is for you. You are working both together and alone at the same time. You do not have to worry about “bringing the team down,” so to speak, but at the same time, you can reap the benefits of being encouraged by the group. If you want more of a team feel, some studios have sparring and/or demonstration teams that train even harder together.

#7 — Martial arts can be competitive…or not.

The only person you are competing with is yourself. You want to try to always be better than you were, but it does not matter how you compare to the other students in class. You move up when you are ready. However, there ARE opportunities to do competitions if you want to. Taekwondo tournaments allow students to test their skills against others, but it is usually not required.

#6 — In martial arts, everyone can become a star.

Why? Because ALL students will become a black belt if they do not give up. It is hard work, but you are guaranteed the accolades and the feeling of awesomeness IF you put in the time and effort. And isn’t that what we want to teach our kids about life?

#5 — As a martial arts student, you will be part of a positive, life-affirming, community.

Being part of a positive community is so important. Life can be tough, so it is nice to have a place to go where everyone has a similar goal and supports each other. School can be hard on many kids socially. The studio is a place they can go and not worry about social groups. Mutual respect is expected.

#4 — On your martial arts journey, you are learning how to defend yourself, a practical life skill, while doing the sport.

How cool is that?! Not only are you getting great exercise, but you are also learning how to protect yourself at the same time. So as you train, you are becoming less likely to ever be a target of bullying or violence.

#3 — In martial arts, boys and girls play together, get strong together, and gain mutual respect for one another.

This is so awesome that I toyed with making it number one on my list. Boys and girls train side by side and even spar with one another. They also hang out together at events, help each other learn skills, and break the same boards and bricks. They earn the same black belt together. I truly believe if everyone did martial arts, there would be much fewer incidences of sexual assault. A feeling of equality is the key here.

#2 — Building character is inherent in martial arts.

Yes, being part of any sport can build character. However, in martial arts, it is the PURPOSE, so students are specifically taught things to build positive character traits. There are so many positive traits, in fact, that I will do separate articles on the character benefits of martial arts.

#1 — Above all, the goal of martial arts is to build true confidence.

As parents, we want our children to be confident as they walk through life. Confident kids don’t get picked on, and they don’t pick on others. They are also kinder and more likely to stand up for others. But confidence is difficult for kids to achieve when there is so much pressure on them to be good at everything. That’s why I LOVE that building confidence is the ESSENCE of martial arts. I do believe, it is the number one most important trait we should strive to instill in our children as they grow up.

Now that is quite a list and quite a claim I am making. But I am adamant that parents should get their kids into martial arts. Yes, it is dependent on finding a good, reputable studio. Fortunately, most masters teach because they want to make a difference, so there are many good ones out there.

What are you waiting for!!!

Oh, you’re not sure where to go? I promise to write a piece soon on “How to Find a Martial Arts Studio That Is Right for You.”

I am a martial arts master. My training and teaching over these past 30 years have given me much insight. And I want to share it with others in any way I can. It is my sincere desire to help you feel safe, strong, and able to defend yourself, both physically and mentally, as you walk through life.

Sending you strength, love, and wisdom! — Jodi