Do any of these describe your child?
- Doesn’t care for most sports but still needs to be physically active.
- Has been a target of bullying at school.
- Lacks confidence or self-esteem.
- Suffers from stress, anxiety, or worry.
If so, your child is a great candidate for Youth MMA at Phoenix Fitness & Martial Arts.
MMA, or Mixed Martial Arts, is a practice that combines several different martial arts forms. At Phoenix Fitness & Martial Arts, we teach boys and girls ages 8-14 the key elements of boxing, kickboxing, and Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ). These are taught concurrently – sometimes, all three forms are blended into one class; other times, an entire class will focus on a single form.
At Phoenix, we also have MMA training options for younger children and for older youth. Any boy or girl younger than 8 can receive instruction through our Personal Training Program, and move into a class setting once they turn 8. Teens 15 and up get their instruction in our adult classes and can progress through adult belt levels at 16.
In our youth MMA training classes, we emphasize the defensive benefits of martial arts and how the various forms can be used to deter bullying and physical threats. Many of the skills are effective means to restrain an attacker to prevent injury to both the victim and the opponent. We focus a lot on how to handle bullying and threats, and we stress that a physical response should always be a last resort. For this reason, our youth MMA classes emphasize Brazilian jiu jitsu. It’s the most effective means to defend oneself from the ground and the safest way to control and defend against an attacker without hitting back, which can get kids in trouble at school. For this reason, we believe BJJ is the “best” of the martial arts for youth.
Youth MMA training also provides general fitness and exercise benefits, due to the cardio and strength components required for martial arts. That means kids at our MMA gym get a calorie-burning workout along with their martial arts training, which is great for kids who aren’t in other sports or who need to get fit. Furthermore, MMA practice has been shown to relieve stress, provide a safe outlet for anger and aggression, and build self-confidence and self-esteem.
Is youth MMA right for your child? Consider these success stories:
Myles was 13 when his grandmother brought him to Phoenix to help deal with intense bullying at school. Despite being very tall for his age, he carried himself with his head down and his hands in his pockets, as if he was trying to make himself smaller and less noticeable. A few short weeks after Myles started training at our martial arts gym, he began standing taller and smiling more, and the next time he was physically assaulted at school he was able to defend himself. That was the last time he was bullied. Years later, Myles came back to thank us for changing his life. We were thrilled to see what a strong, confident, happy young man he had become!
Deana was 10 when she started in our youth martial arts program. Her mother wanted to find a physical activity she might like since she wasn’t into sports. Deana was small for her age and concerned she wouldn’t be able to compete with bigger kids, especially boys, but we explained how the jiu jitsu techniques we teach are designed for smaller people to control bigger opponents. Once she tried it, she loved it. She quickly discovered that she could use the moves she learned to handle bigger, stronger kids. Over the course of the next year she was so consistent and dedicated she became one of the best in the class, and she built up enough confidence to compete in her first tournament, where she did great!
Deana’s story illustrates why martial arts aren’t just for boys. The techniques we teach, particularly jiu jitsu, allow a smaller person to effectively defend against a larger, stronger attacker. Many girls in our youth MMA training program beat boys in sparring!
In addition, MMA skills build confidence, relieve stress and anxiety, promote healthy self-esteem, and offer a sense of accomplishment, all of which help kids in other parts of their lives. Moreover, youth MMA is mentally engaging, interesting, and just plain fun!
Our youth MMA head coach is an experienced, well-rounded martial artist who has been training since 1998 in taekwondo, boxing, Muay Thai, wrestling and Brazilian jiu jitsu. He has almost two decades of experience teaching kids of all ages.
Kids progress through the youth BJJ belt system - white, gray, yellow, orange, green. They earn up to 4 stripes on the belt at each level before moving to the next color. Youth 16 and older can begin ranking through adult belt levels.
BJJ Gis are worn for training in this program, and can be purchased on site.
Parents are always welcome to stay and observe their kids in class. Or, they can drop their kids off and pick them up at the end of class, or wait in our lobby. We are conveniently located near Short Pump Town Center and other shopping areas for parents who want to run an errand during our 1-hour-long youth MMA classes.
Think our youth MMA training program at Phoenix Fitness & Martial Arts might be right for your child? We invite you to call us to arrange for your child to try out a class or two. At Phoenix, we pride ourselves on cultivating a warm, friendly, and welcoming atmosphere in which all our members – kids and adults – support and encourage one another. Your child will feel right at home and among friends in our kids’ MMA classes!
