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self-esteem Archives - Crawley Fitness

Jul 11
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Getting Kids into Martial Arts

By | Kids Martial Arts | No Comments

I’m a massive fan of martial arts.

I know I’m biased but I’ve experienced it and I’ve seen it – over and over again.

I’ve see kids (and adults) come out  of their shell, grow in confidence and watch people start to like themselves all courtesy of that feeling and sense of achievement you get from martial arts.

There’s something very different about martial arts when it comes to learning about discipline and respect.  Sometime that’s often lacking in modern team sports (I’m thinking football in particular) as parents roar from the sidelines, shout at the referee and the kids emulate their favourite players with diving and dissent.

Like I said – I’m biased – plus I wasn’t a great football player at school and “Yes” I know that not all parents or children are like that – Alan

Kids Muay Thai Private LessonYesterday I had a lesson with Kira who’s been coming on leaps and bounds during her time here and who promised to go light with me when we sparred during here private lesson yesterday.  There was no head contact – I needed to make sure I had a fighting chance of surviving 😉

One of the nicest things about getting kids into martial arts is that I have a chance to help and guide them.  And while I can never overwrite the lessons they learn from their parents I can be a positive role model for them.

Plus I’m proud to know that I’m helping the next generation of Muay Thai enthusiasts, fighters and – one day – instructors.  I’m helping to shape my future replacements and – fingers crossed – they’ll be better, stronger, nicer, more helpful and surpass me.

So Kira – well done, keep up the good work and YOU are the next generation of Muay Thai!

You can find out more about our Kids Martial Arts classes HERE

 

Jun 12
0

Beating Bullies…

By | bullying, Kids Martial Arts | No Comments

Beating the BulliesI’m 35 and bullying existed when I was a kid.

It still exists today and a trap adults and parents who saw bullying during our times at school is that we almost accept it like a phase you go through in life and will one day leave behind.

Unfortunately that doesn’t make life and school any more pleasant for our children.

They still have to face it, go through it, fear it and – in my humble opinion – suffer the negative consequences bullying can have on children that will carry through to their adult years.

So…

What do you do?

As a instructor at the gym, and teacher of martial arts – yep, the art of punching and kicking – the last thing I believe children should do is start fighting.

And I also don’t proclaim to have the solution to bullying – if it was that easy to solve it would have died out many years ago.

But what I do KNOW and have witnessed on multiple occasions is that CONFIDENCE and re-assurance that you’re an alright person is one of the best ways to tackling and beat bullying.

Kids who have confidence are harder prey to target.

Bullies like an easy target, someone who doesn’t stand up for themselves and someone who doesn’t have the confidence to say “Stop“, tell a teacher or just walk away.

And kids with confidence who believe in themselves and know that they are alright – by that I mean they like themselves, kids with confidence are kids who don’t hate themselves.

They’re kids who appreciate they were born perfect – that’s what I tell my daughter – because she was.

So sure, a bullied child might be upset but if they understand the bad things bullies say and do aren’t true and aren’t a true opinion of the bullied person – that’s a massive weapon in fighting back.  It means bullies just don’t and can’t have the same affect.

While there are lots of ways to build confidence and self-esteem – and yes, of course I’m biased but then I have seem so many kids benefit from this – is through martial arts.

I like martial arts for children because it’s about working as an individual and working as part of a team and I like martial arts for children because they build key physical characteristics — strength, co-ordination, agility, dexterity, balance and much, much more — and these physical characteristics make us feel good.

I like martial arts because (adults and) children feel like they can look after themselves.

And I like martial arts for kids because it’s exercise and we all feel better after exercise.

Even kids.

To find out more about our kids martial arts classes and how they can help your child’s confidence, self-esteem, discipline, focus and concentration click HERE for information on our classes.