How can I get my child to practice at home?

In the practice of martial arts there are two types of practitioners; the first type will find any excuse not to exercise, while the second will find any excuse to do more. For example, the first type will have a speech like: «Tonight I don’t have time, I have too much homework, I have too much work, I have to do the cleaning…» On the contrary, the second type will have a speech like: «Tonight I will quickly finish the homework, the work and the cleaning to do, to have time to practice. »

When the Sherbrooke dojo opened, parents asked me what they could do to encourage their children to practice. I had implemented a strategy that asked karateka to practice 60 minutes a week, or ±10 minutes a day. At the end of the month the karatekas gave me their training calendar, two of which were drawn at random to win a special activity. This strategy has had the desired effect for several years.

I have a 6 year old now. So I implemented some tips that I previously tested at home.

Practical in exchange for quality time

In exchange for X minutes of practice, your child gets Y minutes of an activity they love (video games, building Legos, reading a story, etc.).

Exercise before going to bed

Have you ever noticed that before going to bed, your child stretches out the sauce, so as not to fall asleep immediately? So, here’s an opportunity to practice it with you. Furthermore, by practicing before sleep, information will move from short-term to long-term memory, which increases the effectiveness of the practice.

Practice without practicing

In our children’s classes we have developed a series of educational games to develop motor skills, linked to specific movements. In this way it is possible to «play karate» with them, without them realizing they are practicing it.

If you are committed to your child’s growth and want to see him grow positively in the practice of Karate-Do, your contribution is important, in order to team up with the dojo instructors.

Larry Foisy
5^And then, Renshi Karate-Do Shorinjiryu
3rd dan, Sensei Iaido MJER
2nd dan, Sensei Kyusho Jitsu