1. Confidence through effective self-defense The importance of being able to defend themself is the greatest tool a young child can have to raise their confidence. Bullys will never go away but through training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu(BJJ), we can give children the skills and confidence they need to effectively protect themselves and others.
In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu the focus is not on "flashy" or unrealistic holds but on techniques that are applicable in real life scenarios. Through training BJJ, a child will learn how to effectively neutralize a much larger aggressor by taking them to the ground and effectively controlling them there - all while never throwing a kick or a punch. Striking is also an effective way to defend oneself, but it's more likely that one will injure themself and their opponent in the process which is not ideal. Enroll your child in BJJ and watch their confidence radiate in all aspects of their life. 2. They learn perseverance, discipline, and respect Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will quickly embed the values of perseverance, discipline, and respect in all those that actively practice the art. The more a child trains, the more these values will become instilled in them. They learn discipline and perseverance through training and consistently putting their best effort during class, especially on the days they are tired or having a rough go. Children also learn to persevere through being stuck in uncomfortable positions or having an off day in class where their training partners are getting the better of them. They learn to overcome these challenges and turn into resilient young adults. Children learn respect for their instructors much like their teachers at school and as a result they will better understand the process of education which leads to them becoming more adept in learning. Learning to respect authority figures(instructors, teachers, bosses, etc) is an important skill for children to have as they mature into young adults. 3. Building lifelong healthy habits With Obesity on the rise and becoming an epidemic in North America, getting children in the habit of exercising while they are young has never been more important. Training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will set good habits at a young age and significantly improve their body awareness, coordination, flexibility, strength, agility, and endurance. They will get in the best shape of their lives while learning life changing skills which will stay with them throughout their lives. Once the child sees the progress they are making, they will be more inclined to start making healthier food choices to further boost their progress. 4. Building social skills At DNA BJJ, we have kids and adults of all ages with diverse cultural backgrounds. The children will learn to socialize with other kids of different ages and ethnicities at a young age which will greatly help them develop their social skills. We have many outings at DNA; family days, summer camps, BBQ's where kids and adults of all ages are interacting together. Building good social skills will ensure that children will enjoy success in many aspects of their lives(career, relationship, making friends, etc). 5. Staying calm in stressful situations Losing your cool or temper in life never leads to anything fruitful, in fact we all know what happens when we lose our temper - we instantly regret our actions. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes will challenge children as they will get stuck in uncomfortable holds and positions especially when they are training with more experienced students. Through practice they quickly learn to become comfortable while being physically uncomfortable. There's nothing like the feeling of being comfortable and relaxed while a heavier opponent is on top of you while patiently waiting for the right moment to escape their hold. This effectively minimizes other challenges in life by comparison and will help children to stay calm during stressful circumstances. 6. Learning from mistakes Everyone that trains Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu makes technical errors when they are training(even the most experienced black belts) and BJJ is like human chess. As a result your opponent will often capitalize on your mistakes and use them to defeat you or put you in a vulnerable position. Through trial error and guidance from their instructors, children will learn from their mistakes and quickly improve their skills as a result. What Einstein said correlates directly to BJJ; the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result. If something is not working then adjustments need to be made. If you are located in Durham Region and are interested in enrolling your child (or yourself) in martial arts, come try a full week of free classes at DNA BJJ to see why we are right gym for your family. Your child's first class will be an intro to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lesson with one of our instructors (usually Coach Sarah) where they will learn how to fall safely, fundamental movements, and to help them get comfortable in a new environment. Does your child feel too intimidated to try a class? Check out our schedule and come watch one of our classes from our viewing area with your child to see what we are all about. We specialize in teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu but also have a Judo and Wrestling program to complement it. Contact us today to book your child's free intro to BJJ lesson and kickstart their 7 day trial, we are located in Whitby, close to HWY 401 and the Oshawa border. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu near me Whitby. DNA BJJ the family gym.