Kids Judo: Here is Why Judo Is A Great Martial Art And Sport For Your Child?
Kids Judo participants develop not just physical
strength, but their mental strength and their character as well. With millions of children practising the
sport and art. When most kids start, it is usually a hit with them. Simply put: It is incredible! And the reason why Judo is a great martial art and sport for your child is that it develops the body, mind and soul
Development Of Kid's Body Through Judo
Kids Judo is a sport that involves one of the
widest ranges of body movement available helping kids build all those
muscle groups and helping them to an active life. It teaches people
to emphasise efficiently using their leverage, balance, technique,
timing, and skill for every movement to win.
Children who participate in any sport
have a reduced risk of childhood obesity, heart disease, and
osteoporosis, through adulthood. Kids Judo is no exception, from
strength to agility to stamina. Setting the foundation for them to
become healthy and active adults who appreciate the importance of
physical activity.
Coordination
Another great benefit of Judo for a
child’s development is coordination. Judo is a very technical
martial art that requires a lot of coordination. Through practice,
children learn how to use their bodies in a coordinated manner in order
to throw the opponent. As time goes by, children will learn how to
use their legs and arms in unison along with changing levels against
a resisting opponent which is an excellent way to develop a child’s
coordination.
Children learn how to roll and lift up
others. All of this develops a child’s physical attributes in a
safe, natural and healthy manner so coordination is also developed
Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading
Bio-Mechanics
We help our youth learn by teaching proper techniques and body biomechanics.
It helps develop good core and general strength and done correctly is less injury prone. The movements in Judo result in increased flexibility and balance.
Ukemi: Falling Safely (Break Falls - “Receiving Body,”)
After warm-ups, Judo classes start with
Ukemi, which literally means “receiving body,” and teach
students how to fall properly before learning anything else. You must
learn to fall correctly to avoid getting hurt in the practice of
competition. Students (Judoka) have to become comfortable with
falling and falling the correct way. The reality of Judo is that you
will get thrown often, so you need to learn to break falls.
 |
Development Of Kid's Body Through Judo |
Ukemi is a physical skill that tempers
the body and builds muscle and has significant applications in life.
Kids being kids, will insist on coming off bicycles, falling out of
trees or just plain falling. By learning how to fall safely (like
stuntmen) they may avoid the breaks saving them pain and the
expense of taking care of injuries that may now be avoidable with good
Ukemi.
Pent Up Energy
I'm not sure if this is body or mind
perhaps both but Judo is right up there with other great sports with
ways to provide an outlet for pent-up energy with exercises such as
running, stretching, and jumping rope.
kids judo as with all Judo is a continuous test of body and
mind.
Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading
Development Of Kid's Mind Through Judo
Regular training in judo develops the
mind as well as the body. Some of the things Judo teaches the mind
are:
- Observation of the situation, people and environment
- Moving strategically and seizing the initiative
- Acting decisively by considering the whole picture
- Knowing when to stop
- Always be prepared for a contest
These lessons aren’t directly taught but rather naturally infused into training. They decrease the chance of being ‘frozen’ during an unexpected confrontation. An improved mental reaction also leads to an improved physical reaction. A quick assessment of the situation and surroundings and reacting accordingly is especially important.
Goal Orientated
As children become more skilful in Judo
they also become more goal orientated.
Problem Solving
When introduced to free practice
(Randori) and Competition (Shiai – a Japanese word that means to test
one's self) your child will enter a semi-uncontrolled setting. They
will need to think on their feet and learn to adapt to the situation.
The skills that they have lean will inspire self-development and will
teach your child to ask questions that will empower them such as ‘how
can I avoid this situation and ‘how can I improve in this area.
Belts And Ranking
Belts and ranking are great ways to
help children track their progress and motivate them to strive
higher. Belts contribute to your child's confidence and desire
to succeed. A system of coloured belts indicates the knowledge and
skill levels of the Judoka.
In many cases, the first belt promotion
can be attained in a few weeks. When children obtain that first belt,
and most everyone not just children loves to have a symbol of their
hard work, it shows them that with the right motivation, they can
succeed. One belt is never enough, once a child passes one he or she
is already thinking about the next one.
 |
| Development Of Kid's Mind Through Judo |
Emphasis On Individual Achievement
In martial arts, each child’s
success is based on his or her own individual qualities. Yes, your
child will not always win in their class, but that will be because
they tried and lost, not because they were not good enough to make it
off the bench. Unlike other sports where they may not even get to
play the game, kids Judo is one-on-one so they will always be opportunities
for them to play. Knowing that their own ambition and hard work are
what will drive them to succeed. They are motivated to follow their
dreams without the fear of not having the chance to be a part of the
game.
Increased Concentration Focus and Attention
Whilst no promises can be made
children’s concentration has been known to increase exponentially
after they start practising kids Judo. This is because they get used to
following very detailed and specific instructions from their teachers
paired with focusing deeply on their own movements. Many feel like
they really want to learn and they’re really engaged, which pushes
them to focus more.
