Ninja training has become more and more popular for kids starting at a young age. This is because of all the increased number of benefits that have come from something that looks so fun. Some of those benefits include:
- Speed and Body control
- Increased balance
- Increased strength
- Discipline in activity
- Participation in physical activity
Understanding the Ninja Training Benefits for Kids
Some of these things you could get from just going through a normal exercise routine but these things could get boring fast. When trying to figure out a way to get your child active a thing to keep in mind is if it's fun they will more than likely want to do it again. As they progress they don’t even realize they just got a full body workout because it was blinded but something they enjoyed doing.
1.Speed and Body control
Quick feet, strong core, changing directions fast. Sound familiar? Typically in most sports that your child will want to participate in some of these things will be required to be able to understand and do. Ninja targets all of these and with them starting out so early these will be mastered mentally and physically and mentally as they will understand why they need to work on it as well as how to do so. Ninja balances a combination of agility and speed from quick reaction jumping on to boxes, to sprinting up the warp wall.
2. Increased Balance/Strength
Along with having a strong core comes the ability to balance and focus on the task at hand. Being able to control this allows them to walk across the beam and speed through different balance obstacles without falling. As far as strength building goes Ninja specifically targets upper body strength quite a bit because of all the hanging obstacles they swing through as well as a rock wall where every kid wants to get to that buzzer at the top. Upper body strength becomes super important in other sports as it can give them that extra edge to compete with the kid across from them as well as the strength to throw a ball up the court, over the net, or across the field.
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3. Discipline/Participation in activity
Being a ninja requires focus. Prior to each class we do test runs through the obstacles as coaches to show them the task. Every now and then we mix it up and throw time trials or speed courses so the kids can put their skills to the test. Typically if they are completing each skill correctly it becomes pretty easy and they can complete it with no issues the first or second time around. This just like in any other sport that requires attention to detail can easily correlate over to anything they do. If they are having trouble with any obstacle they realize what they need to do and fix it so that they can get the time they want without even realizing they just got stronger both mentally and physically as they defeated the obstacle course. This wasn't just repeating pushups and sit ups at home. They were swinging through rings and running across river logs which was fun yet they benefited heavily by doing so and they want to keep doing it.
4. No Gym? No problem
There are ways to still be a ninja while at home in your front yard or even your living room. You can still work on your balancing, upper body strength and body control. Got pillows, a small bar, bands, and stairs?
- Pillows: set at different distances apart and have them jump across or run across each one.
- Bands: back strength exercises as well as leg exercises with a challenge that could be a little more fun than push ups and squats
- Small bars: Can work on swings, skin the cats, as well as sloth crawls/hanging.
- Stairs: at home warp wall practice and the key to making it to the top is just going for it with the same motion you would if you were running up a flight of steps.
Conclusion
Exercising to see results doesn't always have to be boring or serious. If you've watched American Ninja Warrior and saw some of the stuff they have to do you would probably think “I could never do that”. However, they all started somewhere and really focused on those key things mentioned and became amazing athletes to watch. Implementing ninja training for all athletes can be beneficial in a lot of ways so that they can have the upper-hand on the competition later on.
