Category: kids martial arts

Teaching With Purpose. Exploring the role of the adult in the Skillz learning environment. Take five for just a moment and pause for reflection. Let your mind float back to the carefree days of your youth. Let the rustling of autumn leaves crunch beneath your feet as you smell the crisp, cool air. Let the […]

Have you ever taken a moment to truly admire the art and incredible beauty of watching a child at play? Their fully engaged spirit, drive, imagination and passion are all completely vested in the mission of the moment. Whether tinkering with their next greatest creations or saving the day as their favorite superhero, children demonstrate […]

Everyone likes PIES! This is pretty much a true statement in my opinion! Our staff at Excel Martial Arts in Port Coquitlam are such huge fans that we take our PIES to the next level! The PIES Method What do we mean when we say “PIES”? P – Physically I – Intellectually E – Emotionally […]

As you know, Excel Martial Arts in Port Coquitlam is committed to bringing you the BEST in Age-Specific childhood development classes! Dwindling are the days of the “dungeon dojo” and authoritative discipline that many who grew up in the martial arts have come to expect. As times change, it is vital to recognize that what […]

The Secret to Developing Well-Rounded Athletes   Over the last year, sports programs have had shortened seasons, if any at all. Because of that, training time for athletes of all ages has dropped significantly. Now, with sports returning to a more normal duration, young athletes are working hard to regain lost skills and recondition their […]

  Proper Warmup – The Key to Sports Injury Prevention Children and teens are involved in a myriad of physical activities and sports. And whether they are at a competitive or recreational level, the basic physical requirements are the same. In order to achieve optimum training levels, it’s important that the exercises prepare the athlete for the best physical outcome. […]

Rebuilding Physical Skills During the Summer For the past year, children have mostly been stuck inside, in front of a computer for school, and on a device during free time. And as much as parents have tried to keep their children active, it’s been a struggle with the limitations of many activities. But now, as […]

The Benefits of Game-Based Learning for 7-9 year olds When we hear the word “learn” we often think of children sitting in a classroom, at a desk, with a teacher educating students on a particular subject. We rarely ever imagine playing a game as a teaching and learning tool. However, the benefits of utilizing this […]

Teens Need Structure Too Most often, when we think of implementing structure into our children’s lives, it is because we have a newborn that needs a feeding schedule, a toddler that needs a nap schedule, or a child that needs an activity schedule. When children become teens, they are often left to implement their schedules. […]

The Power of Yet Developing a Mindset for Success Goal setting is a characteristic that significantly links an individual to their future success. Having the right mindset is crucial and encourages our behaviors as we encounter different challenges. Since our mindset incorporates our own beliefs about skills and abilities that we possess, we must have […]

Child Development Centers Give Your Child an Edge Programs for children are all around us. From day care centers to recreational sports and everything in between, options for parents to choose from are abounding. And although parents want what is best for their children, they often aren’t aware of the notable distinctions between the programs […]

For years, martial arts has gotten a bad reputation because people feel that it encourages violence, especially in children. And yes, it sounds like a paradox that something that teaches “fighting” can actually make people less aggressive. However, what most people don’t know is that martial arts is rooted in nonviolent conflict resolution. As the […]

Age-Specific Curriculum – What It Really Means The term “age-specific” is used very often in education and healthcare. It has a very definite meaning and is used to describe things that are prepared specifically for the age of the child it is targeting. However, this term is often used more loosely, especially in the martial […]

An athlete is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.” Athletes in specific sports train to be at the top of their game, but how much better of an athlete would they be if they had a well-rounded cross training […]

Skills-Based Training vs. Technique Based Training Most martial arts forms are rooted in tradition and have been taught the same way for years. And while tradition is vital to keeping the art preserved, the way it is taught in today’s modern world isn’t as effective. As times change and as we become more educated, we […]

