Whether it’s for the off-the-walls energetic 5 year old, the grumpy teen who doesn’t find sports cool enough yet, or the child asking you to enroll them in yet another sport, jiu jitsu and kickboxing are fun disciplines suitable for all children!
Health experts as well as psychologists won’t hesitate to tell you how crucial exercise and critical thinking are for kid’s lives. While improving their health and strengthening their immune system, martial arts offers a plethora of other benefits for any developing child, skills that can undoubtedly help them improve other areas of their life, such as school, their self-esteem and confidence; focus, self-control, coordination and discipline are just some of the many skills kids involved in martial arts program develop. They are taught how to better coordinate their mind and bodies as they work through difficult physical scenarios and techniques with their training partners. In fact, the level of mental skill and concentration required in jiu jitsu is analogous to the same mental strength required for a friendly chess game, their body parts are their moving pieces. Whether it’s learning how to get someone off of them or successfully throwing a punch, these are important abilities children can sharpen for self defense situations.
Jiu Jitsu and Kickboxing differ from your typical team sports since there is such a bigger emphasis placed on individual growth as opposed to team growth and competitions. One of the beauties of both bjj and kickboxing are the hobbyist aspect of it–there is no weighing pressure of having to ever compete or let the team down. The kid’s biggest competitors are their own selves as the sports allow them to take a break from a “must win” mentality to more of a “level up mentality.” Leveling up in belts in jiu jitsu and kickboxing are often very proud and memorable moment for the children because they actually understand the measure of dedication, sweat, and hard work that went into each and every belt promotion.
Here at Renzo Gracie East LA, you will find our kid’s classes filled with smiling but determined faces. We teach them lots of valuable techniques while keeping a respectful, welcoming, and fun environment. Our coaches will make sure to make your little one feel heard and seen as they battle their way through their classes. Parent’s are encouraged to stay for the class to watch their littles one jump out of their shell as soon as they hit our mats. If you have a child excited at the thought of rolling around and wrestling other children, or a kid who loves kicking and punching, please do not hesitate to give us a call or stop by! And if you have a child who has not yet expressed an interest in martial arts, also bring them out to try it before you rule it out! We offer free trials to all students because we know it just takes one or two classes for them to fall in love with the sport. I mean, what kid doesn’t like to punch and kick and wrestling other kids (in a controlled and safe environment of course!)?