10 reasons Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is great for kids
There’s no doubt that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is
one of the most popular of the martial arts. It’s rapidly growing in popularity
across the world and we’ve seen the very same here at Can Do, so much so that
we recently opened our dedicated
BJJ studio here in Abingdon.
We have long been running adults and kids
classes, and love the effectiveness for this art in self-defence, but also the
element of fun it brings. It is a composite of Judo and Jiu Jitsu and teaches students
how to overcome a stronger opponent. And this is the first reason why Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu is great for kids…
1.
Teaches that you can
overcome obstacles
BJJ is suitable for kids of all shapes and
sizes, backgrounds and beliefs. This martial art uses leverage as it’s main
focus and so teaches a smaller, weaker individual that they can overcome a
stronger, larger or older opponent, by applying clever techniques to assert
dominance.
2.
Resilience and assertiveness
Speaking of asserting dominance, BJJ
encourages children to take the risk and go for it! And if their move doesn’t
pay off, they learn to get up and try again. They also learn to consider what
they could do differently next time and learn from the gaps in their skills.
3.
Encourages social
interaction
You can’t help but get close to other
people in a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class! It was developed as a grappling art,
heavily influenced by Judo and Jiu Jitsu, so children will be wrestling and
throwing one another on the mat. If your child is not a fan of team sports, BJJ
is great for being an individual sport that still requires some interaction
with others.
4.
Physical development
Clearly there are the expected benefits to
cardio fitness, core strength and mobility, but did you know that BJJ also aids
proprioception – the ability to sense movement and judge space in terms of
action and location? This is essential for muscle control and voluntary
movement.
5.
Promotes discipline and
respect
Martial arts teaches respectful
conduct as a way of life. There are many rituals within BJJ which must be
respected, including clean uniforms, the belt grading system, bowing and
sitting properly. With that there are personalised Dojo rules that must be
obeyed also; the removal of shoes, when to enter the Tatami (mat) and taking
turns.
6.
Teaches that persistence
pays off
Delayed gratification is one of the hardest
lessons to learn as a child, especially with their fast-paced world of instant
video entertainment and the myriad of participation rewards they receive as
they go through early school years. To achieve an award in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
you must continue your practice, put in the effort over time, and be prepared
to come back from failure.
7.
Complementary to other
sports
The physicality of BJJ is a great
complement to sports such as rugby with the grappling and wrestling element,
dance and ballet with leveraging and balance elements and netball or football
with the ability to move swiftly and change direction in a small space.
8.
Encourages problem
solving
We’ve heard BJJ described as a physical
game of chess – as you develop in the art you learn to think ahead and
anticipate your opponents moves. This encourages strategic and creative
thinking, activating a different part of the brain to academic studies.
9.
Anti-bullying and self
defence
Along with the respectful element of
martial arts teachings, BJJ teaches confidence, strength and resilience,
turning children who gain an elevated social position through teasing and
bullying into young people who recognise values in others. It also teaches that
a fight should be focused on the prevention and avoidance of injury, not to
inflict it.
10.
Indoor sport
And BJJ is practiced indoors, so it won’t
be rained off, get you muddy or risk sunburn and heatstroke!
Want to know more about our dedicated
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu studio, and whether your children will enjoy BJJ? Sign up
to a free kids, or family Jiu
Jitsu taster class and meet our coaches. Chris Fensom, Ben Richardson and
Jordan Squires look forward to meeting you too.