If you have ever watched a Judo match
you could be forgiven for thinking it is just rough and tumbles. But a
Judoka learns problem-solving skills. Everything you learn is a
mentally stimulating puzzle. Judo requires a lot of practice and
strategy and that puzzle gets more and more complex as you learn more
and you face more skilled opponents. Concentration, focus and
attention to detail are a natural part of learning Judo.
Perhaps the best part is that these
skills are not just limited to judo, but can also extend to other
areas of life. For example, studying, taking care of their hygiene,
doing chores at home, etc.
Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading
Development Of Kid's Soul (Character) Through Judo
Develops Good Character
At its core, Judo if allowed, develops
good character. Respect and politeness are built into it and is a
guiding principles for all those who study it. It teaches students how
to face adversity and potentially how to overcome it.
Other things that are built into
training and will become part of the child's character over time, if
they are open to it are confidence and self-esteem; self-control and
discipline; humility and responsibility as well as thoughtfulness.
Respect
As a martial art, Judo focuses on
building Emotional Health through the three R's Respect for yourself
(self-respect), respect towards others, including opponents, and
elders and teachers. In tune, this nurtures their trust and confidence
so they can grow as balanced and emotionally healthy young adults.
Respect is taught from The First Lesson and is the central lesson of Judo. From the initial bow to avoiding injury of yourself and others, it is a lesson that your child will learn time and time again and that can carry through to all aspects of life.
Judo also instils good sportsmanship.
At the beginning and end of a match, both contestants must bow to
their opponent as a sign of respect. These acknowledgements signify
their willingness to engage for each other’s benefit and to respect
winning or losing as learning.
Confidence And Self-Esteem
The very things that make Judo good
for developing the mind are also good for developing self-esteem. The
lack the confidence and self-esteem of many kids which inhibits their
ability to reach their full potential are diminished as children
develop their skills. The more skilful they become the more their
confidence increases.
The problem-solving nature of Judo on
the mat, its tactical and ever-changing environment requires you to
think on your feet. This is one of the best ways to instil confidence
and self-esteem in your child. Forcing them to be resourceful, helps
them understand that they can overcome challenges regardless of how
big or small they might be.
Add to that the feeling of doing a
throw well cannot be overstated. You are not restricted to Shiai
(full contest) to get that thrill. That feeling is only enhanced when
you know that your partner knows how to fall and you are not out to
hurt them.
Self Control And Discipline
Judo is powerful, where skills are
practised on another human being. A sport that is unbounded by
self-control and discipline, if pushed too far, can result in
injury. As your child starts to realise their physical potential and
gain strength, and fighting ability, their self-control should improve.
Judo teaches self-control and
discipline because it requires a child to focus on mastering the
techniques without hurting their partner. This will help also improve
their understanding of putting in time and effort in order to gain
results. This quickly translates into other real-world activities, especially into studying better at school and learning that the work they put into something will reap the rewards that the work deserves.
Humility and Responsibility
As we are growing up we’re still
searching for our identity. That’s why we test our boundaries more,
particularly during our teenage years. Judo allows children and teens
to test their boundaries in a controlled environment and doing so
helps them learn more about themselves.
You have to learn to respect your
training partners and your teachers. You learn that you can't blame
others for your shortcomings. You have to take responsibility for
what you are responsible for. You learn that if you can't do
something, a throw, for example, it's usually your own fault and you
have to find out what you are doing wrong and fix yourself not write
it off as the problem of someone else.
Thoughtfulness
The ideal example of this is an
incident involving Professor Kano Himself. He wanted to show Judo to
the world and in 1889 he went to Europe. Aboard a ship during his
voyage, a well-known event occurred when a fellow traveller
challenged Professor Kano. The Professor threw the man but put his
hand under the man’s head to prevent him from getting hurt. This
illustrates that, from inception, Judo is intended to consider the
welfare of even our opponents.
Mitigate The Consequences Of That Fall
Whilst Ukemi is a physical skill that
tempers the body and builds muscle, it also develops the sole because
it teaches you that you can fall and mitigate the consequences of
that fall.
Wait... More Martial Arts Judo Information Loading
Judo Is More Than Just a Martial Art or Sport,
It Is Education For Life
When you learn Judo you learn more than
just throwing and grappling and self-defence, you learn life skills.
Beginning with a bow as a sign of respect, the lessons continue,
learning how to coordinate and balance your life as well as your
body, and mind. And possibly the most important thing is that when things
or life in general throw you, you can fall and get back up and
mitigate injury in the process.
As well as mastering the art of Judo,
participants also learn the art of Randori, which is seen as a
form of physical chess. Participants soon realise that they are more capable than they first thought, testing their minds and bodies against their
opponents.
Just as in life, participants will be
thrown, pinned down and challenged, pushing them to learn and study
from their mistakes. Judo is a sport that challenges the mind and body
to work as one!
When you learn Judo, you don’t just
learn how to defend yourself better, you learn to control and trust
your body as well. And the benefits of Judo, like most martial arts,
are both physical and mental.
Random thought on Life, Judo Olympics, Judo Self Defense, The Art or Judo Kata, Judo An International Sport. Things that inspire or annoy me or things that I just had to write down.
