Kangs Martial Arts, a martial arts studio in Scarsdale, now offers a taekwondo class catered to preschoolers.
It may seem young, but Jason Christian, master instructor at Kangs Martial Arts in Scarsdale, believes that 4 is the perfect age for children to start learning the art of taekwondo. Kids love taekwondo, a Korean martial art, because of all the high-energy moves it involves, Christian, or Master C as the students call him, says, but it also teaches them new skills. This school year, Kangs Martial Arts’ Tiger Program, which usually caters to students ages 4-7, will be split into two classes: a Tiger class for ages 6-7, and a newly added Tiger Cub class for ages 4-5.
Kangs offers classes for all age groups, including family classes and special teen only programs, but Christian believes the benefits that children get from starting their training early are undeniable. In the Tiger Cub Program, kids don’t just learn taekwondo, they learn balance, the importance of exercise, self-defense, and more. Classes are held after school or on Saturdays, and children learn through classic martial arts training but always end with a fun game that incorporates the skills they’ve learned in class. “They’ll learn discipline [and]… mutual respect; they’ll learn to listen to the instructor. We relate home, school, and taekwondo as much as possible. Children always have a smile on their faces after a structured, disciplined, fun class,” Christian says.
Students at Kangs Martial Arts will face fun challenges, such as breaking boards, competitions, and demonstrating skills in front of others. One of the most important things children learn from taekwondo, according to Christian, is confidence. “Students will learn to shift from nervousness to a feeling of unshakable focus to overcome any obstacles in their path to succeed not only in taekwondo, but in all areas in their life,” Christian says.
Main photo: Children practice taekwondo at Kangs Martial Arts in Scarsdale.
