Does your child have low self-esteem? Perhaps school is stressing them out? I bet it's quite heart-wrenching to see your little ones going through life this way...
Image for illustration purposes only.
We all know being a kid or teenager isn't easy. Suffering from low self-esteem as a result of bullying or other stresses, such as peer pressure is only too common. Most of us have been through it when we were kid ourselves, so if only there was a way to help kids build confidence and reduce stress...
In the case of bullying, BJJ can definitely help your child defend themselves against bullies. Check out this article for more information on why BJJ is uniquely suited as an anti-bullying martial art.
For building confidence, one of the ways that kids can improve is by training in BJJ. Not only does it build physical confidence, but their mental confidence will improve over time as well.
Physical Confidence
BJJ requires developing a sense of mobility and awareness on how to move your body in space in a controlled manner. BJJ also requires them to physically deal with other people to develop a sense of awareness of other people's movement and learning to read them.
Through this, BJJ assists kids in developing physical confidence in their own abilities to move, be aware of their own movements, and be aware of other people's movements as well.
It is quite common for most kids who train in BJJ to gain better coordination, mobility, and physical confidence. Most people can see that the kids who train in BJJ gradually become more athletic due to the sport. Being more athletic gives a sense of physical confidence to kids (and adults too!)
Mental Confidence
Less obvious but perhaps more important is the development of mental confidence through BJJ.
BJJ is really a physical problem solving game that requires a lot of mental calculations. Kids get to learn how to solve problems and overcome obstacles in a fun session that they will enjoy. Kids will learn that for every problem, there is a solution as their partners will give them problems to solve while rolling. (READ: 3 Reasons Why BJJ is Fun for Kids)
Also, there are of course setbacks as in any game and one of the most important things to learn is how to deal with setbacks. Everyone in BJJ will have setbacks as they come across some techniques they are unfamiliar with. Training BJJ helps in getting kids to understand that setbacks are not bad but are essential to our learning and development and so we must learn to face them with humility and to learn.
Through learning to have a problem solving attitude that can deal with setbacks, this can really assist with kids building mental confidence.
Stress Relief
One of the more well known benefits of training BJJ is the stress relief it provides!
We have had young members, especially those in their early teens who can testify that BJJ is one of the best ways for them to relieve stress. A lot of them have a lot of pent up stress due to the situation in the last few years, and there was no real way to relieve it. BJJ thankfully became a way for them to relieve the stress.
This is because doing physical exercise is known to releases endorphins AKA the happy hormone!
Furthermore, BJJ is also a really immersive sport where when rolling you can't really be thinking of anything else. It is great to get your mind off anything else for a few hours. For those who are familiar, BJJ really gets one into the Flow state of mind which is a great stress reliever. Adults can truly benefit from this as well.
There may be a lot going on with your child that you may not know about. As parents, let's allow our children the tools to express themselves through the "gentle art" for their physical and mental health.
AOS Studio offers BJJ classes for kids. Our instructors will be there to guide and help them to develop good habits through BJJ .
So, let your kids come try a class. After rolling, your kid may feel happier and less stressed!
Bring your kid for a FREE trial now! WhatsApp us for more info.
Here's a look of what BJJ kids look like: