Recent studies show that programs that focus on personal achievement such as the martial arts are vastly more effective developmentally than team sports.

Did you know that the martial arts can increase your child’s concentration and memory capacity?

They can also increase your child’s physical agility, help them to learn history and geography, teach them safety, and most importantly give them the confidence to say NO to drugs, gangs, and any other negative influence that comes into their lives.

A good Martial Arts program not only teaches children a particular style, but also incorporates the importance of discipline, a concept that is lacking in our society. Children learn that in order to succeed they must use discipline in their body, mind, and spirit.

And they are especially taught that the word “can’t” does not exist. They learn that they are all champions, and they can achieve their goal if they just concentrate and tell themselves, “yes I can.”

Today they might use their discipline to stay in a five-minute horse stance, even though their legs hurt. Tomorrow they might be using that same discipline to say no to drugs, even though they want dearly to be part of a “click.”

An effective martial arts program should also teach children how to defend themselves from a stranger or a predator. This is extremely important because even though we live in a peaceful community, studies show that people that harm children do not wear a black cape or look like a mnsters, they look like the average “nice” person.

A stranger is simply someone they do not know and children must be aware of this and know exactly what to do if they find themselves in that situation.

Most importantly, students should learn how to resolve conflicts without violence, by instilling respect in themselves and others. Children need to learn how to deal with anger constructively instead of destructively.

This is extremely important since violence is infiltrating even our schools, where homicide is the THIRD leading cause of death amongst children. Everywhere they look, in movies, music, video games, and in their own peer pressure, children come to believe that violence is the only way to release anger or to resolve a conflict.

A good martial arts school will offer children a place where their intelligence and wisdom will outweigh the strength of their opponent.

The best part of a good martial arts program, from the children’s point of view, is just how much FUN the classes really are. High-energy classes can harness your child’s energy and focus it in a positive and productive manner.

I hope these tips will prove to be helpful in finding an effective martial arts school for your child and our future leaders, because all martial arts schools are not created equal.

Elena J. Anta is an instructor at Anta’s Fitness and Self Defense. Please call 305 599 3649 with any questions or comments.