Why Schools Should Teach Students Martial Arts

Throughout human history, the development of martial arts has asserted itself a solid position in this community, not only as an effective self defense tool, but also as a disciplined way of life. With approximately one out of every four students being bullied during the school year according to the National Centre for Educational Statistics, it is safe to say that martial arts should definitely earn a spot in school curriculums. 

First and foremost, the most apparent reason to why martial arts should be included in schools is because it teaches your child self defense. Admittedly, the rate of bullying has been consistent over the past few years and there seems to be no signs of reduction whatsoever, moreover, 10% of the reportedly bullied students suffered from violence since 2016. Therefore I strongly believe that the adoption of martial arts in school programs will guarantee children’s safety and consequently minimize the current bullying status. A standard martial arts practitioner should be able to execute strikes, counter attack as well as defend. These core fundamentals can help to eliminate a potential threat with ease. Some may argue that martial arts is dangerous, the fact is martial arts when taught properly can be safe and uplifting. It is no more dangerous than football or basketball. 

Secondly, self discipline, dignity and control can be conditioned into the students via martial arts. More often than not, people consider martial arts to be destructive and might make their children more aggressive, however that is quite the opposite. Martial arts make you more aware of your true capabilities and others as well. In doing so, it introduces different ways of resolving confrontation other than using fists. Another thing I would really emphasize on is humility which is something that has become disappointingly rare in this era. Martial arts is a demanding journey of spiritual and physical self improvement, practitioners build up skill sets on the foundation that is integrity. They learn to respect the teachers, training partners, spectators and even their opponents. As I previously stated, martial arts holds the ability to mould fear into courage, convert drawbacks to advantages, hence unraveling our hidden potential, thus elevating confidence dramatically. 

Lastly, the stimulation of concentration from sparring sessions certainly has a positive impact on your child’s academic performance. For instance, the University of Madrid conducted a three year study which included 2038 individuals ranging from ages 6 to 18. After months of martial arts training, the participants health along with the brain improved significantly. This study successfully demonstrated the enhancement of student’s ability through martial arts. During a sparring match, a martial artist has to evaluate numerous elements in order to come out on top. These aspects include creating dominant angles, looking for openings and habits, measuring distance and timing, just to name a few. Considering this much information for the brain to process, martial arts practitioners require extreme focus and coordination between the brain and the limbs. They have to empty their minds, be present at the moment. This is obviously beneficial for your child as it allows he/she to better perceive large information and forces them to concentrate. 

In conclusion, martial arts should be taught in schools, or at the very least, be introduced to students in the near future. If we continue to be ignorant and do not take this seriously, the state of abuse and bullying will cease to stop and have negative effects on the students.