Judo for children: Why? Glad you asked.

UNESCO has officially endorsed Judo as the very best starter activity/sport for children over the age of four. UNESCO is an abbreviation for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. An here at Gym-O, we could not agree more.

While there are an entire constellation of reasons for children to train the sport of Judo, including scientific benefits such as improved balance, propio ception and motor coordination, that is only the beginning. There are equally as many pro social elements too but in this brief article, we will touch on some more tangible and easily observable benefits that Judo yields.

Judo is an ideal form of Self Defense that addresses all ranges of real world combat. Judo is easily and ethically and safely practiced and is actually the precursor of the brilliant Martial Art Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It can easily argued that Judo is even more “compete” as Throws and Takedowns are strongly emphasized but so too are Pinning and Submission Hold techniques.

Judo is an Olympic sport that offers many opportunities to compete. The USA Olympics Training Center is actually in Charlotte and plays host to some of the best Adult Judo players in the country. However, while competition is not required, it may very well be encouraged.

The curriculum that Judo offers is extremely organized and cohesive. It is extremely well developed, proven and organized in a logical Belting system. It is an excellent way to keep children engaged, motivated and even inspired.

Unlike team sports, which have their own benefits, Judo emphasizes not simply exercise value but also puts a premium on individual achievement and discipline. The net effect of training tends to produce attributes such as personal accountability, bravery, discipline and resilience to list a few. And while human behavior can be difficult to understand, we do know that an uptick in these personality traits tends to produce self reliance and confidence. Incredible stuff.

Ultimately, Judo is a robust and physical endeavor and while there is great value in that alone, the emphasis is on control over force. That trait is developed from the inside out. An obvious and rational question for any parent contemplating allowing their child to train Martial Arts is rightly rooted in the fear that it could be teaching and even rewarding aggression. Nobody wants that and we have found that Judo well taught actually does quite the opposite and teaches an abiding respect not simply for others but for true strength.

Want to find out more, please contact Jeff at jeffjimmo@icloud.com and make an appointment to come and check us out.