By Carina DuLong, 1st dan
Martial arts for teens provides many benefits to help navigate turbulent years that include major physical, emotional, and mental development while transitioning from middle school to high school, then high school to college and beyond. The five tenets of taekwondo —courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit—build a solid foundation to last a lifetime. Teenagers learn many skills in their taekwondo training that are applicable to daily life which allow them to grow into compassionate human beings who make good decisions. Taekwondo also provides an excellent mental distraction while learning and memorizing self defense routines, and offers a positive outlet for feelings of frustration through focused kicking and punching.
Though some teenagers may not be enthusiastic about joining a sport, I would encourage everyone to give martial arts a try. The activities are accessible for everyone and students can participate at whatever level or intensity they are comfortable with. Martial arts for teens provides a way for students to increase their physical capabilities, and exercises can be adapted depending on injuries or flexibility. We stretch every class and do exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks that develop our muscles and increase our stamina. As students progress, they have the opportunity to break boards, which improves skills like balance, foot-eye coordination, and precision due to having to hit a board in the correct spot with an appropriate force. Students learn increasingly difficult techniques that improve their physical fitness as they progress.
Just like other sports, martial arts for teens exposes teenagers to an environment that requires sportsmanship and recognition of rules. Students learn how to respect their instructors and their competition and learn from their mistakes by competing in tournaments. They also gain skills that many athletes value such as quick decision-making and reflexes through free sparring. There are team tournaments and individual tournaments which teach students different ways of interacting with others, sometimes working with people on a team and other times competing against them. To master complex techniques, teens practice self-control and discipline while preparing for tournaments, and feedback from instructors helps them learn to accept constructive advice to improve their performance.
Martial arts for teens delivers valuable mental benefits as well as physical benefits. CTI teaches students how to have respect, self control, integrity, perseverance, and many more important qualities that carry into daily life. Teenagers are often subjected to peer pressure that can result in harmful and dangerous situations with long-lasting consequences, but martial arts training can give them the confidence to stand up to questionable influences and do what they know is right. Martial arts classes highlight the importance of being a kind person who takes care of the people around them. When we spar or do partner work, the number one guideline is to take care of our partners so we continue to have a supportive environment where everyone can learn effectively and feel safe while doing so. Upper belts also have the opportunity to teach lower belts which requires patience and a thorough understanding of the routines being taught.
Some teens struggle with the “one size fits all” mentality in school, where students are continuously compared to other students and graded on a standardized academic scale. Martial arts for teens reinforces the importance of self-directed learning because students all learn at their own pace. Students who practice more and ask questions will progress faster and benefit more from their training. Everyone moves towards black belt at their own pace depending on how self-motivated they are, and students recognize that they can reach black belt as long as they pay attention and try their best.
Martial arts for teens can provide a helpful contrast to an academic setting since students are really competing against themselves and can measure their success on an individual basis. Taekwondo is the perfect environment for teenagers to learn how to set goals and make a plan to reach them because they can see the progress they make in every class. Self-directed learning carries over into school and work because teachers and employers value those who seek out information for themselves and are always motivated to learn more.
Although it might seem like adding martial arts to a teenager’s already busy schedule will just add to their stress, the results are worth it. Martial arts for teens is a structured environment that reinforces life skills such as focus, dedication, goal-setting, and respect for others. Physical activity is a fantastic way to relieve stress, and students are learning self defense while decompressing and venting frustrations in a safe and constructive way. They also have a creative outlet when making breaking routines to showcase their strengths, while achieving goals and participating in tournaments increases their self confidence, which helps navigate real life. Taekwondo and other martial arts challenge both the mind and body in a positive way.
