Where is the best martial arts school in Berkshire ?
Many parents would love for their children to try martial arts… but it can be a very confusing decision that parents are faced with. Its a tough choice as there are endless amounts of schools out there all trying to get your attention, all of them declaring that their martial arts style is the best for your children.
Learning Taekwondo, Karate, Kickboxing or any other martial art is not just about acquiring self-defence skills—it’s also about learning focus, concentration, respect and self-discipline.
Training in the martial arts is also a fantastic way to introduce physical fitness into your child’s life.
All of these factors make it crucial to do the research and find the right martial arts school for your child. Here are some guidelines that will help you make the most of your time (and money!) while providing the most rewarding experience for your kids.
While we believe that we at Storm Family Martial Arts offer the very best martial arts tuition in Berkshire here is some information to help you make the right choice for you and your children.
Which martial art is best for children ?
The short answer…. there’s no single best martial art that is best for kids. All can offer wonderful benefits for your child and all children are unique.
Here are six martial arts that usually offer specialised classes for kids and a bit more info about each one.
Tae Kwon Do is a Korean art is known for dynamic kicking and is often the first martial art parents will encounter in their search. As well as being an official Olympic sport, Tae Kwon Do provides a great introduction to the martial arts for kids, with traditional values combined with modern athletic techniques which is why we include it in our syllabus at Storm Family Martial Arts.
Judo was the first eastern martial art included in the modern Olympic games, Japanese Judo focuses on throws and takedowns primarily, but also includes locks and submissions. It’s a great martial art to teach kids to control their own body in order to control their opponent.
Jiu Jitsu has a philosophy that a smaller person can successfully defend themselves against a bigger, stronger opponent using technique, leverage and is arguably the best martial art for dealing with an opponent when on the ground (rather than standing up). We use Jiu Jitsu at Storm Family Martial Arts to teach students how to escape an attacker who has pinned them down.
Kickboxing is a modern martial art designed by blending traditional arts like taekwondo and karate with western-style boxing. It was designed to allow practitioners of different martial arts to compete against each other in the ring and as such focuses mainly on the sporting application of kicking and punching techniques. Kickboxing usually does not include the traditional aspects of the martial arts such as patterns / kata, or self-defence training. Storm Family Martial Arts teaches kickboxing skills as part of our syllabus and children love the pad routines as these are fast, dynamic and high energy and build life skills such as co-ordination, co-operation and confidence.
Boxing focuses entirely on attacking and defending using the hands. Most Boxing clubs offer boxing classes for young children from the ages of 6 or 7 years and up, where they can learn the skills of boxing. As these clubs are mainly focused on competing in the ring, this might not suit every child. Storm Family Martial Arts use the techniques, skills and concepts from Western Boxing as part of its dynamic mixed martial arts curriculum for kids.
As you can see, there is no ‘best’ martial art. Each offers something different and every instructor will deliver classes differently.
At Storm Family Martial Arts we teach many different styles.
Our founder has black belts and instructor grades in many different styles so we are able to share knowledge from a wide variety of styles, such as Kickboxing, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Boxing, Jeet Kune Do, Kali & Self Defence.
One thing to be aware of is that there are only so many ways to punch, kick or block. As a result, Tae Kwon Do, Karate and Kickboxing all share a common ground. For example, the first punch any student will learn is a jab. A jab is a straight punch with the non-dominant hand. This technique is the same in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing, Boxing, Krav Maga, Kung Fu or any other striking art out there. All the striking arts share many, many punches, kicks and blocks so to a complete beginner… your focus should be on finding a quality instructor running a welcoming and inspiring academy full of students training at a high standard.
What is the easiest martial art to learn ?
Parents should be wary of any martial arts that claims to be “easy” to learn!
The most important lessons that a child can learn from their martial arts training come not from mastering “easy” techniques but from learning to persevere and conquer the skills that are a challenge to master.
The secret to the success of martial arts training in improving concentration, focus, self-discipline and respect lies in the gradual introduction of more complex and challenging techniques. With skilled and motivated instructors, such as those found at Storm Family Martial Arts, any child can eventually learn even the most complex of martial arts skills.
This is different from most other sports, where only the most skilled children are able to continue training and participating. While actual mastery of the martial arts may take a long time, eventually kids learn to appreciate the constant challenge to perfect their skills.
This is a priceless life lesson that will stay with your child for rest of their life. Our instructors will do everything possible to make sure your child appreciates this lesson. At Storm Family Martial Arts Academy, no child is left on the bench!
So, How to choose the best martial art academy for your child ?
As mentioned above, there are so many different styles of martial arts – from taekwondo to karate to jiu jitsu – and many different types of schools – from full-time dojos to rooms at the local community centre or even in someone’s garage!
Only you can decide what is right for you and your child. But, here are some tips to help you make an informed choice:
By focusing on the checklist below you can make sure you choose the right martial arts schools for your child:
- Free trial lessons: Most schools offer a free trial lesson or a low-cost introductory program. This is a great way to try out the school and see if it is a good fit for you and your child. Storm Family Martial Arts has a range of ways for your child to try out our dynamic and innovative Junior Martial arts Program
- Professional, highly-trained instructors. Look for instructors who hold multiple black belts and industry awards. At Storm Family Martial Arts our Chief Instructor won ‘UK Martial Arts Instructor Of The Year’ in 2019, is a member of the England Kickboxing Team, has been inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall Of Fame and holds multiple black belts and instructor qualifications. All Storm instructors are certified by an external national Instructor Training Academy and have the necessary DBS/CRB checks and we have a nominated Welfare & Safeguarding Officer.
- Comprehensive, age-appropriate curriculum. Any martial arts school worth investing your child’s time (and your money) in will have a comprehensive, age-appropriate curriculum for different age groups. Their program will be based on student’s mental growth as much as their physical development. Storm has a comprehensive curriculum that has been designed to meet the needs of children aged 4 – 6 (our Dragons) and 7 to 14 (our Tigers). Each curriculum also provides a seamless progression towards the Academy’s Adult Martial Arts Program.
- No ’Small Print‘. A good school will not seek to tie you into a ‘contract’. Unfortunately, in our industry this has become the norm where you sign up to a minimum term or have to give 3 months notice to leave. At Storm you simply purchase one month at a time and there is no notice period if you decide to stop training. We are proud to be standing behind our integrity and quality and do not have any notice period, minimum terms or contracts.
If you can find a school that checks all the above criteria, like Storm Family Martial Arts Academy then you can be sure that you will be making the right choice for your kids.
