Developing positive psychological characteristics in children though martial arts
‘Confidence’ is often one of the main benefits listed in children’s martial arts ads alongside discipline and other such trigger words we think parents want to hear. While I don’t doubt many martial arts clubs do build confidence in their young participants, I am not sure how many coaches could tell you the strategies and …
8 ways to build children’s self-confidence through your martial arts classes Read More »
I know this article is looking at the question ‘Are games for martial arts classes a good idea?’ but you should know that I was going to name it ‘Here come the fun police: why are so many children’s martial arts instructors against games?’ Before we get started, I just want to reiterate a statement …
Every now and again I get a request from a martial arts instructor asking how to build engagement and fun in the classes they deliver as part of their kid’s martial arts programme. This one thing is obviously top of the list when it comes to increasing enjoyment and retention. I thought it would be …
25 tips to build engagement and fun in your kids martial arts classes Read More »
Have you ever had an anxious child attend your class and refuse to join in? You book a new starter in for a trial class on your young children’s martial arts programme. You email / text / message to remind the parent about the trial class and they tell you the child has been talking …
3 reasons anxious children may not join in your martial arts classes Read More »
Ryan and Deci’s Self Determination Theory has been the subject of study in sports contexts for decades. Centred around building intrinsic motivation, it’s surprising that it hasn’t been the focus of attention for martial arts clubs and organisations looking to grow their memberships. If we can understand the motivation of our members and create a …
The benefits of developing self-control Who would have thought that having the self-control to not eat one marshmallow in order to receive a second could have such a profound effect on someone’s life? The results of the marshmallow test turned out to predict much about the participant’s future lives. The more seconds they were able …
If you teach martial arts to young children, understanding the psychological stages of development is a must. Taking a ‘participant centred’ approach to our coaching translates as meeting our students where they are. Before we can do that we actually need to know ‘where they are’ cognitively, emotionally and socially. This article will look at …
Psychological Stages Of Development For Young Children Practicing Martial Arts Read More »
Henry Ford is reported to have said “Whether you think you can or you can’t you’re right”. This short quote highlights that your mindset can have a big impact on your actions. Your ability to learn and develop is dependent on you believing that with hard work, you can achieve. This is the difference between …
10 benefits of cultivating a Growth Mindset in your martial arts students Read More »
Most martial arts clubs promote character development in their martial arts training. Indeed, if you look at any social media post advertising taekwondo, karate or ju jitsu (or any other martial arts) classes, you would be forgiven for thinking that stepping on the mats and kicking and punching each other would automatically lead to overnight …
Character development through children’s martial arts Read More »
We all want the best for our young ninjas but how do gradings help us develop the children? Developing their skills, physical abilities and positive physiological characteristics are at the top of our list of goals. So how do we use gradings to build these traits? Should we be using the gradings to measure competency …
Gradings for young children in martial arts – are you comparing apples with oranges? Read More »
