Why Is It Important for Children To Be Physically Active?

Children are naturally rambunctious, but today’s technology can steer them toward a sedentary lifestyle. Physical movement, like the martial arts, keep the bodies and minds of youth active and engaged. Following are the reasons physical activity should be scheduled into children’s daily routines.

Incorporating exercise from an early age into children’s regular schedules sets them up for a lifetime of dedication to the preservation of physical health and well-being. It’s important to choose an activity that they enjoy and can make steady progress in, such as karate, Taekwondo or Kung Fu.

Why is physical activity important for children?

1. Forms Healthy Habits

Children who start exercising at a young age, such as by taking kindergarten karate classes, learn the importance of keeping fit. As a result, children are more likely to continue maintaining an exercise routine well into adulthood and possibly their entire lives.

2. Maintains a Healthy Weight

Throwing punches and kicking in martial arts classes burns calories, thereby reducing children’s risk for obesity. Being physically active controls body weight. Plus, children who engage in regular exercise have a healthier body image and feel greater confidence in themselves.

3. Develops Muscle and Bone Strength

Children’s bones are still in the process of growing. Exercising in weekly martial arts classes strengthens their bones and muscles. Strong bones are essential later in life as they help prevent fractures and osteoporosis. Strong muscles promote good posture, balance, agility and coordination.

4. Improves Mental Health

Children’s mental health improves when they participate in an exercise program. Physical activity is shown to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety in youth. The endorphins released by exercise are a natural mood booster. Children’s self-esteem improves and they experience a better outlook on life.  Advancing in martial arts rank belts and skills offer the added bonus of results from time invested in class: Motivation comes from Results!

5. Develops Social Skills

Martial arts classes and other activities held in group settings allow children to practice their social skills. Students learn how to work together and communicate effectively. As a result, they develop positive relationships. Working as a team enhances leadership skills in children, too.

6. Wards Off Diseases

Exercise promotes overall physical health and prevents or delays the onset of chronic conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Children who engage in regular physical activity reap the rewards, which include better physical health now and later in life.

7. Encourages Less Sitting

An unhealthy sedentary lifestyle is the consequence of excessive screen time in today’s youth. The solution is to participate in a sport, such as martial arts, tennis, or hockey. Reading, doing homework, and screen time should be balanced with plenty of daily physical activity.

8. Better Concentration Skills

Exercise has positive effects on brain health, improving children’s concentration in school. Performing any type of intense physical activity for at least 20 minutes promotes blood flow to the brain. Cell growth in the hippocampus occurs as neurons fire up. As a result, concentration significantly improves. The structure and discipline of our classes at Master S.H. Yu Martial Arts promotes purpose and achievement.

9. Enhances Well-Being

Besides the abovementioned physical benefits of regular physical activity, it also delivers noteworthy emotional benefits. Children who take martial arts classes, for instance, feel like they belong. The students work as a group to learn techniques, spar and, in short, excel in the discipline.

10. Improves Sleep

Children need to be well-rested to perform at their best the next school day. Participating in physical activities improves sleep by regulating body temperature. Thirty to 90 minutes after exercise, children are able to fall asleep easier and experience better sleep quality.

11. Enhances Academic Performance

Youth who engage in regular physical activity attend school more consistently and perform better in academic subjects. Being physically fit benefits not only the body but the mind. Higher physical fitness levels are associated with higher cognitive functions—memory and concentration—in students.

How much physical activity do children need?

Toddlers aged 1 to 3 should have an opportunity for energetic play for at least three hours daily. Three hours of physical activity are recommended for children aged 3 to 5. Several local martial arts programs and other sports cater to children as young as kindergarten.

Youth aged 5 to 18 should engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least one hour daily as well as light physical activity for several hours each day. Additionally, they should perform bone and muscle strengthening exercises at least three days per week.

Choosing the right exercise program is equally important. Martial arts are an ideal physical activity because they promote the health of the body, mind, and spirit. Instructors set a positive example for students, helping them achieve their performance goals and live a healthy life.

When you are seeking a quality martial arts program that prioritizes the development of students of all ages, look no further than Master S.H. Yu Martial Arts. We offer a Kids Karate class as well as a KinderKarate: Preschool Karate Class. Teen Martial Arts classes are also available.

Sr Grandmaster Yu is a world-class, internationally recognized 9th Dan GrandMaster Teacher who helps young students realize their potential through martial arts lessons. With training, children learn self-discipline and have fun. Students are given an opportunity to develop not only physically but mentally and gain skills to benefit them throughout life.

Master S.H. Yu Martial Arts instructors offer encouragement to young students during every class, helping them perfect their techniques while also bringing out the best in them. As exemplary role models, our teachers instill a desire for lifelong learning in children.

Kids’ Karate classes are held in the evenings during the week and in the mornings on weekends to accommodate the busy schedules of parents. Our facility floor is double matted to ensure maximum protection against impact as well as to maintain safety and hygiene.

Choose Master S.H. Yu Martial Arts for our commitment to children’s growth in the martial arts. Martial arts classes are available to students living in Oak Park, Illinois, and the surrounding communities. Visit our school and see firsthand how children stay physically active and thrive learning the martial arts.

Give us a call at (708) 383-3456 or pre-register online to get started on your martial arts journey.