Martial Arts for Academic Excellence

People often don’t know that martial arts are much more than just punches and kicks.

Being a martial artist is about constantly perfecting oneself, pushing the limits of accomplishment, both physical and mental, mastering one’s emotions, learning constantly, becoming a better person, cultivating positive feelings and attitudes towards others, and helping those around you.

Any martial arts practitioner knows that knowledge is power, not only in terms of actual techniques and practice methods, but also when it comes to academics.

General culture, education, and technical knowledge in a chosen field are all a part of becoming an accomplished individual, developing one’s credibility and making a valuable contribution to the community.

That is what martial arts are all about; becoming a better person, in order to have a positive influence on society.

So when it comes to kids and teens who practice in our school, academic excellence is of the utmost importance. We encourage youngsters to constantly excel in school by teaching them the value of education. Having good grades is also a prerequisite to reach higher levels in our school, such as the much coveted red belt (equivalent to the black belt in most other martial arts systems).

Here is more specifically how learning martial arts will help your child achieve better academic results in school:
Health and fitness
As the saying goes, kung fu’s philosophy is all about developing “a sound mind in a healthy body”. When the body is strong and in good health, the mind tends to work more efficiently, be sharper, and retain more information.

Focus and concentration
A big part of martial arts is developing the ability to focus one’s attention on a specific task, exercise, or moment. Practitioners gradually learn to concentrate for longer periods of time, while blocking out distractions to reach their desired goals. This ability most definitely transfers to academic studies. Spending the extra energy kids have also helps them buckle down for mental work afterwards.

Discipline and perseverance
Another important aspect of martial arts is discipline and perseverance. All students must learn to overcome laziness and organize their time to practice regularly. Forward planning and time management become very important in order to get everything done. And when the going gets tough, students learn to stick with it, to persevere in order to constantly improve, and achieve results.

Stress management
We all face stress in our lives. But by practicing martial arts, one learns specific techniques to handle stress, and channel it in a positive way. Breathing techniques, visualization and attitude are all part of preparing for exams, demonstrations, or practice fights. Mastering one’s emotions is very helpful to the realization of any worthwhile goal.

Confidence
Lastly, all the benefits of kung fu such as increased physical strength, fighting ability, self-control, discipline and concentration help build the student’s confidence in himself. Being more confident definitely helps someone believe he can achieve anything he puts his mind to, which martial artists often do.

So if you’re interested in helping your child reach his full potential in school, and in life, consider the value that martial arts can bring to his education. Martial arts are not about winning over your opponent; they are about knowing, improving and conquering yourself.

Looking forward to helping you and/or your child strive for better performance!

Patrick Fulop