Twenty-five years after “The Karate Kid” first hit theaters, participating in martial arts
is an established part of American childhood. But it’s not just about breaking
boards in midair: martial arts keeps kids fit while imparting important life
skills. And in a city as varied as New York,
Karate isn’t the only option—kids
can take classes in Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi, Jiu Jitsu, Kung Fu, Judo and
Capoeira, too.
Whether kids start when they’re two or 12, the long-term benefits
of martial arts are wide-ranging. “It teaches children how to focus, how to
really work hard, really emphasize their short-term goals, and set long-term
goals,” says Paul Lim, owner of West Side Taekwondo. In other words, children
exposed to the sport develop a healthy sense of self-discipline.
Participating in
martial arts also helps develop coordination and balance, improving kinesthetic
awareness—the knowledge of where each part of the body is, and what motions
they perform for any given task. Each of these skills can translate into other
sports as well down the road.
But the biggest boon to kids who undertake martial arts
training? Self-confidence and self-esteem. “The great thing about martial arts
is that you’re not competing against someone else or some other team, it’s
about how much better you can become,” says Lim. With martial arts like Tae Kwon Do, for example, kids work their
way through the belt system on their own, focusing on their individual
accomplishments each step of the way.
Last, while it’s an individual sport, martial arts have a
lot to teach kids about getting along with others. Since children often enroll before they start school, it can be their
first experience learning in a group setting. Discipline and respect for
instructors and each other are at the core of every program; the common
practice of bowing both expresses and reinforces that respect. Exercises
in class emphasize the skills kids need to succeed at home and in the
classroom: patience, the ability to focus on a task, the ability to listen, the
maturity to accept when peers excel and the discipline to persevere.
So, how old do kids have to be to start their training? The
majority of programs start at three to five years old. “The younger they are,
the easier they are [to teach]. They’re
like sponges, there’s no fear—so they’re quick to absorb what [they’re
learning],” says Randy Dorleans, a martial arts instructor at Chelsea
Piers.
In fact, East Side Tae Kwon Do has a special class for kids
as young as 18 months old to participate in with a parent or caregive
r. According
to Mary Clare Bland, the owner/manager, the
classes are more tightly structured than classes for older children. Toddlers learn
to follow instructions, understand spatial relationships, jump and even stand
still in addition to gaining improved balance and hand-eye coordination.
As kids get older and progress in their martial arts
training, classes tend to focus more on physical endurance. “Martial arts is
very good for physical conditioning in terms of core strength, flexibility and
cardio-vascular workout,” says Lim. Self-defense also becomes more of a focus—knowing that they are capable of taking care
of themselves in dangerous situations will give them the confidence they need
to assert themselves when necessary.
Once you decide to enroll your child in a martial arts
program, it is important to find
the right instructor. “The number one thing is, ‘Do I have an instructor who
really cares about my child?’” says Mike Bailey, the youth sports director at
Asphalt Green. Observe how
instructors talk to their students and their individual teaching styles. Also, make sure that the martial arts
program takes place in a safe environment. Check that the studios have padded floors and the students wear
pads when sparring. Make sure that the
instructors stress the importance of safety, and have the appropriate
qualifications for teaching children. “Children function much better, and just
seem happier if they feel safe; I think
that’s the most important thing,” sums up Bland.
A ROUND-UP OF VENUES OFFERING MARTIAL ARTS CLASSES FOR KIDS
A1 Karate Kids
110 West 14th Street,
2nd Floor
212-807-7336
a1karatekids.com
AmeriKick Karate Studios
529 Fifth Avenue,
Brooklyn
718-768-8200
amerikick.com
Asphalt Green
555 East 90th Street
212-369-8890
asphaltgreen.org
Brooklyn Aikikai
408 Third Avenue,
Brooklyn
718-643-6044
brooklynaikikai.com
Brooklyn Dojo
93 Pineapple Walk
718-237-0568
brooklyndojo.com
Chelsea Piers
23rd Street
and the Hudson River
212-336-6666
chelseapiers.com
D-Dojo
500 8th Avenue,
12th Floor
212-537-6441
d-dojo.org
Discovery Programs
251 West 100th Street
212-749-8717
discoveryprograms.com
East Side
Tae Kwon Do
325
East 65th Street
212-755-5982
eastsidetaekwondo.com
Gymtime Rhythm &
Glues
1520
York Avenue
212-861-7732
gymtime.net
Gotham
Taekwon-Do
328
East 61st Street, 3rd Floor
212-326-9510
nyctkd.com
Harlem
Tae Kwon Do
236
116th Street, 2nd Floor
347-624-5546
harlemtkd.com
Honma Dojo
58
East 11th Street
212-505-3656
honmadojo.com
JCC
in Manhattan
334
Amsterdam Avenue
646-505-5700
jccmanhattan.org
Manhattan
Movement & Arts Center
248
West 60th
Street
212-787-1178
manhattanmovement.com
Modern Martial Arts NYC
Various locations in Manhattan
212-772-3700
manhattantkd.cmasdirect.com
New York Jiu Jitsu
666 Broadway, Lower Level
212-343-8310
nyjiujitsu.com
Premier Martial Arts
548 Union Street, Brooklyn
718-965-4222
premiermartialarts.com
Reebok Sports Club/NY and
The Sports Club/LA New York
Reebok: 160
Columbus Avenue, 212-362-6800
Sports Club: 330
East 61st Street, 212-355-5100
mpsportsclub.com,
thesportsclubla.com
Shaolin Kung Fu Training
Center
109
West 27th Street
212-242-7308
shaolinkungfuntrainingcenter.com
Six Harmony
Martial Arts Academy
232
7th Avenue, 2nd Floor
212-727-0714
sixharmony.com
Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed
Martial Arts
39
West 19th Street
212-727-0773 or
1-800-52-TIGER
tsk.com
Upper West Side
Kenshikai Karate
928
Columbus Avenue
212-222-1172
uwskenshikai.com
West Side
Taekwondo
700
Columbus Avenue
212-663-3998
westsidetkd.com
World
Martial Arts Center
Manhattan:
69 West 14th Street;
Brooklyn: 475 Atlantic Avenue
Manhattan:
212-941-8771; Brooklyn:
718-855-9898
happykicks.com
YMCA of Greater New
York
212-630-9600
ymcanyc.org
