Martial arts classes are a popular activity for children because they provide a healthy outlet for kids’ energy as well as an opportunity to socialize. What some parents may not realize is that one of the biggest benefits of martial arts for kids is that it helps them form the fitness habit from an early age.
Why is Physical Activity Important for Kids?
Today’s kids may be more interested in sitting and staring at their computers or phones all day than they are in physical fitness, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need regular activity to be healthy.
Kids who lead active lives have more self-confidence and higher self-esteem than kids who don’t. They have confidence in their bodies and what they can do. Exercise may also improve their mental health.
Regular exercise in our online martial arts classes can help your child focus in school and build their confidence. While your child’s body might be flexible and resilient, there’s always room for improvement. When kids learn to control their movements through martial arts training, it can teach them better self-control in every area of life.
How Does the Fitness Habit Affect Kids’ Health?
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), kids need about 60 minutes of physical activity per day. The activity should involve a combination of aerobic activity and strengthening exercises.
That might seem like a lot, but many kids meet that minimum requirement simply by running around the playground at lunch and after school. That said, it’s still essential to instill your child with knowledge about the health benefits of exercise.
As we get older, we tend to have less time in our lives for fitness. We need to make time in our schedules to go for a walk or a run or to take a fitness class. It’s a lot easier to do that when you make fitness a habit from an early age.
Will Martial Arts Workouts Help My Child Get the Physical Activity They Need?
One of the fantastic health benefits of martial arts is that it provides kids with the best combination of aerobic exercise and toning.
The aerobic part of martial arts training comes from executing repeated kicks and punches, jumping and squatting. They increase their heart rates and burn calories, too.
The toning part comes because martial arts training requires children to use their body weight as resistance. When a child lifts their leg to do a kick or tightens their abs to block a hit, they’re toning their muscles as they do. In fact, martial art training is one of the best ways to tone muscles without making them bulky.
Martial Arts and the Fitness Habit
There is no shortage of physical activities for children to do, but we believe that martial arts classes offer a unique opportunity to help kids form the fitness habit. Among the benefits of martial arts are several things that make kids feel good about coming to class.
For example, studying the martial arts improves kids’ self-esteem and mental health. It helps them learn effective methods of conflict resolution and to gain the discipline they need to learn new skills and improve their health.
While your child may not be thinking about these benefits, the fact is that martial arts classes are something that kids love — and that makes it more likely they’ll make fitness a habit that they’ll continue for the rest of their lives.
Getting your kids involved in the martial arts from a young age is one of the best ways we know to help your child form the fitness habit and lead a long and healthy life.