Sign Your Kids Up For Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - Essay Example

Sign Your Kids up For Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as asserted by Ivan (n.p), is a professional martial arts training that is ideal for all ages particularly kids. It encompasses martial art training that is likened to wrestling in nature although it’s more detailed and focused on the positive attributes. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a sport teaches the participants submissive moves and holds for self-defense when an enemy encroaches. To kids, the sport can prove to be worthwhile in protecting oneself from any impending danger that they might be imposed to since in most cases the kids are the most vulnerable. Parenting in the modern world has been limited especially with tight work schedules thus necessitating parents to spend less ample time with their children (Ivan n.p). Guidance that cometh from the BJJ can be a great avenue for teaching the kids morals and values through the sport which will also give them a platform for exercising and focusing the kid’s attention to important matters that will help them be better valuable persons in the society.

Signing kids for the martial arts has both pros and cons that come with it. The advantages according to Aharonian n.p being that the sport prides itself in instilling self-discipline and responsibility which the current society has failed to uphold. Given the nature of the sport that it is hard and tough will be appropriate for kids in shaping up their character. This is because it is extremely difficult and requires the kids to give their all in terms of performance. Respect is another useful concept that the kids will acquire given that they will be required to heed the instructions given by the tutors. Moreover, BJJ will come in handy in providing amicable solutions to kids especially in instances where conflicts arise that involve anger and rage which sometimes goes out of proportion especially when kids are mingling (Carlos n.p).

Consequently, a kid who engages in BJJ will boost his or her self-esteem since it will instill enough confidence whenever they attain or master a particular skill. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is also vital in helping kids set their goals and seeing them to fulfillment. This way, the kids will learn to figure on their own what to do in a bid to reap maximally out of the specific goals they have put in place (Ivan n.p). Furthermore, it also cultivates a sense of belonging in a society where the kids will feel comfortable since they are entangled in physical contact with the society and they can be seen to offer immediate solutions to the problems that are crime-related and threats that require self- defense. The kids will also be isolated from the modern world that is technology- driven with smartphones and video games that have contributed to kids being reluctant and lazy as opposed to being productive and practically involving in active sports such as BJJ to eliminate the boredom and in the process generate both physical and psychological healing which is good for their growth and development.

BJJ inculcates comradery among the youngsters who are involved in the sport and improves the appreciation of fellow counterparts as well as helping them incorporate various diversities of different peoples and cultures that the society exhibits. The ultimate goal of BJJ is to help the kids employ the techniques that they learn in the sport and in the process subdue the attacker without practically harming them. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu prides itself in installing awareness among the kids and controlling the situations that creep their way without posing dangers and harm to the kids. In schools, the kids can exercise the attributes of flexibility, weight distribution, and reflexes as they get to interact, socialize and bond with the rest of the kids while playing. This will go a long way in enhancing the kid’s ability to grasp and comprehend the subjects in class since the mind will be relaxed and free; ready to accommodate the lessons harmoniously with passion and zeal (Ahoranian n.p).

While not disputing the ostensible fact that Jiu Jitsu enhances a kid’s self-esteem and self-defense, kids are forgetful and may use the skills learned in BJJ classes to advance bullying. In the contemporary fairly just society, bullying can be considered an archaic behavior that should be countered through all means possible. What BJJ does, however, is to prepare the kid for fights, and the kids might end up bullying those not trained in this martial art. The disadvantage kids might find school life very challenging and might develop fear in life ending up developing a negative perception against the BJJ trained kids (Arsenault n.p). Kids might desire to use the skills learned to dominate those around them and this might, unfortunately, lead to the development of a lawless society where kids are fighting for dominance. Bullying holds no place in today’s Brazilian society implying that if kids must sign up for Jiu Jitsu, parents and instructors must take a leading role and manage the kids suitably as a way of guaranteeing that the skills gained are not used inappropriately (Arsenault n.p).

What’s more, kids should not sign up for BJJ since there are no noticeably stipulated rules that guide the conduct of the kids while under training. This is clearly asserted by Arsenault Sally, a BJJ trainer; “We don’t have rules, unless you count the Golden Rule, which states that we should treat each other the way we want to be treated” (Arsenault n.p). The domineering argument put forth by the champions of BJJ that it promotes respect among the kids is merely based on the assumption that the kids will behave well towards fellow kids, parents, and the instructor as well. However, considering that the kids are free to utter most of the offensive words during training, they may bitch at each other while making fun of it. They fact that they have self-discipline does not imply that they are loyal, and the practice might encourage anxiety and fear instead of the loyalty that the parents wished their kids to have (Jones & Elizabeth 61). Hence, the lack of clearly demarcated rules makes it almost impossible for BJJ to contribute to a kid’s success.

Further, considering the competitive nature of BJJ, if a kid signs up, trains, but end up failing in a fight, their sociability and emotions will negatively be affected (Jones & Elizabeth 69). The existent ‘safety net’ in the BJJ field is too weak to effectively handle the adversarial effects of defeat. While respecting parents’ desire to produce world champions in BJJ by forcing their kids to sign up for the martial art, they should be warned that negative results in BJJ might harm a child’s psyche which may have a lasting effect on the kid’s future development. Is it of any use to have a champion whose psyche is low and cannot socialize with other members of the society? It is certainly devastating and unsolicited. However, parents can still let their children enjoy the art by cultivating in them the true sportsmanship spirit which fosters rejoicing even in the middle of disappointing results as asserted by Roza (p.89). This is the only way of making sure that kids’ minds are not restrained to one aspect of life; winning.

Despite these potential negative outcomes of signing up for BJJ, as a champion of healthy living, I believe that it minimizes the instances of childhood obesity. Today’s kids have a laid-back access to sedentary entertainment forms like TV and video games. This has made them lazier and increased the instances of childhood obesity by over 35% (Jones & Elizabeth 64). If we do not embrace Jiu Jitsu, the current kids will turn out to be a disappointment as they will be very unfit. However, if kids sign up for Brazilian BJJ, they will be subjected to compulsory laborious exercises that will help them burn the extra fats in the body thus regulating their body weight. Since it goes without saying that we all yearn for an obesity-free generation, BJJ will ultimately help us achieve this dream. Our neighborhoods will be pampered with healthy kids with little health complications.

In conclusion, the above elucidations candidly indicate that BJJ is more beneficial than harmful. The arguments that it might promote deviant behaviors among the kids, lacks clearly stipulated rules that guide it, and makes kids success-centered are hardly convincing. What is not sensationalized or fabricated is that BJJ promotes a kid’s ability to defend themselves, makes them disciplined, broadens their minds to absorb classroom concepts and makes them welcome diversity. From the foregoing, it can be seen that engaging the kids in BJJ during their early life is good for their brain development. This is because children while at the tender age are like sponge, thus, when surrounding them with a positive environment just like the BJJ exposes them to gives them an early boost of confidence and something to engage their small but productive minds in when it comes to mental clarity and the state of their minds. Thus, kids should sign up for BJJ.