Should My Kid Do Judo? Everything You Need To Know

Is Judo good for kids? It’s tough to know which martial art is best for kids. There are many sporting options for young people these days, the choice can be so vast that it can be hard to decide which sport to choose.

In this article, we are going to look at the reasons why judo is a great choice for kids and the benefits that they will gain from taking part. If you are looking for all the information on judo for kids that will assist you in getting started with your child, then this is the place that you will find it.

What is judo?

Judo is a popular Japanese martial art which can be used for self-defence and discipline. There are varying levels within the sport and students of judo will rise up through the ranks from kyu to dan grades as they progress at the sport.

Judo has been around since the 1800s and was created by a man named Jigoro Kano. The term judo translates to English as ‘gentle way.’

What age should my kid start Judo?

It does not make a major difference as to what age your child should start Judo. In my opinion, the earlier the child starts the better as he/she will learn the basics quite easily and have more time to develop the skills even further.

The bulk of gyms will have a minimum age requirement also with some gyms take kids from as young as 5 years of age.

Why should my kid do judo?

One of the first reasons that anyone might begin taking part in any sport is for health and fitness reasons, and starting judo is no different. If you are looking for a way for your child to stay active and healthy then judo is a great way to do it.

Wherever you live in the world there is likely to be a centre or organisation which provides judo for kids.

Judo is also a great way for kids to learn control and self-discipline, these are essential life skills that they will carry with them even outside of the sport.

Giving a child some sort of extracurricular activity can be a real confidence boost. Judo is an ideal activity for the child to take part in and also is something that is just for them.

When you take them along to their judo classes, your focus will be totally on your child and what they are doing. This is a brilliant way to spend some quality time with your child, especially with the busy lives that most of us lead.

Judo offers many benefits and qualities that your child can apply to all areas of their life, not just in their practise. So when you sign your kid up to a judo class, you are benefiting them in many different ways.

What are the benefits of judo for my kid?

There are many benefits to doing judo, especially for those who start young. We will now look into some of these benefits that judo for kids can bring.

• Judo is not simply mindless fighting when it comes to the competing side of the sport, it teaches that sportsmanship is vital. It is compulsory to bow and shake hands with your opponent both before and after the fight, and this is a great way to instil respect into kids.

• When practising judo your child will be getting a full-body workout. Whilst in action, judo will encourage the use of all the major muscle groups and give a cardiovascular workout as well. It is vital that our kids are getting regular and quality exercise and judo is a really fun way of ensuring that this happens. It has been shown that judo lowers the chances of developing conditions such as heart disease and childhood obesity.

• The practise of judo not only targets your child’s physical health but also their mental and emotional health as well. They will learn principles such as self-respect, respect of others and learn to engage in trusting relationships with those that they are competing against and practising with. This will all play a part in ensuring that their emotional and mental health are well looked after.

• In relation to mental health, judo promotes a healthy encouragement of self-confidence. In this day and age, there are far too many cases of childhood depression and many of those cases can be attributed to a lack of self-confidence. Judo is an ideal way to create a modest confidence within your child giving them the tools to succeed later on in life.

• Judo aims to channel any negative energy into the sport and to do so in a controlled way. Aggression and violence are not something that is taught in judo and this will encourage your kid to use this in every area of their life. Judo students are taught not to respond in an aggressive manner and there can be serious consequences if students do use their techniques in the wrong way. This discipline will follow your child through their life making them a more controlled and passive human being.

• When practising judo, kids are also improving their balance and flexibility. These can both be useful things as your child gets older and will give them improved mobility as they age.

• If your child studies judo, they will be learning to focus and concentrate on a much higher level. This is, of course, brilliant for their judo practise but is also something which they can apply in other areas of their lives such as school exams. Kids who study judo will be better trained to focus on important tasks and find that they become much less distracted.

• Judo can be used as a form of self-defence (only when it is absolutely necessary) and therefore will arm your child with the knowledge that they need to keep themselves safe in the most controlled way possible. In a world where violence is becoming more and more frequent, it is important that our kids know how to take care of themselves and judo will give them the skills that they need in order to do this.

In summary

With the many benefits that judo can bring to a kids life, it is a wise choice to make to get them started on their judo journey as soon as possible. Judo will give your child the confidence and respect that they will need to thrive throughout their entire life. It will also give them the opportunity to have access to a good form of exercise that will keep their body serving them well into their adult years.

If there are any questions of which Martial Art is best for your kids then here is an article about Martial Arts for kids.