My daughter started karate when she was 7 years old. Many
people asked, why karate? Why not dance or gymnastics? My response... well, why
not karate? There are so many reasons why children and adults can benefit from
martial arts.
In the first year my daughter started classes I saw her confidence
grow as well as her coordination and flexibility. I saw her grow into a leader
and set goals for herself. Let me tell you, there is something so great about
watching a 7 year old write down a list of goals. That alone, was enough to sell me.
Over the last 18 years, I’ve seen first-hand how much children can benefit from karate.
It encourages children to set goals, and have the perseverance to never quit
before they are achieved. It helps children focus and practice self-control. It
teaches children the importance of being honest, having integrity, and what it
means to be a leader. In addition, with each new belt they earn, kata they
master, or karate weapon they practice, you can see their confidence growing
too. These are skills I wanted my daughter to learn at a young age. Not to
mention, the value I placed on knowing she could defend herself if she ever
needed to.
As an adult, karate is helpful in the same ways. These
skills can serve as useful reminders in our daily lives. Perseverance to keep
working on that home improvement project or important presentation at work.
Self-control to know when to hold our tongue. Confidence in ourselves when we’re discouraged
or feeling inadequate. In addition, karate keeps us active; it helps keep your
memory sharp and your muscles flexible. Karate is beneficial in these ways and
so many more.
So, whenever I’m asked, why karate? My response is always
why not!
