Brazilian jiu jitsu classes for kids are about so much more than just what you see in movies. We say it all the time, but it’s completely true. Brazilian jiu jitsu has a myriad of benefits to offer kids of all ages, but in today’s blog post we’re going to focus on just one particular benefit- leadership.
Kids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Classes Foster Discipline
Perhaps the most important skill needed to be a leader is discipline. Think of some of the greatest athletes of all time- their best advice is always “never give up”, “stay with it,” “don’t quit.” These aren’t just cheesy aphorisms.
Those athletes are the greatest not necessarily because they’re the most talented, but because they’ve learned discipline. They’ve learned that doing things they don’t want to do, like working out or eating salads instead of sweets, will give them the results that no one else can get. That discipline is what makes them the best.
So how do we teach our students discipline? Simple. When your child comes to their BJJ classes with Bushido Academy, they’re not just learning self defense moves. They’re also playing games and doing different activities that sneakily teach them life skills and build character, courtesy of our awesome instructors.
Even better, we use positive reinforcement to help those good habits stick and stay effective. For discipline, for example, we’ll positively reward them for sitting still and listening to their instructor. As you’ve probably seen in your own children, kids nowadays have shorter than usual attention spans and get bored easily … So we also use disguised repetition to keep students focused and excited all class.
We’ll play games where they have to repeat different moves a bunch of times, and over time this format helps them bulk up their discipline muscle to succeed to their fullest potential.
One of the coolest things about BJJ is that these habits that we teach them every class, actually stick. There comes a time when we stop disciplining them, and your child naturally disciplines themselves.
They absorb that self-discipline and strive for excellence, not giving up when things are tough, going the extra mile to reach their full potential, using positive self talk… It’s seriously amazing to see, and it’s how lasting leadership is fostered in our classes.
Better Grades for a Better Future
It’s not too hard to connect the dots between better discipline and better grades, right? Think of it this way- if your child is struggling to keep high grades, it could be because they’re just unable to focus. Things are distracting them in the classroom, they’re bored, they’d much rather be on their devices…
That discipline they learn in Brazilian jiu jitsu class is going to keep them in their seats and focused on class until it’s done, even when they would reeeeally rather be doing something else.
Once discipline is down pat, another tool we use in Brazilian jiu jitsu to help with better grades is focus. Just like with discipline, we’ll play different games that positively reward students when their attention is in the right place – on the instructor and on the task at hand.
Because we have rules in our studio, and those rules are reinforced by the environment (uniform, instructors, etc.), your child is more likely to listen up and respect those rules here in our studio. One of these rules is that they pay attention to their instructor or a peer when he or she is talking, just as a simple form of respect.
No phones or electronic devices are allowed during class – it’s only your child, their instructor, and their fellow students, all having fun as they learn these awesome skills. Once your child has learned that focus and released some of that desire for instant gratification, they’ll mentally link focus with positive emotions (I learned how to kick the paddle by focusing really hard! That was awesome!) and then apply it to all aspects of their life, including their grades.
That positive association will help them wield their attention in the proper direction- their homework. And then focusing on their homework means better homework scores, better test scores, and voila- better grades!
How Better Grades Makes Your Child a Leader
It’s also easy to see the connection between better grades and leadership. Even if your child improves their grades just a bit, it’s because of THEIR actions and initiatives. That’s the sign of a leader- self-leadership first. When your kid is making progress thanks to their own efforts, their teachers will start to notice.
They’ll receive more positive attention and praise, which will just motivate them even more to become their own leader and build on those success skills. The rest just comes naturally!
Whether they’re leading on a sports team, their school choir, student council, or in the community, your child’s discipline skills (and all the other skills they learn in BJJ, like respect, perseverance, and focus) will help them become the absolute best they can be. The confidence they feel from being awesome is just the cherry on top!
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Classes Help Kids with Their Mindset
So now that we understand how kids become leaders through discipline and focus, let’s talk about mindset. Mindset is essentially just the way that you talk to yourself, so it’s also known as self-talk. When you’re a child, everyone around you is influencing the way that you talk to yourself.
If you’re always hearing that you’re dumb, you’re going to believe that you’re dumb and then grow up telling yourself that you’re dumb. If you constantly hear that you have all the tools you need to be an outstanding leader, which is what we teach in our BJJ classes, you’re going to go ahead and be outstanding.
Our instructors are totally on the ball when it comes to mindset, and they make sure that each child knows exactly what they’re capable of- which is anything that they’re willing to work hard for!
A perseverant mindset is really what sets a good and great leader apart, and that’s what we teach in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. These moves and the way that you coordinate your body to do BJJ is NOT easy. Ask any student, new or old- moving your body in a new way and getting the moves down pat can be pretty tricky.
When a student isn’t getting something, it’s the difference in their mindset that will determine their outcome. The student who tells themselves that they’re dumb and can’t do it, won’t get it.
The student who tells themselves to keep going and never give up, will. And that’s what we teach in our Brazilian jiu jitsu classes. We make sure our students know that they’re capable of success on and off the mat, and this fosters true leadership in every one of them.
Help Your Child Be Their Best- Join Us!
Discipline, focus, perseverance, mindset- these are just a few of many, many benefits that kids Brazilian jiu jitsu classes provide. If you want your child to be the best version of themselves they can possibly be for years to come, join our Kingsport Brazilian jiu jitsu classes for kids risk-free and see for yourself what our Bushido Academy Child Greatness program can do! Your child will LOVE it!
