My kids have been taking Karate for several years with Giroux Brothers Martial Arts and one thing that really impresses me about this studio is the older students who are unfailingly polite, accomplished and kind to small children. The style is called Chun Kuk Do which is the style of Chuck Norris. I also studied kickboxing with Steve Giroux.  We think he’s great and really wonderful teacher for kids.

There are two other Karate studios that my kids’ friends’ moms also rave about: Espositos and Master’s of Karate. I went to a birthday party for little boys at Master’s of Karate and I thought the Sensei there was wonderful with children. I am taking Kickboxing at Espositos with Rich with my two girls and it’s both a really intense but fun workout and  training session in self-defense. Rich runs the children’s program and is also great with kids.

There is also Oom Yung Doe which teaches 8 martial arts to kids and adults: Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Samurai, Bagwa Chung, Jiu Jitsu, Tai Chi Chung, Ship Pal Gae, and Kung Fu.

For more on How Karate Helps Kids Succeed, check out the right hand column of Giroux Brothers Martials Arts’ new blog. Confidence, self-control, self-discipline, setting and accomplishing goals, are some of the by products of karate that children benefit from.

How to Find a Martial Art for Your Child

Karate Kids: The Benefits of Martial Arts

Here’s a short primer on some of the common styles of martial arts from Better Homes and Gardens:

“choosing a style

One of the great allures of martial arts is the huge variety of styles. Here’s a brief explanation of some of the most popular ones:

Aikido is a gentler self-defense style that emphasizes mental acuity, good breathing, relaxation techniques, and timing. In essence it focuses on finding the body’s spiritual center, as well its physical center of gravity. Techniques include throws and joint locks.

Judo teaches the principle of using your opponent’s strength against him, rather than relying solely on your own. It’s highly physical with foot, leg, and hand strikes as well as throwing and falling.

Karate is a broad term that covers hundreds of styles that employ highly rehearsed strikes and blows using both your hands and your feet.

Kickboxing is a strenuous, high-contact sport that requires more protective gear than other disciplines. It emphasizes muscle flexibility and control, particularly in the legs and feet. Kickboxing can be slow-paced or fast and is growing in popularity.

Tae Kwon Do combines the art of hand and foot fighting. Two techniques kids love to learn in this discipline are breaking boards and sparring with opponents”

I studied a little Aikido and Tai Kwon Do. Aikido is so precise in technique that to be an effective weapon for self defense, you have to be pretty advanced. It’s better for adults. Tae Kwon Do has more kicks in the the repertoire and is not as effective for street fighting though it IS an Olympic sport. Kickboxing doesn’t have the belt structure, so it’s great for kids who don’t want to memorize forms and work their way up a belt system.

Karate is the catch up to pretty much describe any martial art, particularly for kids.Some have weapons and some don’t, so be sure to ask. I find that kids like learning how to handle weapons like a Bo Staff or swords but they must work their way fairly high up though the belt system before being allowed to touch one. I think that’s a great incentive to motivate children to progress. I know my daughter was excited to finally learn the Bo Staff at Giroux Brothers which indicated she was about half way to her junior black belt.

Here are more places to study martial arts:

J. H. Kim Tae Kwon Do – he has multiple studios throughout Boston.

Calvin Chin Martial Arts Academy  – I saw them perform at a Chinatown event and they were impressive!

Gracie Barra Boston Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – I’ve only seen adults here.

Oom Yung Doe – This is new to Newton and seems to more adult oriented.

Clark’s Self Defense – Walk in to inquire. I called several times when researching a karate studio and no one ever returned my call.

Nonantum Boxing Club – My Dad Friend who is a Golden Gloves champion recommended a trainer to me. He’s very happy here.

p.s. Other Guides to Newton:

Best Preschools in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Birthday Party Locations and Ideas for Kids in Newton and Boston

A Fairly Comprehensive List of After School Supplemental Math Classes in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Dance Studios in Newton

Best Gymnastics for Toddlers and Kids in Newton Area

Best Caretaker and Child Music Classes in Newton

Best Tutors, Music Teachers etc in Newton

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