Best Martial Arts For Kids

Parents are constantly looking for what’s the best martial arts for kids. They want to put their children in an environment where they will learn self-defense while growing into better people.

Here is our list of the best martial arts for kids. Detailing seven different martial arts that are considered the best martial arts for kids.

What Qualities Do the Best Martial Arts for Kids Possess?

When you’re looking for the best martial arts for kids, you need to look for specific qualities in them.

• Self-Defense Skills: Proven effective style that helps kids develop proper self-defense skills.
• Discipline: Instills discipline and respect in young students to help them become better people. 
• Health: Teaches the importance of staying fit and healthy.
• Confidence: Instilling confidence in them and showing they can do almost anything if they work at it.
• Improves Social Skills: Helps kids develop social skills and learn to work with others as they make friends.
• Qualified Instructors: For whichever martial art you choose, pick a school with a good instructor who is qualified to teach kids. A bad instructor can kill a kid’s love for the martial art, so be sure to choose your child’s martial arts academy wisely.

Boxing

Boxing has long been among the best martial arts for kids to learn. It has a long history of being effective in helping kids develop everything from self-defense skills and confidence. Here are some of the benefits of boxing and why it’s one of the best martial arts for kids.

Builds Basic Self-Defense Skills

Boxing has been one of the most popular choices to develop basic self-defense skills. In every kid’s life, they will get in a scuffle at one point and need to be ready to defend themselves.

By learning basic punching and defense techniques, your child will have the skills they need to know to defend themselves.

Improve Coordination

Coordination is an invaluable skill that you develop as a kid and something they generally learn through sports. Boxing helps teach kids about coordination through practicing footwork and movement.

Discipline & Self-Control 

You must learn the importance of discipline and self-control to get good at boxing. Two things that must be instilled in kids at a young age to become better people. If you find a good boxing coach, please do your kids a favor and enroll them in their classes.

Improves Physical Fitness 

Boxing does not only instill the importance of self-defense but also the importance of physical fitness. Through boxing training, your kids will improve their physical fitness, skills, and overall health.

Teamwork

Quite contrary to what many people perceive, the sweet science of boxing is a team sport. You may fight alone in the ring, but a team of coaches and teammates get you ready and are in your corner.

This type of support group offered in boxing is crucial for a child’s development. They will learn to work within a team to help each other reach their goals.

Karate

Karate has long been among the best martial arts for kids to learn. There are numerous skills that kids can learn from Karate training that will both improve their self-defense skills and overall development. Check out five of the biggest benefits of Karate and why it’s one of the best martial arts for kids.

Respect & Humility 

Karate emphasizes respect for others, which includes instructors, teammates, and opponents. When kids learn respect and humility, they realize there’s always more to learn and improve upon.

Learn Proven Effective Self-Defense 

Karate has one thing over boxing: the self-defense techniques are more diverse. You’re not only learning to punch but also kicking techniques. Making a kid better prepared to defend themselves. 

This fact is one of the biggest reasons millions have turned to Karate to learn self-defense skills. No doubt making it one of the best martial arts kids.

Character Development 

Karate’s influence on emphasis on principles like integrity, courage, and perseverance helps them build impeccable character. They instill morals and a sense of pride in themselves to be better.

Conflict Resolution 

The best aspect of Karate may be learning the skill of conflict resolution. It’s good for kids to know how to defend, but equally important is to learn to avoid conflicts. Knowing this skill can save their life one day.

Self-Control

A kid can learn how to control their emotions and make logical decisions through Karate. Understanding how to conduct themselves in class and how to receive information that will help them develop their skills.

Taekwondo

Like Karate, Taekwondo is another multi-faceted striking martial art that has been popular for helping teach kids important values. Here are some of the reasons why Taekwondo is one of the best martial arts for kids.

Learn Focus & Concentration 

Learning Taekwondo requires intense focus and concentration on learning the precise movements and techniques. Learning these skills won’t just improve a kid’s Taekwondo ability but also improve other areas of their life, like academics.

Develop Self-Defense Skills 

As with Karate, Taekwondo provides kids with a more dynamic set of self-defense skills. The punching and kick combos they learn will help prepare them to defend themselves when met with confrontation.

Respect & Humility 

The teachings of Taekwondo also help teach kids the value of respect and humility. Teaching them to treat others how they wish to be treated.

Stress Relief 

Like every other martial art and organized sport, Taekwondo can be used to relieve stress. If you have a kid with pent-up stress or aggression, they transfer it into a positive outlets through Taekwondo.

Sportsmanship and Camaraderie

Taekwondo classes foster a sense of teamwork and camaraderie. Your kid will have a support group of friends and instructors that will all help them succeed.

Judo

The grappling art of Judo is considered by many as one of the best martial arts for kids that exists. Offering practical self-defense while helping shape kids into better people. Here are some of the benefits of Judo and why it’s one of the best martial arts for kids.

