by Tim Beyers

Created on: July 14, 2008   Last Updated: August 02, 2008

Taekwondo Is the Best Martial Art for Kids

All martial arts can be good for kids. So many of them suffer sedentary lives of television, video games, MySpace, Facebook, and cell phone thumb-hockey - or, as the kids call it, "texting" - that any activity that builds agility and muscle will do. But of all the arts martial, I favor Taekwondo for my children because it's good for both body and soul.

That's no small feat. The human spirit, fragile to begin with, can be especially frail in small children. Taekwondo adds strength via its five key tenets, which are: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit.

Respect, too, is essential to the art. Not just respect for teachers, elders, and parents but also for time, body, and mind. The child that regularly practices Taekwondo - the one that seeks to perfect even the smallest movements - is a child exposed early to a comprehensive philosophy for good living.

Nevertheless, we're talking about kids here and most kids aren't interested in serious stuff. They don't need to be: Parents pay the bills while the kids play more thumb hockey. But let's also be fair. A lesson in the Zen of guilt-free living just isn't as cool as PlayStation or Xbox. Bear this in mind when shopping for a studio for your child. The best of them engage kids via these three attributes:

FUN

Mastering Taekwondo demands a serious mind. But it'll be years before your child is ready to begin a black belt journey. Till then, remember: kids, like adults, learn more when they're enjoying themselves.

ATTITUDE

Does the teacher - often referred to as "Master," a title that reflects respect for the teacher's knowledge, experience, and achievements - emphasize physical training over philosophy? Top studios will always emphasize the art in martial arts.

POSITIVE ATMOSPHERE

Kids need to believe they can perform the extraordinary if they are to assume an "indomitable spirit." Only in a positive atmosphere - one that rewards both effort and achievement - can such a spirit blossom.

Today, Taekwondo is the national sport of South Korea. A sparring form of the art joined the roster of Olympic games in 2000. But it is Taekwondo's eternal principles - its tenets - that make it so rich an experience for my children. I strongly recommend it to yours, too.

Additional material:

The five tenets of Taekwondo:
http://www.tkdtutor.com/03School/Procedure s/Tenets.htm

The World Taekwondo Federation:
http://www.wtf.org/

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