With all of the technological innovations and new products being created and sold daily, our young people are constantly bombarded with new reasons to live a sedentary, secluded lifestyle.
Everything they could want or need is at their fingertips, without ever having to leave their room or an enclosed space. This is why more than ever, physically and mentally engaging activities outside of the home are becoming important. And in this case, there is no activity that offers your child more benefits than Kung Fu!
1. Self-Defense
One of the most obvious benefits that Kung Fu has to offer is the self-defense. Kung Fu is a system that has been around since 420 AD and was created for self-defense and military purposes. There are hundreds and hundreds of different styles, with an even more vast history of lineages and styles within styles.
By learning this ancient martial art, your child will learn vital skills that could save their life or the life of a loved one. They will know how to protect themselves whether the situation is against a bully, an attacker and anyone who wishes harm against them.
2. Confidence
Kung Fu builds confidence in a variety of ways. It builds confidence in one’s self to tackle any situation. Confidence in your strength physically, as well as mentally. It also creates a sense of confidence like no other and that is the confidence to defend oneself or loved one, if the need arises.
3. Health
Through the variety of physical workouts, stretching and strenuous body movements in Kung Fu, your child will build muscle, strong bones and a healthy heart. Unfortunately, many children spend a lot of time sitting or inactive but, through Kung Fu they will receive the exercise needed for healthy, growing bodies.
Not only is Kung Fu a physical workout but, it also engages the mind too through problem solving, memory and retention, willpower and learning to connect thoughts with physical movement. The mental benefits of Kung Fu are vast and will keep their mind sharp and engaged throughout their training.
4. Discipline and Work Ethic
Kung Fu translates as "work", "achievement" or “merit” from Chinese, meaning training in Kung Fu you are working hard and gaining an achievement!
Your child will be regularly faced with tasks that require their full attention and discipline, while teaching them to work hard in the process. They will be taught to listen to and follow directions, accomplish what’s been asked of them and push themselves along the way.
Social Skills and Teamwork
Your child will learn to interact and work with other students, as well as following directions from a leader and having to accomplish social tasks with a team. These are skills that they can carry with them for the rest of their life!
5. Individual Achievement
By training Kung Fu, your child will feel the joys of their hard work and the rewards of their own achievements, being recognized at belt tests, physical feats, growth over their training, to name only a few! Throughout your child’s training, they will reach goal after goal and learn the value in putting in hard work and seeing the fruits of their efforts.
6. Equality
In the martial arts, everyone is equal and the only thing that separates everyone is skill and hard work! Your child will train with students of different genders and every walk of life, interacting with other children they may not have the opportunity to otherwise.
They will learn quickly there are no favorites in Kung Fu training and there are no barriers. Everyone is equal, everyone can learn and everyone can achieve!
7. Physical and Mental Development
Your child will constantly develop physically and mentally, ranging from their physical strengths, as well as their determination, to overall developments as men and women of the future. Kung Fu molds every part of a person! Combining mind, body and spirit in a life long journey of learning and growth.
8. Focus, Patience and Stillness
Children will learn the vital life skills of patience, focus and being still. Something we’re sure that every parent wishes they had a little more of.
From the variety of technique training, learning form, as well as different goals from their instruction, your child will need to learn these three important lessons “calmness”, in order to grow in their Kung Fu!
9. Goal Setting
Whether it’s setting goals for their next belt test, winning an upcoming competition or simply doing just one more pushup, by training Kung Fu your child will be met with an assortment of different goals and having pushing past their limits. There is no substitute for the accomplishments one can achieve in the martial arts!
