7 Reasons Why Martial Arts is Better For Kids Than Team Sports

Today, children are more likely to sit at home, in front of the television or a video game, than to get outside and learn or do something new. Unfortunately, this leads to more children suffering from socializing problems, isolation, health issues, lack of confidence, weigh problems, and many more.

A great remedy to all these issues is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

This activity is ideal for both boys and girls, and can help children improve fitness, garner new socialization opportunities, build a strong confidence in their potential (made possible by a extremely positive and reinforcing environment) and have fun. Learn the top reason why we believe that Martial Arts is better for kids than Team Sports.

1. Learn Confidence Through Lessons of Self-Defense

This is the number one reason why most people decide to study martial arts, and pretty much any style is a great way to learn how to defend yourself. Jiu-Jitsu, in specific, teaches you the techniques to defend yourself, but also the way to think about defending yourself – anticipate and avoid potential dangers. Because Jiu-Jitsu is a hands on training (kids get to practice and work on live situations every class – Live Training) it also helps build up the reflexes you need if you’re ever in a dangerous situation, and it gives you a self-assurance and confidence to stand up for yourself and fight back if needed.

2.  In Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Is For Everyone

 

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the few activities a child can do where they will simultaneously develop their mind and improve their physical attributes, all while improving their social skills. These things combined will help to build the foundation for a successful and positive life for any child.

Unfortunately, childhood issues are growing in numbers like never before. Is your child maybe to timid, problems with focus, socializing skills, discipline, motor skills, weigh problems? We believe that Jiu-Jitsu is the best program for self development.

A Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu class will start with a warm-up followed by a physical drill (working upper body, legs and core), teaching and practicing of techniques (self-defense, takedowns and ground moves), specific training (on the subject of the week) and live training, as well as some active games. Even in the most active of team sports such as Basketball or Soccer, children don’t get that much of a workout simply because they generally don’t play the whole game and even if they do, there are still breaks in the action.

Although there are many lessons to be learned from team and individual varsity sports, the ‘make the team’ model often favors the more physically developed players while alienating the late bloomers.

Coaches have access to a endless supply of players that renews itself each year, the big and strong get picked and get to  play while the less physically developed watch from the bench, this leads to a even greater disparity in skill development as the season goes by.

If  your child is an athletic wonder who is able to stay ahead of the game with his natural talents, athletics may very well bring out the best in him or her. But if you want your child’s full potential to be nurtured through years of disciplined and diligent training look for a martial art school with a good reputation who offers a serious and structured programs that will allow your child to reach it’s full potential.

Martial Artist also gives brothers and sisters (beginning at 3 years old) an opportunity to practice together and learn from one another as well (not to mention the convenience of having all of your kids in one place at a time).

3. Learning to Socialize – How to Overcome Losses and Learning to Win

While the mental and physical advantages of learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are clear, there are other benefits as well, including the ability for children to make new friends. Gracie Barra Schools are hyper social environments in which children develop great friendships and learn to trust and cooperate with their training partners.

Being a sport of constant physical contact in which students need each other to learn the techniques, it stimulates the child to develop social skills necessary to nurture and grow friendships. Another important aspect is learning how to deal with Losses and developing a good winning attitude. As the child goes through training and games the loss is inevitable being part of every single class and through positive reinforcement the child is trained to accept challenge as part of growth and losing as a necessary path to victory.

4. Belts and Ranking – The Important Role of Discipline

Belts and rankings are a public recognition among peers for the student’s effort and progress. Jiu-Jitsu ranking system helps teach children to set goals and achieve them, to persevere and prioritize. It also teaches them to commit, to go to practice even when they don’t feel like it.

In a class a student may execute a single movement or series of related movements hundreds of times. This teaches the students that progress will come through endless repetition, training kids to focus, overcome momentary difficulties and keep disciplined.

5. You can do it with them

Most martial arts schools offer classes for both adults and children. While classes do not run  simultaneously, they are usually one right after the other. This means that you can watch your children workout, and then they can watch you.

If you have the proper space for it, you can practice with each other at home, and learn from one another. This will give you a special activity to use as a bonding tool with your kids. You can also become physically fit together.

At Gracie Barra Simi Valley we offer a Parents and Kids class so that families can come together and unit itself through the positive influence of Jiu-Jitsu. On regular week classes the kids are divided by age group LC1 (Little Champions 1 – Kids 3 to 6 yrs old), LC2 (Little Champions 2 – Kids 7 to 9 yrs old) and Juniors (Teens 10 to 15 yrs old). Give preference to schools that divide Kids by age group because it makes it easier for the child to learn.

6. The Never-Ending Season

Team sports traditionally are played in season mode, meaning that after the season is over the child has a long break and could lose motivation or even the interest on it (think Soccer, Baseball and even wrestling).

In Martial Arts we have classes year round. This consistency and availability also helps build upon discipline, and allows children to progress at a much quicker pace in the Martial Arts than in Team Sports.

7. Gracie Barra is a global community

Jiu-Jitsu has experienced a World Wide growth in the past 10 years unlike any other Martial Art. You can find a Jiu-Jitsu schools in any corner of any continent. When you are a Gracie Barra team member you are part of the biggest Jiu-Jitsu team in the world having access of over 700 schools in all continents.

In Gracie Barra, a student may travel to any school and they will still be following the same curriculum, practicing the same hip throw, arm lock or choke that are taught at his School.