It is well known how martial arts, specifically karate, can benefit today's youth. Karate promotes physical fitness, and also helps students learn to relax and calm their bodies, develop strong mind/body connections, and enhance mental calmness. Karate students also show increased self-esteem, attain goals, and develop an understanding of self.
The SBKA has a very strong Junior Section, but with Sensei having brought up 3 children in the club this is not surprising.
Juniors start at 8 years old.
Karate training has very great benefits on the physical and mental health for children. Some of the benefits of karate training are as follows:
The Junior section has a 6 month rolling programme of training. This programme includes Kata training, Merit Badge evenings, Bullying and Stranger Danger sessions, Team Games nights, Self Defence classes and Grading Training.
Through our training we help reinforce respect, courtesy and self-discipline. These are part of everyday lessons at SBKA.
We teach much more than just punching and kicking, We teach life skills.
The awarding of higher level belts gives the child a sense of achievement and accomplishment. We have a saying in the club "I can't do that YET" which is reinforced as they achieve each grade.
Benefits of training include:- Stranger awareness, Improved concentration, Higher Self Esteem, and improved school results.
We find that as the children train in this disciplined Martial Art, where Dojo Courtesy is very high on our priorities, their Self Confidence and Self Discipline rapidly improves.
The movements in Karate develop co-ordination and timing while increasing strength and flexibility. At the SBKA we strive to make our children's classes fun and exciting, while teaching respect and self discipline to our young students.
Our philosophy is to teach youngsters basic values, such as respect for themselves and others, through Karate training, goal setting, and goal achievement. Children gain self-confidence from learning different skills and from positive reinforcement from our Karate instructors.
Many parents worry that karate will make their children overly aggressive.
The foundation of Karate is its self-defense value. Students learn to respect the ability that they have, to know that the only appropriate place for Karate is at the Karate club, practicing at home, or in a self-defence situation.
Our students also develop a sense of respect for themselves and their own health, which will aid them in the future if they are confronted with peer pressure, gangs, or drugs.