How Martial Arts Teaches Confidence

Our martial arts journey began for all the right reasons, which turned out to be wrong. My daughter had just turned six when two six-year-old girls in Southern California were tragically murdered. These victims lived in neighborhoods like ours, and their fate could have easily befallen my own child. After that, I vowed my daughter would not go through life without learning skills to defend herself.

Around the same time, we received a flyer from Kovar’s Family Martial Arts offering a free one-month trial. I enrolled my daughter, and though the first few days were challenging, she soon thrived in martial arts.

Developing Discipline and Focus

As my daughter progressed through the belt ranks, she was being influenced by the goal-oriented structure of martial arts. She was learning discipline, focus, and character skills reinforced by the instructors and the structured classes. Martial arts moves and katas not only improved her physical abilities but also helped build attention and trust between her and her instructors.

A Metamorphosis of Confidence

One of the most profound changes was the growth of her confidence. Initially, she was shy and insecure, avoiding the spotlight. But over time, as she demonstrated self-defense moves in class and performed in front of audiences at belt promotions, her confidence and self-esteem blossomed. She gained control over her emotions and body, and her inner strength became visible to everyone around her.

Becoming Part of a Community

As her skills improved, she was invited to join the demo team and later, the Red and Black Attack. While other parents worried about their children’s whereabouts, my daughter spent her time at the dojo with her martial arts friends, practicing routines and engaging in positive activities.

A Family Martial Arts Journey

What began as a way to protect our daughter evolved into something bigger. My wife and I joined Kovar’s as well, and martial arts became a family journey. While we initially signed up for self-defense, it wasn’t long before the “Message of the Week” from our instructor became the most meaningful part of the class. The inspirational stories, sometimes spiritual or practical, became life lessons that kept us coming back.

The True Value of Martial Arts

I enrolled my daughter in martial arts to protect her from harm, and she certainly learned how to defend herself, giving my wife and me peace of mind. But the true value she gained from martial arts was the confidence and self-esteem she developed. This confidence radiates from her, and it may even deter potential threats before they arise.

A Confident Young Adult

Fast forward 17 years, and my daughter, once a shy six-year-old, is now a confident third-degree Black Belt and a college student. She stands in front of 100 students as a Teacher’s Assistant, confidently teaching on behalf of her professor.

Would she be happy and successful without martial arts? I believe she would be, as we are good parents. But would she have achieved all she has in the same way? I’m not sure. Martial arts instilled something in her that we, as parents, couldn’t have duplicated.

The Role of Martial Arts in Raising a Confident Child

There’s an African proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In my daughter’s case, I would amend it to say, “It takes a dojo to raise a confident kid.”

– By Dave Chamberlain, CEO and Parent of a Kovar’s Student

Is it time for you or your family to start their martial arts journey? Join one of Kovar's Satori Academy martial arts classes in Natomas or one of our other locations in the surrounding areas like Rocklin, Folsom, Elk Grove and Carmichael.