Is Your Child Super Shy? We Have The Answer.

One of the first lessons any student of the Martial Arts will learn is that looks can be deceptive.

Perhaps surprisingly, the most accomplishment competitor on the mats or in the ring is not always the athletic, muscle-bound behemoth who can intimidate others with their mere presence.

Frequently, the softly spoken, unassuming bookworm you barely noticed when entering the gym is the one who will most quickly tie you up in knots on the mats, or run circles around you in the ring.

You see, far from its macho image, the Martial Arts are well-suited to those of a reflective and quieter nature. 

Not only that, but arts such as Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu jitsu work wonders in helping children overcome even the most debilitating shyness.

Confidence-Building

Psychologists know well that one of the best ways to overcome our fears is to condition ourselves gradually by facing them. As we do this, our fears don’t necessarily disappear, but we learn to manage our response to them.

In training in the Martial Arts, your child will expose themselves to working closely with others in class. This gradually reduces their shyness as they build strong social relationships around their training.

Likewise, their confidence will grow as they become more familiar with the training methods and interacting with the familiar faces in the controlled environment of their gym or Martial Arts academy.

Friendship-Forming

One of the biggest challenges facing a shy child is that of making friends. Luckily, training in combat sports is a fast way to form solid friendships that last.

Disciplines such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai require participants to put great trust in each other if each is going to make progress. 

Martial artists understand that if they hurt their partner, then they will have no one to train with. 

In this type of environment, mutual respect naturally develops quickly. Generally, this accelerates the friendship-making process and sees relationships develop of a closeness that is rarely seen outside the immediate family circle.

Skills-Developing

The Martial Arts are skills-based pursuits. While running on a treadmill may get you fit, it doesn’t really help you develop a new competency. 

However, while training in the Martial Arts your child will develop a range of new abilities that will offer them a new found self-assurance. The ability to competently defend themselves is not the least of these.

For most of us, most of the time, the likelihood of needing to defend ourselves physically is low. 

Despite this, the anxious person often feels a heightened sense of threat, even when such a threat does not exist. This anxiety often finds expression in the form of general shyness and nervousness.

Developing the knowledge and physical ability to defend oneself is one of the most effective ways to overcome this anxiety.

And, while many shy people use the Martial Arts in this way initially, the bonds of friendship and satisfaction of training keep them coming back for many years to come.

The Martial Arts: The Perfect Prescription for Shyness

Shyness isn’t a disease, but it can impinge heavily on a child’s ability to enjoy life to the fullest.

Enrolling your child in Martial Arts lessons will help them to develop the internal tools necessary to overcome the limitations their shyness places upon them. 

This will ultimately help them to live their lives as happier and more fulfilled young people.