“What’s Your Greatest Challenge in the Kids Judo or Kids Karate Program?” JMAC teen, Matthew, Responds:

“In judo” he says, “we do randori, which is applying principles that we learned.” He continues, “It’s kind of hard not to be tense all the time. You try to be unpredictable so you can get people off balance, but I have to work on practicing more types of throws. Right now, I have two or three that I usually do, so they know what to expect.” He adds, “I mean, how do you think about being relaxed? Because, when you think about being relaxed, you try to be relaxed and you get tense,” he smiles and adds, “it’s really weird.”

Read more of Matthew’s story.

Surprise Benefits of Kids Martial Arts in Ann Arbor

Improved Attention: in other sports, kids experience negative consequences for losing focus, like missing a ground ball at third base. In martial arts, focus is expected but also consistently rewarded. And when minds wander, instructors reset with a ready stance and kids don't experience the pressure of letting down the team.

Family Bonding: while you wouldn't take a class together until your kids are older, participating in martial arts can be a family experience. You might have back-to-back lessons so you can watch each other practice and work on moves at home. Or siblings might enjoy taking a class together and even learn to get along better at home through lessons of respect in the dojo!

Confidence Boost: martial arts improve kids' confidence with self-defense skills. Whether or not your little one experiences bullies, they are likely to feel less intimidated in situations when they develop solid self-defense moves. Kids also build confidence by setting and achieving concrete goals such as mastering a skill, learning a new move, or moving up a level in their art.

Fun: underlying all these benefits is the foundation of a fun and accepting atmosphere. When you give kids experiences and lessons in a fun way, they are more likely to learn and retain skills and stick with an activity long-term. While martial arts can be very structured and formal, instructors motivate kids through joy and encouragement, too!

Read more about the surprising benefits of kids martial arts here!

The Search: JMAC Student Amy on Finding Iaido and Choosing a Dojo

“I wanted to find something that would work on my lower body strength and balance, because as we age these become real big issues. I thought iaido would be something that would help me with that. My aikido instructor, who also taught iaido, was no longer teaching, so I looked at a couple dojos that were close to where I live but none of them appealed to me. My search was expanded to Ann Arbor, where I spoke with Suino Sensei and automatically noted that JMAC was far superior to the other places I had visited. It was like night and day. I took my intro lessons, wobbling all over the place”, and she added, smiling, “and Sensei said ‘I think we can help you’. I felt it was worth it to drive all the way to Ann Arbor.” Read more.

4 Surprising Benefits of Enrolling Kids in Martial Arts

Why should you choose kids martial arts in Ann Arbor over other activities for your children?

Want to learn more about the benefits of kids martial arts?

In the Ann Arbor area and searching for an enriching experience for your kid?

As a parent of school age children, your time is limited and precious. So it makes sense that when you're looking for an after-school activity for your kid, you want to get the most out of your time. On the list of activities that have a lot to offer your kid, martial arts should be at the top. Sure, there's the obvious appeal of physical fitness and self-defense, but you might be surprised by some of the other benefits your kid will experience when they participate in martial arts, like improved focus and ability to learn. Whether your child enrolls in kids judo or kids karate — or our "Little Dragons" class for 4-6 year olds, you'll notice a number of surprise benefits that come from their participation.

Read more here!