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Combat sports for children can be extremely concerning for most parents. With so many other sports such as basketball, swimming, and tennis, combat sports such as boxing, karate or martial arts can be looked down upon as they are known to cause violence.
However, if you look into the basics of combat sports, you can see that it can be perfect for your child. Like other sports, it builds physical strength, keeps you in shape and requires practice, effort, and discipline. Martial arts are a great discipline to focus on for children as it teaches them to harness mental strength, physical endurance as well as coordination and communication skills.
Popular Combat Sports: Mixed Martial Arts, Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Boxing.
Benefits of Combat Sports for Children1
- Increased Strength and Endurance
- Weight Management
- Mental Strength
- Discipline Inside and Outside the Gym
- Self Defence
- Better Understanding and Responsibility for Violence
- Have Fun
Keep in Mind
Like all sports, combat sports also run the risk of injury. This means that you need to ensure your child is properly warmed up and down before and after training. But mainly that these sports are practiced responsibly as the risk of suffering a concussion is there. However, with the right training, head injuries are avoided so make sure you choose the right professional coach.2
Combat sport, when used for the right reasons, can be very rewarding. However, when used for the wrong ones, it can be harmful to those around you. The last thing you want is for your child to be getting into fights or causing harm to others.
Dr. Mohamad Kamal Harb
Pediatrician
