At Gordon Martial Arts, a common concern we hear from parents is their child is too shy or appears to have a low self-esteem. On the flip side, some of the children are a bit over hyper. And sometimes we get a child that is being bullied.
In the 20+ years I’ve been involved with martial arts, I’ve seen firsthand the transformation it has on students both children and adults. While the majority of the public have a very narrow viewpoint of martial arts from television and movies, most of us have never been and will never be Jason Bourne of the “Bourne series.” Martial arts instill values of self-betterment, not for combat. While self-defense is certainly taught, a good martial art program will help develop a child’s character making them a champion in life. And unlike team sports, martial arts is a personal journey. You are in a class of your peers and able to move at your own pace.
Complacent is not a synonym for excellence and martial arts gently nudge the student out of their comfort zone and into a realm of excellence. Will they trip and stumble along the way? Of course! Just like we all do in everyday life. Each time they overcome the hurdle they’ll be reaching a new level of self-esteem. They will also learn how to take responsible risks and succeed.
One of the ways to build confidence and bolster self-esteem is by setting small goals that lead into larger goals. With martial arts goal setting is done inherently as student advance in rank through a progression of colored belts. Each new belt is after demonstration of betterment in technique and attitude. As the student moves up in rank, their self-esteem is naturally increased and everyone around them can see the personal growth and gaining of leadership abilities.
The ultimate symbol of achievement is a black belt. Earning a black belt should be rigorous and full of hurdles. As we’ve all heard, nothing worth having comes easy. Earning a black belt is reflective of the hurdles in real life. The student must demonstrate self-control and self-discipline to persevere through the hard training to reach each new belt until black belt is achieved. Once each of these smaller goals are reached through each colored belt, then the student will test for black belt symbolizing a certain level of excellence. And when life gets tough, the parent can remind the child how they pushed through adversity to earn their black belt. It’s an achievement that will stay with them for a lifetime.
So what about the hyper child? The Mayo Foundation did a study about Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and how it can cause difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. Children with ADHD also may struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships and poor performance in school.
So what was one of their recommendations?
“Find ways to improve your child’s self-esteem and sense of discipline. Children with ADHD often do very well with art projects, music or dance lessons, or martial arts classes, especially karate or tae kwon do. But don’t force children into activities that are beyond their abilities. A series of small frequent successes, rather than large infrequent ones, help to build self-esteem.”
That quote basically sums up this entire article in a nutshell.
Obviously martial arts is a way of life for me. And if you do something you love, you want others to enjoy your passion. So here’s a simple three step offer I want to offer you.
1 – An invitation to come see Gordon Martial Arts and take a tour of our personal development center.
2 – An offer for your child and/or yourself to participate a semi-private introductory lesson. Get specific details about the programs and how Gordon Martial Arts can help you and/or your child.
3 – An opportunity to participate a trial period and see firsthand how martial arts will benefit you child.
Just fill out the form on your screen and we’ll get you started!
One of our parents posted on our Facebook page, “Happiness is when your child tells everyone that he goes to school at Gordon Martial Arts and he learns more there then at school.” You know, I see stuff like that and my little suspicious mind can’t help but wonder if a real customer wrote that. So check out our Facebook page for yourself.
Not convinced yet? All the testimonials were done without notice. People came to class and I asked if they would mind being interviewed. They had little time to prepare and I had no idea what they would say.
So stop thinking about it and contact us to give martial arts a try. It’s simple as 1-2-3!
Thank you Crestview Bulletin for doing this first half of this article in their newspaper.
