The different styles of martial arts span many continents:  Korea, Japan, China and India.  With it comes a rich history with moral objectives and spirituality.  Each style reinforces mind-body discipline so when you wish to choose the best martial arts for your child, consider the physical abilities of your child vs the physical aspects of the different martial arts styles.

Many kids before taking any martial arts training will at times fly around the house leaping from furniture, yelling "Haya" as they land with a kick in the air and a karate chop but they will soon learn that the most important thing they will be taught when attending martial arts class is to respect themselves and others.

There are several types of martial arts to choose from which may match your child's temperament and character.....

Tae Kwon do relies on fancy footwork to keep the opponent at a distance and is famous for it's high kicks.  If a child is very competitive by nature, Tae Kwon do may be what you are looking for.

Jujitsu is one of the oldest styles of martial arts and features sparring and weapons training. This is not suitable for children but may be something to transfer to when the child becomes a man.

Aikido is a Japanese martial arts which uses the attacker's movement against him or her.  Deeply spiritual, this style strives to disable an attacker without causing injury.  Using personal and mental energy to subdue and psyche out the attacker. 

Judo developed late in the last century, is a gentler form of jujitsu.  It emphasizes wrestling-type moves and is considered one of the safest styles of martial arts for children.  Judo is physical and like wrestling, points are given based on the successful execution of techniques.  Judo was created by a man who was also an educator and it is for this reason that judo places a great emphasis on moral and mental development.

Karate (empty hand) contains a lot of blocking, kicking, punching, throwing, and defensive moves.  This is also recommended for children (but with caution).

Kung Fu is a form of martial arts that focuses on sharp blows and kicks to pressure points on the body.

There are many points to consider when you are either deciding if martial arts is right for your child or which one to choose.  All martial arts training can help a child with self-confidence problems especially if they are small or being bullied at school or on the playground.  And, due to the fact that there are clear restrictions for martial arts usage outside of the martial arts studio, this promotes good listening skills and good manners.

Martial arts can also be for the child who  is DOING the bullying,  A child who shows aggression also has self-esteem issues and benefits greatly from the discipline required to train in the martial arts and can strengthen self-confidence.

Martial arts can be an alternative to team sports because although not every child likes team sports, many still like competition.  The advantage of a  martial arts program over a team sports activity is that martial arts also works on not only physical and mental skills but concentration and memory skills.

Finally, the safety consideration.  The martial arts happen to be extremely safe.  Studies have shown that children attending a well-run martial arts school is far safer than almost any other physical activity.

Look for more In future articles about when it OK to let children train in martial arts