Fitness Boxing for Kids

 Hey Mom and Dad—want your kids to be calm, confident, fit and disciplined? Simple--take them with you next time you go to the fitness boxing gym!

No, they won't become little monsters out looking for fights, nor will they end up punch-drunk with head injuries. However, what kid wouldn't enjoy the opportunity to wail away at a punching bag and pretend they're Rocky Balboa taking on Apollo Creed?

Plus, you can you save yourself the time of dropping them off elsewhere by simply taking them to the gym with you—how convenient is that?

And, the same workout endorphins which help you cope with your daily stress can also help manage your kid's energy levels, make them more focused, and make them less susceptible to depression.

By enrolling boys and girls in the structured athletics of fitness boxing, they will learn the value of discipline, hard work, and fair play, all while improving eye-hand coordination, bone health, and cardio health.

And, even if you yourself are not partaking in what is perhaps the most complete workout around, your kids can still take advantage of all the health benefits which fitness boxing provides. Although why not join in too? After all, fitness boxing really is for everyone!

What about Head Injuries?

Alright, so you are understandably concerned with things like head injuries, particularly with all the recent attention on CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy).

However, even if your kids do spar during their workouts—which they probably won't—it isn't such a terribly violent or dangerous thing.

To start, sparring for kids is well supervised to disallow full contact, and done wearing modern protective head gear and heavily-padded gloves. It has also been compared to a game of tag, since the object of the game is to touch the opponent with a glove, rather than to slug anyone's lights out.

That said, most boxing workouts for kids don't involve sparring, and injuries are not common. Typically, injuries are of the sore wrist/bruised knuckle variety, and mainly from punching heavy bags and speed bags. So long as full contact fighting is avoided, there are no issues with brain trauma or CTE, and you can be confident that you are not causing your kids irreversible damage by allowing them to enjoy boxing workouts.

Plus, with the guidance of a good teacher, kids will learn the importance of doing things right, so that even when they work out on the speed bag or other punch training mechanisms, they will be learning how to do it safely, and with minimal physiological risk. In fact, your kids are likely more at risk for CTE and other injuries on the football pitch than they are in the boxing gym.

Oh, and by the way—if you take part in fitness boxing workouts, you too can find out just how safe it is!

 Won't Fitness Boxing Make my Kids get into Fights?

So far as your youngster getting into fights because of learning how to fight, the opposite is typically true. In fact, many inner-city kids sign up to learn boxing to stay off the street, and out of trouble.

Kids gain confidence when they learn boxing, although they also learn self-control, and when to back off from being overly-aggressive. Again, sparring (assuming you allow your kids to partake in it) is performed as a game, and is not about seeing who is the last one standing. By showing girls and boys how to control and focus their aggressions, rather than allowing their emotions to take over, they learn a valuable lesson which will get them out of—rather than into--trouble.

Plus, there is nothing so satisfying as seeing your youngster going from being picked on, to gaining the confidence to stand up to bullies, and not take the bait of name-calling or peer pressure.

And who knows--you may just end up being the proud parent of a schoolyard superhero who stands up for the weaker kids!

But My Kids are so Fidgety—Won't Boxing Make Them More so?

To be sure, kids who are in good physical shape have more energy than those who are not. However, the energy they get from being physically fit is far more calm and focused than energy from boredom or too much sugar.

After all, working out not only keeps them healthy, disciplined and with fewer behavioural problems, it also loads them up with the same endorphins you get from your fitness boxing workouts --you know, the ones which help you keep a cool, calm head when the kids are bouncing off the walls?

Plus, youngsters with focus issues, such as ADHD or hyperactivity, need activity to help with concentration, which fitness boxing is perfect for.

And, if your kids have excessive energy which is making you a bit batty, off to the gym with them! Let them concentrate that energy on a punching bag, so that you can have your peace of mind while they wind themselves down. You'll all sleep better tonight for it!

And Finally

The benefits of participating in fitness boxing workouts for both your kids AND yourself cannot be overstated, and there are few workouts which will deliver the same level of physical conditioning, discipline, and impulse control as boxing workouts will.

That said, there is one reason which supersedes them all: Fun!

Yes, the bottom line is, kids love the competition, comradery, and physical outlet which fitness boxing provides, and why wouldn't they? With workouts that include everything from skipping rope to shadow boxing, to hitting the heavy bag and weight training, they will certainly never get bored—especially when they are Rocky getting ready for the big one!

And, since they are learning and acquiring new skills along the way, not just their bodies, but their minds are also getting a workout.

So, how about it? For kids who are fit, disciplined, calm and smart, there is no better workout for them than fitness boxing.

Apollo is waiting!