Did you know that Judo originally comes from Japan? It is a modern martial art, from the end of the 19th century, which in Japanese means “path of flexibility”. This because In addition to being a sport designed to train the body, it also has a great impact on psychological and emotional development of those who practice it. Hence, it is an increasingly attractive option for parents who want their children to play a sport or learn some notions of self-defense. However, what many do not know is that this martial art can become an excellent exercise to train body and mind.
The physical benefits that judo brings to children
Judo is known for its benefits for psychomotor development in children. Your regular practice exercises muscles, increases muscle mass and strengthens joints while training coordination, balance, flexibility and strength. It’s also a good training to correct physical growth problems such as flat or valgus feet, scoliosis or kyphosis. However, what many parents do not know is that the physical benefits of judo go beyond psychomotricity since it also:
- Improves heart health. Did you know that practicing judo improves heart function in children? This is a good exercise to improve cardiac irrigation and stimulate ventricular function, while Increases blood circulation to the extremities and the brain. It also helps regulate blood pressure.
- Strengthens the respiratory system. Judo is an excellent exercise to improve children’s respiratory capacity. Your regular practice improves respiratory rate, while increasing the volume of pulmonary and alveolar ventilation. A simple way to improve brain oxygenation and reduce fatigue after physical exertion.
- It stimulates the digestive system. If the little ones at home have digestive problems regularly, practicing judo can help them improve their gastrointestinal function. This thanks to the practice of this sport helps regulate traffic and strengthens intestinal peristasis. In addition, it tones the pancreas and the liver.
- Strengthens the immune system. Another of the more unknown benefits of judo is its effect on the child’s immune system. Its regular practice increases the number and capacity of T lymphocytes, which help the body fight infections. In addition, it increases the number and activity of macrophages, as well as immunoglobulins.
- Activates the metabolism. The practice of sports, especially judo, helps to activate the metabolism in the body. An ideal exercise for prevent childhood overweight and diseases such as diabetes as it regulates the metabolism of sugars and lipids.
5 psychological reasons why children should practice judo
Judo is not only a sport to tone and strengthen the body, it also provides numerous benefits for the emotional and psychological development of children. In fact, did you know that it is one of the recommended sports for hyperactive children? This because practicing judo helps channel excess energy, while stimulating your attention. It’s also good training for improving physical fitness and social skills in kids with autism, a study conducted at the University of Central Florida revealed. However, these are not its only advantages for children’s psychological development.
1. Improves children’s self-confidence and self-esteem
The regular practice of judo can become a powerful resource to strengthen children’s self-confidence and self-esteem. This is because as they learn new techniques and develop their skills they build confidence in themselves and their abilities, allowing them to feel more secure. During this process, children also learn to identify and take advantage of their main strengths, while they focus on working on their weakest points, which teaches them to know and accept themselves as they are. In addition, the fact that each time they develop new skills they are “rewarded” with a new belt that symbolizes the level they are at helps them stay motivated while boosting their self-esteem.
2. Helps develop self-control
Judo is an ideal sport to develop self-control in children from an early age. As children learn new techniques, they are not only more aware of their body and emotions, but also learn to better control their movements and regulate their reactions to focus exclusively on what they are doing at the moment. This not only generates a great peace of mind but also teaches them to be more balanced and keep their impulses in check, aggressiveness and anger, hence it is also a beneficial sport for aggressive or hyperactive children.
3. Promotes concentration
Judo, like many other martial arts, requires great concentration. Children must pay close attention to the movements and techniques they perform, as well as to the position of their body and the environment around them. Hence it is a very effective exercise to train children’s concentration and help youngsters intentionally focus their attention on an activity. The best thing is that this improvement in concentration is not only limited to the practice of judo but also begins to be noticed in other areas, such as at school or in other extracurricular activities.
4. Strengthen discipline in children
Developing discipline is essential in children. Being disciplined will not only help them have a more organized life with well-structured habits, but it will also make it easier for them to reach their goals. For this reason, it is important to teach them to be disciplined from an early age and, in this sense, judo can help them. How? In judo, if children want to advance and level up, they must work hard and be faithful to a training routine that allows them to train the movements and techniques. In this way, they learn to be disciplined while reinforcing their perseverance.
5. Develop social skills
Judo classes are a perfect setting for children to socialize with other children their age and make new friends, which helps them to be more open in their social relationships. Also, since they have to train many of the techniques with their partners, they become familiar with physical contact with other people and learn to trust others, which will allow them to create stronger and lasting relationships in the future. In this way, judo becomes a good opportunity for them to refine their social skills and learn to interact with very different people.
