As the owner and operator of a martial arts school for kids and adults, One of the questions I often get is “How long will it take before I see a noticeable change in my child’s confidence?”. That is a real question and definitely a concern for a parent whose child may be getting bullied in school or is just having a hard time socializing with other kids.
Inner Power Martial Arts opened its doors in Howell, New Jersey in the Summer of 2005. Since then we have had the pleasure of working with hundreds of kids from Monmouth and Ocean Counties. A lot of parents look to martial arts classes to help their kids build confidence and self-esteem.
Several years ago, I began tracking our results so that I could definitively answer that questions that so many parents had asked. I wanted to know more than simply how long it takes younger students to progress in their belts and learn the actual curriculum, like kicking and punching or a self defense move. I was interested to find out how long it would take before we could see noticeable changes in their confidence and ability to focus.
Based on these observations, over the years, we were even able to change our curriculum in a way that would help students to get faster results and give kids a huge boost in confidence as quickly as possible.
When Do Young Martial Arts Students Experience Improvement?
Karate classes for kids can offer a lot over the course of a few years while they work to earn a black belt. We actually found that there is a noticeable improvement in a kid’s confidence level in just 3 to 4 months of classes two times a week. We have even noticed that kids who have trouble focusing can see improvement in just about the same amount of time.
Obviously, the longer someone trains in the martial arts, the greater growth the will experience over time. However, it’s good to know what to expect, especially if your young one is having trouble with confidence.
How is martial arts different from other sports when building kid’s confidence?
While there are many beneficial sports and activities that kids can get involved in, Martial Arts is different because it requires more than just the focus on the physical skills needed. There’s a focus on the mental and self growth that can’t be found in any other activity.
Earlier this Summer of 2022, we had a family from Howell come in for a free trial lesson with their six year old son. Their son was having issues with talking and being confident in front of others at school and out in public. In fact, when he first came in, he could barely look me in the eye, and he was afraid to say hello.
I knew right away that our kid’s Level up program ( Beginners class) here at Inner-Power Martial Arts was exactly what he needed. His first class went really well. He was able to physically do the karate kicks that I showed him as he was practicing with me holding a pad.
Real Progress and Results From Real Students
Next I said “Good, let’s do one more…make it your BEST one!! Focus on me and give a loud HI-YA when you kick the pad”… That was the beginning of Max’s journey in Hapkido and we got him to look me in the eye and be vocal in public on his first lesson.
At the time of writing this blog, Max has been with us for six months and you wouldn’t think he was the same shy kid who walked in here hiding behind his Dad.
Shortly after Max joined and was seeing great results with his self esteem… his parents enrolled their older daughter into the program. She’s a middle schooler, a bit quiet, but more importantly she was being bullied by a group of mean girls on the bus and in school.
We started working with Mikayla and within a few weeks her father let me know that she had the courage to stand up for herself recently when one of the girls tried to bully her.. which is HUGE! These two kids are just a few examples of how martial arts can help children grow and develop skills to help them in the life.
It Doesn’t Take Long To See Improvement
Many parents may wonder how long it will take before they start to see a noticeable difference in their child’s confidence.
Your child’s age, physical fitness level, and prior experience with martial arts can all be factors that contribute to the timing of noticeable results. We have consistently seen, within just a few months, children begin to experience a significant difference in their confidence after starting Hapkido training.
Remember that the process of building confidence is ongoing, and it’s not something that can be achieved overnight. The key is consistency and regular training. The best part is that Hapkido training will not only help children to improve their physical capabilities, but it also helps to build the mental toughness, self-discipline, and concentration, which are so important to building confidence.
The sense of accomplishment after mastering a new technique, the feeling of being in control during sparring, or the feeling of being part of a group of people who share similar goals and interests, all can contribute to the increase in a child’s confidence. With regular training, children can gradually gain a sense of self-awareness and self-esteem, which can help them to be more assertive and self-assured in various situations.
Hapkido training is a great way to help children build confidence and develop important life skills. While the time frame will vary from child to child, with regular training and a positive attitude, you’ll start to see a noticeable difference in your child’s confidence sooner than you might have thought.