Judo Teaches Safe, Respectful Self-Defense

Many parents worry that putting their kids in a judo program will teach them that fighting is the best way to resolve their problems. It is understandable that people who haven’t studied martial arts have some real misconceptions about what it entails. Many martial arts movies put heavy emphasis on combat and parents may fear to enroll their kids in such sports.

There is no striking, punching, or kicking in judo. The sport is built on respect for yourself, your instructors, and other people. When you treat other people with respect, your first instinct is not to fight with them when you have a disagreement. There’s nothing respectful about throwing the first punch.

Judo teaches children self defense techniques as well as:

• How the mind and body work together – and why the mind always needs to be in control
• The importance of self-control and why they should never lead with their fists
• How to control their emotions when they need to and avoid being distracted by them
• How and why they should respect themselves, their instructors, and their fellow students

During judo practice, all grappling is in a controlled, safe environment. Some students go on to compete in tournaments where, again, the matches are carried out in a respectful manner. Opponents must bow to each other at the beginning and end of the match as a sign of respect. The goal is not to hurt their opponent, but to demonstrate a superior grasp of the martial art skills.