With the advent of the karate kid and teenage mutant ninja turtles, children have become more interested and curious about martial arts. The flying kicks and other mighty moves have sparked the interest of the kids to also get into the action. But are martial arts really beneficial to a child’s holistic growth?

Compared to other activities that get the attention of the kids, martial arts training is way ahead in terms of physical, mental social and emotional contribution. The fact that it is all about self defense, which does not involve violence; martial arts can contribute to the practice of self discipline at an early age. The good thing about learning the martial arts is that it covers the physical, mental as well as the emotional aspects of life. It then paves way for the early learning of the valuable lessons in life that will create a healthy foundation towards living a fulfilled adult life.

Here are some of the benefits that martial arts training has in store for kids:

• It helps in building of self-confidence as well as self-esteem.
• It enhances a child’s natural abilities in sports.
• It teaches children to become more responsible for their own choices.
• The child is able to develop a healthy social interaction with other children.
• It can aid in promoting a child’s physical fitness.

As early as four years old, a child can get involved in martial arts training. It is a good way to develop their fine motor skills and let them gain positive traits along the way.

There are plenty of martial arts training. They differ in terms of values application. Depending on the child’s need, parents have the freedom to choose what suits best for their children. As a responsible adult, you should also see to it that the child is ready to engage in martial arts. Or else, he/she will lack the interest of participating in the training.

Karate and Taekwondo are both very popular sports, not only here in the Philippines but also all over Asia. Karate and Taekwondo are admired for their focus on the mind and body, and their emphasis self discipline, which reflects to the quality and attitude of a person as a whole.Having dwelled in their similarities, let us now briefly discuss each sport’s contrast and categorized them accordingly.

First up, we have Karate. Also known as Karate do, it is a martial art developed from fighting methods found in the Ryukyu Islands, in combination with Chinese kempo and classical Japanese martial arts. According to legend, the evolution of karate began over two thousand years ago, in the 5th century BC, when Bodhidharma (an Indian Buddhist monk) arrived in Shaolin-si (a small forest temple). From there Karate appeared in Okinawa, a Japanese Island. The meaning of the word karate is “empty hands.” It refers to the reality that Karate originated as a method of self-defense which relied on the successful use of the defenseless body. Karate is primarily a striking art, with punching, kicking, knee/elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques.

Next, we have Taekwondo (pronounced as Taekwon-Do, Tae Kwon-Do, Tae Kwon Do). It is a form of a Korean martial art and a combat sport. It started in Korea, just about 2000 years ago, during the period of 37 BC – 668 AD; born out of the three warring Kingdoms of Goguryeo, Silla and Baekje. Over the years, it has evolved and become methodical. “Tae” in Teakwondo means to destroy with the feet; “kwon” means to strike or smash with the hand; and “do” means “path” or “way”. Taekwondo then is translated as “the way of the foot and fist”. The main feature of Taekwondo is effective kicking.

Well, there you have it. Having gained familiarization with both forms of martial art, it’s up to you to decide which one between Karate and Taekwondo you would take on your sport of choice.