Being Active and Healthy with Children's Martial Arts

By Emily Brophy, 1st dan

Being active for any kid is important, and it keeps them in shape. Getting a child into a program early can make an impression and it will stick with them the rest of their life. The Colorado Taekwondo Institute (CTI) has a perfect opportunity for kids to join in our classes. These kids karate classes are focused around keeping the child busy working on techniques the whole time. Our instructors focus on developing the kids listening skills, as well as motor skills.

Every class is structured to help the students as much as possible. Our kids martial arts classes are much more than just about punching and kicking. These programs help the kid with respect, discipline, and staying healthy. Getting a child into an activity with other new people can be difficult but at CTI our instructors are great at making every child feel welcome. CTI provides martial arts classes for kids from ages 3-12 as well as teens and adults. As well as a thorough warm up, with jumping jacks, and stretches, the CTI provides the student with a basic routine that is performed every class. This basic routine shows up in every other technique the student does in that class.

After basics, CTI instructors do poomse (patterned movement), which is a combination of everything learned in basics. The classes and curriculum keeps getting more complex and is more fun as the child goes up the belt ranks. Along with the physical part of kids karate, comes the mental part. Every class requires the student to be engaged and listening to the instructor the whole class. As the student become used to the classes this gradually get easier and easier.

Classes at the CTI also show the kid how to be courteous, and respectful to their fellow classmates as well as at home. Monthly homework at the CTI gives the student to chance to show their instructor how responsible they are. This homework challenges the student to be respectful, courteous, and responsible. It gives the student information about staying healthy when it comes to eating, and exercising. When a student finishes this homework they are given a yellow stripe to put on their belt as a sign that they did the assignment that month. These stripes are important for the student to progress in the belt ranks. At the CTI when the kids instructor feels that they are ready for the next belt, the kid will go to a test with students of different campus and belts. Then after the instructor feels the kid has has improved and has really earned it, the student will receive their new rank. Having the students prove themselves ready for the next rank gives the student a sense of integrity and confidence. It shows the student not to give up and keep pushing for what they want.

Kid's karate classes can be an important a fun part of a kids daily life. While the student is going to the same class 2 times a week they can meet new people. Children's karate gives the student a chance to learn something new every single day. The child is never bored at a class because they are learning or experiencing something new every time. Next time a kid needs to be physical and keep in shape, send them to a kids class at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute at any of our six Colorado locations.