A few years ago, a then four-year-old tried a free trial class at Carlsbad Kickboxing Club with her older sister. While there wasn’t an age limit on the youth muay thai boxing class, (it was based on each individual) mentally she just wasn’t there yet.

But there was a fire and passion in that four-year-old, and it was quickly apparent that this wasn’t just a place to run around and play. She had a passion for the sport—even at such a young age.

It took nearly a year of coming back to try every five or so months, and before she was six, she got the go ahead and joined the Carlsbad Kickboxing Club and since then, she hasn’t looked back.

That fire and determination is something not every kid might have for the sport, but the lessons boxing taught and continues to teach such young kids are invaluable.

See below to see some of the many benefits of boxing for kids.

Builds Confidence and Provides Self Defense—Believing in abilities is key for any child. Boxing builds a kid’s self-esteem and gives them a sense of empowerment in case they ever would need to defend themselves. Boxing teaches safety and teaches proper techniques should a kid be forced to use it outside of the ring.

Social Development—This is often more overlooked than physical benefits of boxing, but it is important as it gives kids something healthy and safe to do and it is productive. It also can give kids a place to put their aggression or energy.

Physical health—Boxing helps the heart. The high intense exercises combined with improved hand-eye coordination, balance and more, will overall, help improve a kid’s physical health.

Set Goals—Kids learn how to set goals for themselves when they box whether a trainer pushes them to overcome a particular challenge or win a tournament, achieving any goal (big or small) will make a kid feel empowered.

Discipline and Focus—You cannot have bad behavior when learning the sport of boxing. With sparring, for example, the goal isn’t to hurt your opponent. Following rules in boxing is a healthy way for kids to improve their discipline. Boxing requires concentration and definitely tests a child’s mental strength, which could be useful outside of the gym in school and at home.

While some might think boxing might be a dangerous sport for kids, that isn’t the case. There are many benefits for young boxers with adult and trainer supervision. To learn more about Carlsbad Kickboxing Club’s kid’s programs, click here.