So the teenage years are a valuable time for children to continue to learn life skills, such as perseverance, self-reliance, confidence, focus and physical fitness. Team sports often can provide the same benefits, but often they are not as beneficial because they have to rely on the team. If they aren't the best on a team, they won't play as often as the "super stars" on the team. With an individual sport, such as Karate or Taekwondo, each teen puts in their own effort and they receive what they put into it. Martial arts for teenagers are so wonderful and they develop so many benefits, including:
Perseverance: "The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places." - Author Unknown -- One great thing with martial arts, such as Taekwondo or Karate, is that they have a belt system which teaches students to persevere. Each belt has certain requirements that the teen must learn and master before moving on to the next belt. The process to get to black belt will take many years and a teen will have to persevere to obtain that goal. Luckily with the each of the small goals along the way, they learn how to push step-by-step to work hard until they reach their goal.Self-Reliance: "Youth athletes in individual sports learn to be self reliant. Their success is entirely dependent on their own efforts. If they want to win, they can’t count on someone else carrying them through the competition. If they lose a match, individual sport athletes can’t blame anyone else for their failure. This teaches them to be responsible for their own action and decisions." -Sports Signup
Confidence: "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are." -E. E. Cummings -- Often times children will start to become more shy or reserved during their teen years. But it is also the time when they need to learn to speak up and have great self-esteem. Speeches in high school, job interviews and public speaking are all right around the corner for them, and this is an important time for them to learn to have high esteem for themselves and to be confident.
Focus: “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” -Zig Ziglar -- Teenagers are often stereotyped as being lazy and lacking focus. As above, the teen years are important for their development for the "real world" after high school. Martial arts classes, such as those taught at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute, are a great way for teens to develop their focus. Classes are structured and students need to focus on the task at hand to learn and develop their moves as they prepare for their next belt or an upcoming tournament.
Physical Fitness: "Approximately 12.7 million, or 17 percent, of children and adolescents are obese." -American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry -- This is an alarming statistic. Almost one out of 5 American children are obese, not just overweight, but obese. More and more children are eating less healthy and getting less excersise. Teen martial arts are great for developing physical fitness. Jumping jacks (cardio), push-ups & sit-ups (muscular strength & endurance), all through kicking, punching and blocking are a great, and fun way, for teens to keep themselves in shape and become much more healthy.
As you can see, individual sports are great for the development of teenagers. Teen martial arts is something you should consider for your child. With five Denver-metro locations, the Colorado Taekwondo Institute is bound to have a class and program that will work for your family. Give us a call today and see what we have to offer your family.
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SOURCES:
1- http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-still-under-construction/index.shtml
2- http://blog.sportssignup.com/blog/bid/120786/5-Benefits-of-Individual-Sports
3- http://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Obesity-In-Children-And-Teens-079.aspx
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