Hellobee

Taekwondo originated in Korea, and as a child I watched my brother compete in many matches and eventually earn his black belt. I saw the many positive effects it had on him, and knew that I wanted to enroll my children one day too. When we moved to the island capital, we were lucky enough to join a newly opened taekwondo studio run by the only Korean master on the island. It’s been six months now and the kids are just as enamored with taekwondo today as they were the first day. The past couple weeks they’ve been taking 2 consecutive classes, so they’re at the studio for 2 1/2 hours every Monday, Wednesday and Friday! And they’re still not tired of it!

What’s so great about taekwondo or other martial arts for kids?

1) It’s great for kids of all different strength and athletic abilities. Neither of my kids are particularly athletic and Olive has always been physically delayed. Olive has very little strength — she even says the toothpaste tube is too hard for her to squeeze! Olive’s friend in the class is on the spectrum, and only walks on his tiptoes. But all of them are able to excel in taekwondo!

2) It teaches respect. I don’t think there is any other sport that places such an importance on respect as martial arts — respect for your teacher, your opponents and yourself. The kids in the class have the utmost respect for their teacher, and always bow to him when entering and leaving the studio. You must also show respect to your opponent, and bow to them before and after a sparring match as well. Taekwondo really embodies respect and humility.

3) It teaches self-discipline and concentration. Taekwondo is all about self-discipline when it comes to the uniform, customs and techniques. It’s particularly great for kids with ADHD like Charlie. The master always makes sure that the kids have their uniforms and belts on correctly. There are customs they must perform in every class. They must pay attention and listen to learn new techniques and follow along with class. They must stand still and wait for the next command. Since starting taekwondo, Charlie and Olive’s behavior and self-discipline at home has greatly improved too!

4) It boosts confidence. Even though Olive is one of the weakest kids in the class, she has the loudest kiyap (the sound made when performing various techniques)! Taekwondo teaches both mental and physical toughness, which boosts a child’s self-esteem. Learning the different moves and going up in belts has really instilled a sense of confidence and accomplishment in the kids.

5) It focuses on individual growth. Martial arts are a great alternative to a team sport. If Charlie let down his team for instance, he would be devastated. But in taekwondo kids are able to focus on their individual growth.

6) It teaches focus. Charlie is the class clown and he has always struggled with focus. But taekwondo has really helped him focus because he has to listen and pay attention to keep up with the class.

7) It provides structure. There are very clear rules in class that are constantly reinforced. The class always follows the same structure – warm up exercises, games, sparring, forms, cool down exercises, and a group circle. Kids thrive on structure and routine.

8) It helps improve coordination, balance and posture. Olive is definitely not the most physically coordinated kid, but the repetitive movements of taekwondo enable her to practice the same movements over and over again, giving her a better sense of what her body is capable of.

9) It teaches leadership skills – All kids take turns standing at the front of the class with the master and helping lead the class through the exercises. This is particularly great for a class clown like Charlie who never acts up when he’s the one leading!

10) It teaches memorization. There are many movements in taekwondo that must be memorized and performed in a certain order. This keeps their brains working and can translate into better performance at school.

The final benefit for our family is that Charlie and Olive are learning a lot of Korean because their teacher doesn’t speak English!

Taekwondo has been so hugely positive for our entire family, and I can’t recommend it more highly! I don’t think there is any other sport right now that both of them could enjoy together and excel together!