Sure we have kids at KMA whose ONLY activity is karate, but we have far more that play other sports as well. And sometimes parents wonder if their children do play team sports if martial arts can still fit in? So I wanted to make the case that martial arts AND team sports is a great idea…
***We offer an incredibly flexible schedule with class options offered 6 days per week, and at different times, so MOST sports schedules can be worked around karate.
***Karate is an amazing physical complement to any sport… it makes you stronger, more flexible, more coordinated, more focused and teaches life skills like goal setting and perseverance that will serve your athlete well on the field or court.
***Karate is year round so your child will stay in shape even during the off season.
***I’ll make the argument that BUSY is good… sure, everybody needs some down time, but karate class is only 45 minutes long and it’s a great balance to sitting in front of a TV or Xbox. Your child may have a physical activity every day after school…but that’s a GOOD thing!
***Both karate and team sports teach life lessons, absolutely, but karate is a lifestyle not a sport. While it is indeed physical I believe our main objective is to develop good character. At our dojo, you can’t advance if you are doing poorly in school or being disrespectful to you parents, becasue that is a an integral part of what we teach.
***Karate teaches you self defense and develops self confidence for every single person who trains for any length of time. These are skills that are needed in today’s world of bullying and peer pressure.
So if the question comes up, karate or team sports? The logical answer is both… they are great complements to each other. I encourage our karate students to participate in team sports if they are so inclined, but NOT at the expense of their martial arts. One thing I’m absolutely sure of is that training in martial arts with make your child athlete better physically and mentally at the sports they play!
Remember, we PLAY sports, we STUDY karate.