Skip to Main Content

Martial Arts Teaches Life Skills More Than Just Kicking And Punching


Originally posted on 05/09/2017

Martial arts serve as a wonderful tool for kids to build the skills they need to defend themselves and achieve better health and fitness. Martial arts teaches life skills that can help your child thrive academically, feel confident in a social environment, and achieve all types of goals in adulthood. Keep reading to learn more about the positive sides of martial arts for kids that go far beyond teaching kicking and punching. 

Increased Focus And Concentration 

Martial arts classes improve concentration skills. An increase in concentration goes hand-in-hand with heightened listening skills, which can help your child make smart decisions both in the classroom and outside of school. We use various drills to increase focus and concentration. Focusing the eyes on the pad and immediately employing the proper technique requires concentration. Listening to the very specific instructors during the more advanced portion of classes requires children to listen, process, and then perform. Some of the classes require problem-solving where the instructor doesn't tell the class what to but the children need to figure certain things for themselves. 

Self Confidence and Respect

Behavior in children develops at a young age, and it's important to ensure their self-image is strong from the start. That is where martial arts can help more than other activities. The ability to defend themselves mixed with the unflinching respect that has to be shown to the instructor will increase your child's self-worth. 

The Ability To Rebound 

Life inevitably has its ups and downs. But it's the people who know how to get back up and keep fighting that succeed; martial arts emphasizes this belief both mentally and physically. Goal setting is an important part of martial arts and inevitably sometimes we fail. We can view this failure as defeat or we can learn from the experience and grow. The latter is the healthier choice and the belief we want to instill in our children. 

Making Friends And Improved Social Skills 

Many children find it hard to make friends at school, and martial arts classes can help them gain the confidence they need to form healthy relationships with their peers. Since the classes are small and intimate, children can feel more comfortable speaking to one another here than they might when trying to engage others on a large playground. They will also learn how to work with others and form partnerships, as classes require pairing up to complete different moves.

Build Fitness and Mature Life Skills at a Quality Martial Arts Academy for Kids (and Adults)

Martial arts are wonderful for building the body and mind of young people. Once they get into the focus, delay of gratification, and determination, they will see greater success in all aspects of their lives. The NY Martial Arts Academy is here to help your child find greatness through martial arts. Give our team a call today to find the best location and classes for your children.

Five of the Biggest Upsets in UFC History

By Jessica Militello Throughout the three decades of the UFC, there have been tons of historical moments and unforgettable upsets that shocked fight fans everywhere. These days, if you ask anyone what their favorites were, you’ll probably...

Sean O’Malley’s best fighting tactics

By Jessica Militello “Suga” Sean O’Malley’s career has been on the rise since he first got on the UFC’s radar back in 2017 on Dana White’s Contender Series. Since then, he’s had an impressive record of...

Looking back on the UFC-then and now

By Jessica Militello The UFC recently marked the 28th anniversary of their first fight card on November 12, 1993. At the time, the promotion had entirely different owners and was a fight to the death with virtually no rules in a quest to see...

How to Fight Like Nick Diaz

By Jessica Militello One of the UFC’s most legendary and respected fighters made a very long-awaited return to the octagon at UFC 266 for a rematch with Robbie Lawler that was 17 years in the making and many couldn’t even believe it...

Boxers Who Fight with Their Strong Side Forward

By Jessica Militello Most fighters that you watch from boxing to MMA adopt a stance that is either orthodox or southpaw. In these combat sports, it has always been a tradition to stand with your less dominant side forward and your lead hand...

How Martial Arts Help Develop Greater Self Discipline

Originally posted on 08/09/2016 While practicing martial arts is an excellent way to improve your physical health and learn self-defense maneuvers, its greatest advantage is arguably in its ability to help finesse self-discipline...

Should the Oblique Stomp be Banned from the UFC?

By Jessica Militello Every once in a while the MMA community revisits the debate of whether or not moves like the oblique stomp should be made illegal in the UFC. The question has been getting attention again lately after viewers watched the...

Best Martial Arts Styles for Kids

By Jessica Militello If you are looking for a martial art to enroll your child in, you may be wondering which style is the best for them to learn and have fun while still being appropriate for their age. Every martial art has a list of benefits...

Best Martial Arts For Self Defense

Originally posted on 07/27/2018 Imagine being attacked. How would you protect yourself? Violence should be avoided, however, some circumstances leave one with no choice. Your body is the only weapon that you’ll have with you at all...

How do I choose a martial arts school for my child?

By Jessica Militello There are several criteria that are a good idea to look for when choosing a martial arts school for your kids. Obviously anytime you are investing time and money into something, you want to make sure it’s the right...

Should I Put My Kids in Martial Arts?

By Jessica Militello With all of the many choices of hobbies and sports to enroll your child in, it can become a little overwhelming to find the best one that both you and your child feel most confident about signing up for. Martial arts is a...

Understanding the Meaning of Karate Belt Colors

Originally posted on 08/11/2015 Updated: 5/19/2020 Most people have heard of someone who holds a black belt in karate or another martial art. These people are familiar with the skill and accomplishment it represents. However, there...

Will Martial Arts Help My Child Make Friends?

By Jessica Militello =Martial arts has many benefits including learning self-defense, getting regular physical activity, and learning Bruce Lee’s teachings while training in Jeet Kune Do. But one benefit that both adults and children...

Can Martial Arts Help Kids Dealing with Anxiety?

By Jessica Militello Anxiety can be very uncomfortable and scary for anyone to deal with, but for parents who have children who deal with anxiety, it can feel frustrating to watch your kids struggle with it, especially if you are unsure of how to...

Cobra Kai Characters We Love and Hate

By Jessica Militello Warning: This article may contain spoilers if you have not completed the first three seasons of the show Cobra Kai. While fans of Cobra Kai anxiously wait for season 4 after a pretty intense season 3 finale, it’s...

Some of the Most Vicious Knee Knockouts in the UFC

By Jessica Militello Some of the most brutal and historic moments in the UFC have been from fights finished with knockouts using knees. Fans have a tendency to look at a fighter’s grappling, striking, and kicks, and can tend to overlook...

Do UFC Fighters use Jeet Kune Do?

Originally posted on 03/30/2021 By Jessica Militello Something that adds even more fun and excitement to watching UFC fights on Saturday night is recognizing some of the tools that fighters use from your own martial arts training. Some...

The Origins of Kickboxing

Originally posted on 12/29/2014 When most people think of kickboxing, they imagine some type of combination between American boxing and martial arts kicking. Surely, that’s what it can look like to an untrained eye, as it takes...

Is Jeet Kune Do the Best Self-Defense for You?

Originally posted on 03/27/2019 By Jessica Militello In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, one of the four locations of New York Martial Arts Academy, passersby regularly stop and take out their camera phones to capture an image of the massive,...

What Is Grappling in MMA?

Original Post: 01/06/2015 MMA, or Mixed Martial Arts, is a popular sport. Few people understand that it typically involves striking, wrestling, and grappling - basically fighting on your feet, getting your opponent to the ground, then...
Page: 12345678 - All