We know that there are often tonnes of questions to be asked when you’re considering sending your child to a boxing lesson, so here’s what you need to know if you are thinking of signing your child up to a boxing class. There are numerous advantages of kids boxing classes and you can see changes in your child’s confidence, coordination, growth and fitness quickly.
Let us explain how…
Boxing can help with confidence
Being in a class that’s fun, active and encourages you to hit milestones can help kids come out of their skin and feel more confident. We see it every day in the gym, and not just with kids! The skills that are run in class are specific to help people slowly build their skills and confidence in class. Spending time in an environment that fosters growth and is encouraging for all levels makes children feel comfortable and work hard. What we see so often, is this behaviour and confidence reflecting into other areas of a child (or even adults) life. Achieving in one area of life can help boost confidence in other areas too!
What’s also key to gaining confidence in classes is meeting new, different people. Some children can be shy when they meet new people, which is only normal! In school, we often spend time with the same people which is great for fostering friendships that can last a lifetime but in a boxing class you meet so many different people, children and adults alike from different backgrounds and experiences. Learning to meet, have fun and work with new people is a sure fire way to gain confidence and meet new lifelong friends.
Boxing and fitness
Sometimes, getting a child off the couch and doing something active can be the hardest part of the day. Or they’re used to a sport with lots of running on a field or court. Even though all sports are beneficial for children when it comes to fitness, boxing is a cut above the rest. Boxing is a high cardio workout and is a form of aerobic and anaerobic exercise because it’s usually at a higher intensity. This type of exercise can help prevent a huge amount of health issues in kids by helping to prevent weight gain and keeping the muscles and lungs strong.
In boxing, we build muscle not just from cardio but from body weight exercises and for older folk, using weights. Body weight exercises build the strength of muscles and bones in growing kids which could help prevent injury and set them on a great health path in to adult hood.
Agility, coordination and concentration can be improved through boxing too. In class, children will need to practice foot and hand work while striking a pad. They build up to it at a pace suited to them, but eventually you will notice your child being much more agile and see an improvement in their hand-eye coordination and balance.
Boxing and behavior
Alongside feeling more confident, you’ll hopefully notice some other positive changes in your child. Boxing promotes determination and motivation in kids by providing a safe and fun environment to fail and try again. Although classes are fully supervised and lead by the coach, it’s up to the participants to put in the effort to improve and be able to learn more skills. Think karate kid, but boxing. Practice, control and discipline all play a massive part of being successful at boxing. Even the kids who don’t usually portray these traits can find themselves dedicating themselves to training and focusing on improving.
Children learn a lot about respect and discipline at boxing classes. Movie reference: Rocky. The coach is the leader in a boxing gym and is always listened to and respected by everyone who goes there. A great boxing coach is approachable and understanding of children’s different abilities and personalities and helps kids to reach their own goals. Despite how nice the coach might be, if he’s ignored or rules are broken in the gym, someone will find themselves doing a lot of burpees. It always pays to be on time to a boxing class!
Exercise, has been proven to hugely affect happiness and mental health. As conditions such as anxiety and depression are becoming more prominent in our youth the importance of exercise to improve mental health becomes more important. As explained above, boxing is a great way to get your child active, without making it seem like a chore but instead just something fun to do. Many find that boxing is also a great outlet for any aggression or anger that kids bottle up, offering a safe environment to exert some of those feelings.
Boxing and enjoyment
Most importantly, boxing is fun and for countless reasons. Kids get to meet new kids their own age and outside of school opening them up to a broader social circle and helping their confidence. If you’ve been in a boxing gym, you’ll know that the environment is always pumping. Music in the background, people exercising, practicing and generally having a laugh. Exercise gets the endorphins running and a boxing gym is one place where everyone’s endorphins are running high. Although the classes can be physically hard and tiring, children get to exert their energy safely and enjoyably with other kids. While just as importantly, a boxing class gives caregivers an hour to catch up on some adult time, whether that’s a coffee, a run or a snooze.