The best gift is the opportunity to earn!

Want your children to work hard for good values and timeless skills? Start them training when they’re young!

Recently, I was considering what I should buy for a young relative of mine on her birthday. Now I’m already known for promoting martial arts frequently, so I didn’t get her a kimono or a pair of boxing gloves. After all, parents are ultimately the ones making the call on whether or not their children take part in a sport or martial art. And there’s nothing wrong with material gifts, but I’ve found that such a gift is far more rewarding when it’s earned. And when I watch a child receiving a hard-earned promotion in their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Muay Thai training, it really is amazing to see how it changes them for the better!

Only a qualified instructor can bestow the gift of a higher rank – whether it’s a simple stripe on a white belt, a new belt color entirely, or an arm band in Muay Thai. And while many traditional martial arts hand out regular promotions based on the amount of classes attended, earning rank in BJJ and Muay Thai is comparatively much more difficult. For children and teens, earning rank is based in part on attendance, but also on:

• Taking responsibility to use technique to win (not raw power or anger),
• Winning respectfully and losing gracefully,
• Listening well and treating everyone on the mat with respect,
• Working hard, working smart, and staying consistent in training.

There’s nothing wrong with a material gift. But it’s far more rewarding to gift children the opportunity to earn rank that represents substantial skills!

Sure, there are other disciplines in which children can learn these timeless values. But the benefits of learning them through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai is that there’s no corner-cutting, and that they’re learned in a safe but unforgettably serious manner.

Parents are able to give the gift of the opportunity for children to train, but the children themselves are ultimately responsible the gift of a higher rank. From an instructor’s standpoint, I can honestly say that it’s wonderful to see the proverbial “attitude of gratitude” that comes about when a child learns this firsthand. A membership at a martial arts academy has a financial cost. But the reward of a child taking more pride in a stripe on a white belt than a new Xbox? That’s a priceless thing, and it’s immensely rewarding to parents as well!

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

JJ Mike