The benefits of enrolling your child in Taekwondo
Taekwondo is one of the oldest forms of martial arts, originating in Korea in the 1st century as a form of learning self-defense. Within the past few decades it has emerged as a sport with its official entry into the Olympics in 1988. Since then, popularity has soared with millions of people worldwide enrolling themselves or their children into Taekwondo programs. Some parents, however, may be hesitant to enrol their kids into a program due to unfamiliarity with how it works or the fear that their child will get hurt. Let us put to rest those fears by breaking down the guiding principles of Taekwondo and the short and long-term benefits it will provide your child.
1. Confidence & self control
When your child begins, they may find themselves in a class with students much more advanced than themselves and it can seem intimidating. One of the core tenets of Taekwondo, however, is self-control and they will quickly find that no matter how skilled the other student is, they will never be overpowered. In fact, it is common practice to pair black belts with white belts during sparring drills for the simple fact that black belts have mastered the art of self-control whereas lower belts are still slowly learning how to control their strength. Not only does training with higher belts boost confidence, it offers a way for your child to be able to challenge themselves while knowing their teammate will not hurt them.
Before long, your child will be in a situation where they are dealing with someone less experienced than themselves and will find that they now have the confidence to lead. As they climb up the ranks of the belt system, the students can act as guides for beginners which allows them to showcase the self-control and confidence they’ve learnt along the way.
2. Health & safety
Just like any sport, attending Taekwondo regularly builds up stamina and coordination. The added benefit of Taekwondo, as compared to other sports, is the self-defense aspect. In Taekwondo, we do not train students to attack but rather to defend when necessary, to always de-escalate and approach situations with respect to others. This can be seen in the practice of bowing to one’s partner before and after sparring as a show of respect and ties into our first point about self-control. If you feel your child is interested in martial arts due to a desire to physically fight with others, Taekwondo will be great to alter their mindset and focus that energy toward self-preservation.
3. Discipline & perseverance
Taekwondo may be challenging for your child in the beginning and some may become overwhelmed with the amount of things they need to learn. With a focus on breaking down each move and practicing consistently, your child will see a stark difference in a matter of weeks. This teaches them to persevere despite initial hesitations and to be disciplined in their training. As they go up the belt system, they will also need to learn the forms for each one, requiring patience and a lot of training. In a similar fashion to learning to dance or to play an instrument, your child will learn to be diligent in order to reach their goals.
Enrolling your child
Everyone starts somewhere and Taekwondo is a great place for beginners to train with intermediate students. It is a great opportunity for your child to build a community of friends who they can trust and work with. So if this speaks to you, we recommend opting for a free trial class to see if it’s a great fit!
This blog was written by Yeona Lee.