Children and Taekwondo
Taekwondo is an ideal activity for children as it reinforces critical social skills in addition to the physical skills of blocking, kicking, and striking.
Tiny Tigers (Return to Top)
The Tiny Tigers program is for our youngest group of participants. Since May 2009, these 45-minute workouts benefit children ages 4-years-old and up at a pace geared to their attention spans. Children learn how to follow directions, display good manners, and participate a very active and supportive group setting developing coordination and having fun.
Go to: Tiny Tigers Photo Gallery (Action Photos!)
Improved Social Skills (Return to Top)
Contrary to the cinematic fantasy image of martial arts masters being loners and living apart from the community, martial arts training with MSMAP actually helps individuals become much more socially integrated within a larger community.
Taekwondo training helps the student make the transition from an isolated to a social individual. By practicing Taekwondo together, children can discover something positive about their own unique natures and the nature of others, and learn to get along with each other in a positive way, thus laying the foundation for constructive social behavior in their everyday lives.
Respectful Behavior (Return to Top)
Becoming more socially adept individuals begins with requiring that all participants conduct themselves in a respectful manner. This entails listening to the instructor at all times, following all rules, and demonstrating good manners. Fulfilling these basic safety requirements reinforces proper etiquette. Kicking, striking, and blocking can be a messy business, so respectful behavior helps to ensure that participants control themselves and care for themselves as well as their partners.
The belt system signifies rank and skill level both as respect for one's accomplishment as well as safety (easy to identify the level ability of one's partner).
Good Manners (Return to Top)
Because taekwondo techniques require concentration and control, participants are required to follow the rules of the dojang, or training hall. This basic requirement helps to ensure that all participants are kept safe. Further, participants are expected to exhibit good manners to each other. Martial arts training is an activity in which good manners and mutual respect are essential for a safe, educational, and fun environment.
Go to: The 5 S's
Rewarding (Return to Top)
Material is presented in a step-by-step fashion allowing children to learn in “bite-sized” chunks. This progressive training regimen affects the complete individual: the physical mastery is balanced with an equally important aspect of mental discipline and character formation. The results of training allow the individual to develop a sense of elevation, equilibrium, and perfect harmony of gesture all controlled by the mind.
Bullies (Return to Top)
Unfortunately, bullying is a all too common occurance in our schools. Statistics state that one bullying incident occurs every seven minutes and that 15% of school-age children are involved either as a bully or victim (Source: WebMD.com).
MSMAP has Zero Tolerance for any of its members being bullies at school, with friends, or at home. We are not training to be bullies. We are training to be good citizens.
On the flip side, MSMAP encourages its members to use intelligence and confidence when dealing with bullies (i.e., be confident, speak confidently, find an adult, etc.).
Go to: Taekwondo and Self-Defense
What Else? (Return to Top)
Taekwondo is making one's leg as flexible and agile as one's arm. This is why many girls are as successful as boys in trianing and competition.
Taekwondo teaches the understanding of a different culture. Participants can expand their cultural experience of Asia through the origin of Taekwondo which is deeply rooted in Korean culture.
Taekwondo provides a structured ranking system well proven for the purpose of lifelong training.
More (Return to Top)
Go to: Children and Martial Arts
Go to: The Five S's
Learn more about the benefits of martial arts training for children.
What are "The 5 S's"?
These are five steps identified by Dr. Ken Min as key elements towards becoming successful martial artists and, more importantly, successful individuals.
Taekwondo & Self-Defense
What techniques and strategies are helpful against bullies and worse?
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