Real-Life Self-Defense Skills

The problem with many martial arts is that they don’t provide practical self-defense skills. They don’t have an answer for when someone grabs them and tries to take them down.

This is exactly why the art of Judo was created. Your kids will learn how to get an aggressor to the mat to control and prevent the aggressor from hurting them. 

These effective self-defense principles are what makes Judo one of the best martial arts for kids.

Balance & Coordination 

Judokas have some of the best balance and coordination of any martial artist. Their ability to move around and control their opponents while keeping their balance is impressive. One that would do wonders for your kids.

Respect & Sportsmanship 

On the Judo mat and at competitions, there is a zero-tolerance policy for lack of respect. They will not tolerate anything but 100% respect and sportsmanship. Something vital for a kid to learn and help with their growth.

Build Self-Confidence 

The structure of Judo helps instill confidence into the students. Their self-confidence steadily grows as they work on their technique and advance in rank. This is why many parents have chosen to put their kids into Judo training.

Improves Health

You have to be in good shape to be at your best at Judo. When kids understand that getting better requires a commitment to training, they will jump right in and prioritize their health.

Wrestling

Easily one of the best martial arts for kids has been the tough sport of wrestling. It has shaped millions of kids into respectable adults who learned numerous invaluable skills through wrestling practice. 

Here are the benefits of wrestling and why it’s one of the best martial arts for kids.

Mental Toughness

Wrestling develops a mental toughness like no other martial art or sport. The physical challenges are demanding and can build resilience and toughness within kids.

Wrestlers are among the most mentally tough athletes in the world. Easily making it one of the best martial arts for kids.

Discipline 

A person must be incredibly disciplined to be good and succeed at wrestling. Through wrestling, kids will understand the discipline it takes to stick to their training routines and focus on their goals.

Time Management

Wrestling makes kids understand the importance of time management in order to reach their goals. This doesn’t just include wrestling training but also making time for studying their academics.

Stress Relief Better 

Just like with boxing, some wild kids are crazy outside of practice. But once it’s time for wrestling practice, they’re able to focus and relieve stress. Turning them into a completely different kid that’s focused and ready to perform.

Self-Defense Skills

Learning wrestling provides kids with one of the best self-defense skills that they could learn. Putting a person on the ground and controlling them is the best way to end a fight.

BJJ

In the modern era, BJJ has proven to be one of the best martial arts for kids. Here are some reasons why it’s one of the best martial arts for kids in the benefits below.

Better Form of Self-Defense

We now know that one of the best forms of self-defense is grappling, and BJJ is one of the best-grappling arts. Kids will learn to defend themselves on the ground and be less likely to get hurt.

This fact easily makes BJJ one of the best martial arts for kids.

Develop Problem-Solving Skills 

BJJ training helps students develop problem-solving skills. Every time you roll, there’s a new problem to solve. This is a great way for kids to learn how to solve problems while also having fun.

Develop Discipline 

BJJ training requires concentration and discipline in order to execute the techniques effectively. This training can help kids the discipline to not only be effective grapplers but also develop better focus.

Learn Humility & Resilience 

Being on a Jiu Jitsu mat will humble you like no other martial art. It will teach you always to have humility and develop the resilience to never to give up. These are incredibly important skills that a kid must know to develop into a good person.

Be Part of a Team

Jiu Jitsu schools are some of the tightest-knit groups that are like a family that supports each other. Having your kid practice BJJ will make them part of a great team.

Kickboxing/Muay Thai 

More kids are starting to take up Muay Thai and kickboxing training. Two of the best martial arts in the world with numerous benefits. Here are reasons why they’re the best martial arts for kids.

Anti Bullying Skills

Like with boxing, if someone knows your kid practices Muay Thai, that is an instant red flag for bullies. Having your kid learn Muay Thai or kickboxing will keep them safe and give them peace while they are at school.

This peace of mind and sense of safety makes them one of the best martial arts for kids.

Character Development

Muay Thai and kickboxing have a special way of developing the character of the students. Teaching them the importance of respect, humility, and positively influencing the lives of others.

Discipline 

Being good at Muay Thai takes a high level of discipline. Kids will learn to execute techniques with focus and precision and to do the best they can.

The Importance of Physical Fitness

Muay Thai has some of the hardest training of any martial art or combat sport. Your kid will understand the importance of hard work and improving their physical fitness if they want to be successful fighters. 

Self-Confidence

Like all martial arts, Muay Thai and kickboxing have a special way of instilling confidence in kids. They must develop confidence early, so they will do the best they can at whatever they try.

Which is the Best Martial Art for Kids?

The best martial art for kids will depend on what your kids like. They may like a striking or grappling style, and participating in any martial arts will benefit them. 

By practicing any of these martial arts, you will see your kids grow into happy and successful adults. Full of confidence and ready to defend themselves if anything were to happen.