6 Scientific Reasons Why Martial Arts Turns Children Into Successful Adults
Although we may not know it, our childhood can greatly affect how we turn out later on in life.
Of course, it’s not completely guaranteed, but studies show that certain childhood experiences could certainly impact our adult lives later on.
Children who have grown up training martial arts in particular, are known to greatly benefit from the lessons they’ve learned on the mats.
Confidence, mental strength, discipline, hard work, integrity, courage, humility and focus are just some of the life-skills that children inherit from practicing martial arts. There’s no doubt that these values transfer well into adulthood, developing strong personalities destined for success.
Here are 6 scientific reasons why martial arts turns children into successful adults:
1) Children who practice martial arts are less likely to face hardships as an adult.
According to a study that tracked 7,771 British children when they were 7 to 50 years old found that people who were bullied as kids had worse relationships, increased depression, higher anxiety, lower educational attainment, and lower earnings.
Children who practice martial arts are less likely to be bullied because of the confidence and self-defense skills they learn in class.
2) Children who practice martial arts have better memory and emotional control as adults.
Martial arts not only encourages children to stand up for themselves when they are bullied, it also prepares them mentally and physically to use self-defense when they need it.
A Harvard study shows that a child who has been emotionally abused can stunt the development of the three areas of the hippocampus that control memory and the regulation of emotion.
3) Children who practice martial arts are less likely to suffer from depression later on in life.
The self-defense skills learned from martial arts could give children the confidence to protect themselves both mentally and physically when the time comes.
A King’s College London study reveals that adults are 2.27 times more likely to have recurrent episodes of depression if they’ve experienced harsh physical maltreatment as a child.
4) Children who practice martial arts will have healthy self-esteem for life.
Studies show that youth who practice martial arts have a higher level of self-regulation and an increased psychological well-being throughout their life.
Martial arts gives children the satisfaction of learning and achieving, giving them the confidence to face any problem that comes their way.
5) Children who practice martial arts are more likely to be goal-oriented adults.
In a study conducted by Ko, Kim, and Valaich, those who practiced martial arts seemed to be highly motivated by growth-related motivation as opposed to individuals who had never trained martial arts before. The goal-setting experiences that children who train martial arts are exposed to makes them more focused and organized, leading to more determination to accomplish their goals.
6) Children who practice martial arts develop social skills that may help determine their future.
Despite living in times where you often see people perenially glued to their smartphones, computers or personal devices, children who practice martial arts prefer to attend class and stay physically active.
Through martial arts, they not only learn how to improve themselves but also how to interact with and help their teammates. A study shows that children who were more “socially competent” were more likely to earn a college degree and a full-time job by age 25 than those with limited social skills.
There’s no doubt that martial arts is truly one of the best activities for kids, providing them the hope of a better, brighter future. Whatever your purpose may be, rest assured, your child will learn priceless lessons that will last him or her a lifetime.
