2) Great Focus and Concentration is Achievable

In addition to teaching respect, our instructors teach kids breathing exercises, meditation, and techniques on resetting their focus. In school, kids can experience low confidence and low self-esteem when they’re struggling in class. If kids are having difficulty paying attention, sitting still, following directions, having high energy, or completing assignments, they may also struggle in getting good grades and making friends. With Martial Arts and kids with ADD/ADHD, kids learn how to calm down and focus on the task at hand. What our instructors are greatly skilled in is getting to know kids, which results in better connection and assistance with the kids. Most importantly, the instructors become an additional positive role model adult in the kids’ lives, and they are here to collaborate with the parents and teachers.

1) Everyone Should Be Treated with Respect

At Choe’s HapKiDo Martial Arts, our kids learn the value of respect, and how to show respect towards others. They also learn how it’s applied to every part of training. In class, learning respect starts with bowing to the instructors and martial arts peers. They also start getting into the habit of addressing everyone with an energetic “Yes, sir!” or a “Yes, ma’am!”. As instructors, we also sit down with the students and discuss why we should show respect to others and how to demonstrate respect in different ways. Examples of showing respect include holding the door for others, taking care of chores positively and without being asked, and being a good example in class helps their teacher. From hanging out in a positive learning environment, kids learn how to apply the lessons on respect outside of the dojo. From understanding respect, kids are able to treat everyone they meet with kindness.

3) They Are In Control of Their Actions

Martial Arts helps kids to develop motor skills, coordination, and emotional intelligence. What’s great about Choe’s HapKiDo Martial Arts, the more our students practice martial arts, the better they become aware of how their bodies move. In HapKiDo class, perfecting a kicking technique requires combining speed, coordination, balance, agility, and power, while taking in the distance of the target ahead. From all the awesome practice, tasks like standing, running, and walking up the stairs become easier to do because of the great exercise and focus training. Because our kids are consistently working with other kids, their social skills automatically improve. As a result of having fun socializing in a safe place, kids are able to naturally improve in areas like motivating others and managing emotions. Martial Arts is a great way to boost kids’ self-esteem, while improving their skills in teamwork and communication.