How Jiu-Jitsu Helps Kids In School

Jiu-Jitsu is one of the greatest gifts a parent can give to a child.

Not only does the child learn valuable self-defense skills, respect, become more disciplined and develop a strong self of confidence, but it also helps kids in the school / social life as well.

Here are 3 ways Jiu-Jitsu can help your son or daughter not only improve themselves on the mats, but also how Jiu Jitsu can make them better students.

1.) Jiu Jitsu teaches students to learn.  Jiu Jitsu classes are like school lessons.  There are topics, concepts and techniques to learn those concepts.  No one gets the jiu jitsu move right away, nor do students understand the underlying concept right away.  Students need to continually practice to understand.  They need to fail multiple times, yet keep trying until they get it.  This is a sometimes challenging for new students.  But the process of Jiu Jitsu helps students make small incremental improvements that over time give them the confidence and ability to perform.

2.) Jiu Jitsu prevents bullying.  This is a big one, and so important for our children.  Jiu Jitsu classes are built around working and training with other students.  Students most work together to learn the moves.  There is no bullying in class, it’s not allowed.  In fact, the concept is that every student needs to help every other student get better.  This carries over into their normal lives.  For weaker students, having a safe environment allows them to learn jiu jitsu, make friends and be a part of something bigger.  For more aggressive students, this process allows them to see how helping others is important.

During their regular school, we notice that after Jiu Jitsu many students cite that if they were bullied, it stops happening.  It’s not because the child had to “fight” anyone.  It’s because they start develop a self of confidence that is perceived by other students.  We also see that students become protectors.  Because Jiu Jitsu teaches the students to help each other and work together, they are more likely to help the weaker and potential bullied students.

 3.) Respect, Respect, Respect.  Jiu Jitsu is a marital art… duh.  But in martial arts there is this deep sense of respect for fellow students and your instructors.  Maybe because Jiu Jitsu is physical, or maybe because they are learning serious self defense skills, or maybe it’s something that just can’t be described that gives students a strong respect for others.  You see it happen almost immediately with both young and adult students.

This sense of respect carries over at home and in their regular education.  As time goes on, the respect they have deepens and they become strongly respected themselves.

We maybe a bit biased 🙂 – but we know that Jiu-Jitsu is one of the absolute best things a parent could ever give to a child.  But let me warn you.  All of these benefits don’t happen over night.  We just can’t give your kid “respect” the first night, week or month.  It takes time.  Our suggestion is to start off with a week trial.

During this trial, what you are looking for is to see if your child “likes it”.  Are they having fun?  Are they engaged?  If so, give them 3-6 months, and see how they progress – we guarantee that you will be impressed with their progress.