It’s important that children get in the routine of an active lifestyle while they are young. It’s vital for a child’s development and lays the foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle. Starting with Xen-Do Little Champs from only four years of age, our Kids Kickboxing and Martial Arts programmes encourage fast progression in a positive and safe environment.

Here at Xen-Do, we encourage the champions code, a set of challenges that we have created for our children’s classes. These represent guidelines our children members aim to maintain week by week, to help live their life the Xen-Do way. These are designed to have a positive effect on children’s attitude inside and outside of the dojo.

Here are some reasons we think kids should become a part of our Xen-Do Team:

1. Health & Fitness
The most obvious reason children should do martial arts is to get active and moving. Many kids lack the enthusiasm for sports and need a bit of excitement to get committed to an active lifestyle. At Xen-Do, martial arts is a way of life and we work with the kids to create the enthusiasm and dedication to make their training last a lifetime. Not only will they learn how to defend themselves and meet other inspiring champions, but they also are keeping fit and healthy, while having an amazing time.

2. Self Defence
It is very important to start learning preventative techniques at a young age. Our Little and Junior Champions programmes were created to keep our students safe and we teach them that violence is the last resort. Each lesson is filled with teachings to help children understand stranger awareness, preventative techniques and tactics to safely get out of a dangerous situation.

3. Teamwork
Each class is filled with teamwork exercises to get the children interacting and engaging with each other. With the Senseis assistance, the champions work together to play games, learn new techniques, get fit, and have fun! The experience that children share with one another creates a sense of unity between them.

4. Confidence
Some children that enter a martial arts club start on day one with a low level of self-confidence. That quickly changes as they adapt to their new environment and learn how to be a champion in and outside of the dojo. The ability to adopt technical skills and self-defence techniques provides children with the confidence that enables them to feel more comfortable when being challenged by everyday obstacles. Xen-Do nurtures self-development in a controlled environment, teaching life skills which help identify and deal with potentially dangerous situations such as; how to deal with bullying, avoid confrontation and seek help when appropriate – becoming ‘street smart’ and confident.

5. Self Discipline
Martial arts is enforced to instil discipline through its demand for both physical and mental ability. Without the discipline, kids will fall at the first hurdle. By consciously being engaged and listening to their Sensei, martial arts forces children to take this discipline from inside the dojo into everyday life. Their personal progress is managed with homework sheets while they are home, so the Sensei can have a sense of their success and struggles on and off of the dojo. Linking the two makes for the reward of new belts and Xen-Do success stickers all the better!

Check out our Kids Zone for more information on our children’s classes.

Ouss!