Among the many benefits of a martial art is the way it strengthens the mind. There is a certain discipline that develops quickly among students, a shift in their ability to pay attention.
Brain Exercise
From the very first day in class, students are challenged to think as much as they act. Learning new forms and movements takes concentration. One reason why martial arts is so effective is that it reinforces working memory. Anthony Meyer, MD, medical director of Aurora Psychiatric Hospital in Milwaukee, Wis., and a specialist in attention deficit and child/adolescent issues, compares working memory to that of an executive secretary, taking in all the sensory information, sorting through it and compiling a list of priorities for the "CEO," or frontal lobe of the brain. If the executive secretary isn't working properly, that list of priorities isn't correct or in some cases not delivered.
To enhance working memory, Dr. Meyer says, it's important to use repetition and multi-sensory stimulation - meaning one sees, then hears and then attempts the task at hand. Martial Arts fit that bill. Students are taught by example, explanation and repetition.
Provide a challenge
Martial arts teaches life skills like discipline, respect and concentration. A student can't move up in rank without showing those characteristics at an age-appropriate level. And as students advance, their level of precision and even the intricacy of their movements become more challenging.
Together these factors help children retrain their brains so that, whether in class or in the real world, they are able to act and react in a responsible manner. "It's exercising their ability to focus," Dr. Harrison says. "They tune out other things around them when they're in martial arts class, and that is transferable at school and at home because they've learned how not to be distracted so easily."
Sign up for lessons
Martial arts keep kids engaged physically and mentally. They have fun while in class, and take pride in knowing that they are learning something most kids don't know how to do.
Dr. Meyer explains that martial arts "enhance motivation, which is like turbo power that gives you interest to attend to something. The master is able to give one-on-one instruction or work in small groups, which helps motivate. It uses the whole body, a number of sensory modalities, and has to do with focus, centering and getting along with friends and family, as well."
Get into sports
Like swimming, skiing and track, martial arts is a solitary sport. Martial art classes remove the pressure to do well in front of the other kids or to score a winning play. Students concentrate on their own movements rather than what everyone else is doing. They never have to worry about disappointing their team mates. Instruction is focused on the individual and his or her journey toward attaining the next belt rank. And every class is wall-to-wall movement. There's nothing like an hours worth of running, jumping and blocking to get rid of any pent-up energy.
Praise more than criticize
In a sport like the martial arts, the emphasis is on learning the basic steps and techniques. Good martial art instructors use a "praise, correct, praise" approach in which the student is praised for what he or she did right, instructed on how to improve what was not quite right, and then praised for making the correction. Children also get rewards like stickers, trophies and belts.
"Martial arts require a certain amount of focus to participate. The process of them learning their forms and coordinating the movement of their hands and feet is helpful, and the kids get tangible rewards like stickers, trophies and their next belt," says Dr. Harrison.
Turn off the TV
When kids are in class, they're not in front of the television. They're moving, active and engaged.
"I have heard parents say that they have seen a change," says Dr. Harrison. "They see a difference in their children's behavior, and the teachers tell them that their children pay better attention in class."
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