Five Exciting Martial Arts Forms That Your Kids Enjoy

In today's world, healthy living and being physically fit has become the norm. However, not everyone can follow a diet or be a regular at the gym. But there is another form of exercise - the martial arts that tops the list of the fitness aficionados ‘to do' list. Careers360 spoke to three martial arts experts to gain some insights on how students can benefit from this workout form.

Bhabani Shankar Ganguly, an instructor at the Ballygunje Karate Institute says that learning karate goes beyond just physical fitness. “It helps increase mental focus and sharpness among kids,” he explains; adding that this unarmed, martial art discipline is quite effective as it helps fight numerous other health conditions as well. "It helped keep my diabetes under control," he says proudly.

According to Ganguly, the ideal age for kids to start karate is seven to eight years, as kids at this age can learn the movements pretty quickly. “I have 10-14 years olds at my institute who have already received the black belt."

Rupam Roy from the Academy of Martial Arts says Shaolin Kung Fu is also a favourite since it includes multiple forms including swords, sticks and floor gymnastics.

Another instructor, Madhumanti Sarkar of Spartan Fitness, young kids can be introduced to any form right from grappling and kickboxing to karate and mixed martial arts (MMA). “Kickboxing improves bone and joint health, and martial arts forms such as karate and MMA help in enhancing abdominal strength and core immunity,” she explains adding that there is a substantial increase in children as young as six years signing up for these martial art forms

1. Karate

The first on this list is karate. Being one of the most-practised forms today, it had initially begun as a form of ‘empty-handed’ self-defence in Okinawa, Japan. Incidentally, the word ‘karate’ also means ‘empty hands’.

The principle behind karate is interesting; it is believed that the focus should be mainly on self-control, spiritual development, discipline and patience. Karate training is all about balance and regulation, and it chiefly focuses on moves such as blocks, punches, strikes, evasions, and kicks. Of all the forms of karate, the Shotokan form is highly favoured when it comes to teaching children. Part of the reason for this is its simplicity and effectiveness. While learning to deliver the typical Shotokan techniques, one also learns to apply discipline, coordination, patience and balance. The other kinds of karate are Wado-ryu, Uechi-ryu and Goju-ryu.

2. Muay Thai

This martial art form is a kind of close-combat art which revolves around ‘weaponizing’ the whole body. Known popularly as "the art of the eight limbs" this form teaches you combat which involves eight points of contact in the human body. In this, the two hands are used as a sword, forearms and shin are used as the ‘armour’, the elbow becomes the hammer, and the elbows and knees become an axe. Muay Thai is also very easy to learn since it has a stand-up striking style which is relatively uncomplicated and thus doesn’t require a child to memorize a lot or follow too many techniques. Actually, Muay Thai is an effective combination of grappling and striking techniques, which gives a child the chance to experience the best of both worlds.

3. Tae Kwon Do

Much in the same manner as Karate, Tae Kwon Do makes patience and discipline its main focus. More than a martial art, it is considered a way of life by its practitioners. It focuses on the unity of the body and mind with life. In the Korean language, the words Tae Kwon Do translate to “way of the foot/fist". It strongly focuses on leg work, even more than karate does. This makes taekwondo the best choice for any child who wishes to improve leg strength and loves kicks. Along with the legs, students also get to learn blocks, punches, take-downs, joint locks, and strikes. One of the biggest plus points for Tae Kwon Do is that it is considered to be safe for children as young as three.

4. Grappling

Grappling, more commonly known as wrestling, is one of the oldest martial arts in the world. The advantage of this is that children of any size or height can learn this since it has techniques which suit every body type. Grappling is mainly a combat sport. Its techniques include clinch fighting, joint locks, throws, and pin-downs. This is also one of the most difficult forms of martial arts. This makes it ideal for kids since it will make your kids strong both physically and mentally, and will help in developing their core strength. Grappling also makes for an excellent cardio routine. Wrestling is also great for teaching your kids the sporting spirit, since grappling is essentially a competitive art. Most children can begin this around the time they are four or five years old.

5. Jiu-Jitsu

The Jiu-Jitsu, also known as ju-jitsu, is universally considered one of the most effective martial arts in the world since it teaches one how to tackle bigger and stronger opponents This is especially great for kids since, unlike other forms of martial arts, it does not place primacy on physical strength, which makes it ideal for people of any size and physical stamina.

Jiu-Jitsu involves techniques which focus on gaining leverage, distance control, positioning, and submissions. It teaches students how to use exactly the correct amount of force to bring the opponent under their spell and tackle them even in the most difficult situations. In jiu-jiitsu, kids can learn to dominate their opponents using their legs, and also improve their physical flexibility. Another reason this is ideal for kids is that the techniques are quite easy to master and remember.

Jiu-jitsu had originally begun in Japan where it was mainly practiced by Samurai warriors. Now, various forms of this art are in existence. Apart from the Japanese version, the Brazilian version is also quite well-known.