Leading by Example The Power of Self-Care in Parenting Parents have always served as the first, and typically, the most important role model for their children, even though family members, teachers, and coaches have a significant impact on a child’s development as well. However, in the wake of the pandemic, these people have had less […]

GAME-BASED LEARNING The Benefits of Game-Based Learning for 3-4-year-olds Play is often overlooked as a learning tool for children. Dictionarey.com defines play as “engaging in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.” It is seen as a type of “free time” when nothing else important is happening. However, this couldn’t […]

The Benefits of Virtual Training Although not new, virtual learning has increasingly become a more widely used approach, especially in the wake of the current pandemic. Nearly everyone has been directed to stay at home, which initially seemed like a vacation but quickly became an unwanted situation. With routines upended and everyone limited with access […]

Conflict Resolution Let’s face it, conflict is hard and is bound to happen no matter what ground rules are put into place. Whether it’s on the playground or right in our own homes, children will clash. And while it can create challenging situations, it is a normal event that occurs between children. This is why […]

DOPAMINE The Key to Increased Motivation and Focus in Children and Teens Have you ever wondered why children and teens seem to be so addicted to their smart phones and other devices? Parents are frustrated with their children’s lack of attention and motivation but what do their devices have to do with this? The answer […]

Prompting How can you set your child up for daily success? One of the most effective ways to do this is to focus on prompting instead of punishment. Here’s what you need about prompting your child toward good behavior and decisions: 1. Friendly Competition One of the ways to prompt your child toward good behavior […]

  Nurturing Being a nurturing parent means adjusting your child’s behaviors, not trying to change them. In other words, change the behavior, not the child. 1. Let them Know that Mistakes are Okay I get excited when my son makes a mistake because it gives me the opportunity to teach him, which is what parenting […]

Patience Take a few extra seconds when responding to poor behavior. This demonstrates compassion, empathy, and self-control on your part. Sometimes all you need to do is think about responding in the most patient manner to help re-direct your child. A few seconds can make a big difference. 1. Ask, Listen, Explain Patience helps you […]

Consistency Your child needs to know that no matter what happens, you are always going to be a consistent parent. Maintaining consistency means that you are going to be patient, connected, adaptable, and edutaining with your child all the time so your child knows what to expect from you and you know what to expect […]

How Near-Peer Mentoring Creates Tomorrow’s Leaders Mentoring has been around for many years and has shown to have many positive outcomes for all participants. In SKILLZ Martial Arts, the mentoring program that is implemented is called the STORM Team, or Special Team of Role Models. This is a “near-peer” type mentoring program that is very […]

Realistic Behavioral Expectations What to Expect from 3- and 4-year old’s Children between the ages of 3 and 4 are at a very unique growth period in their lives. They are growing at a rapid rate in all areas of development and are discovering new things daily, while also learning how to cope with new […]

Helping Children Set Age-Appropriate Goals The New Year has arrived, and lofty resolutions have been set. Anything from working out daily to saving money to losing weight, our society knows how to dream big! However, when big dreams aren’t broken down into smaller, achievable goals, failure often ensues. And to make matters worse, our children […]

  ‘Tis the season! A season of giving, a season of patience, a season of all things warm and inviting. Doesn’t it all sound magical? As we go into this time of year, the excitement fills the air and the anticipation of gifts and fun activities encompasses our very being, no matter what age. And […]

In today’s world competition is everywhere and it often starts at a very young age. It begins as a fun, skill-developing event but can quickly become time-consuming and competitive. While some parents want their children pushed to help them learn the hard lessons of life, others want to protect their children from the disappointment that […]

The learning process is vital to healthy development of a child’s brain and their experiences and interactions largely influence how this happens. This process doesn’t just take place in the classroom but in all areas of the child’s life. Because of this, learning is better approached when it is an active process that triggers the […]

Oppositional Defiant Disorder A Supplemental Resource for Families Coping with Oppositional Defiant Disorder All children act out from time to time. However, children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), as defined by the Child Mind Institute, “have a well-established pattern of behavior problems that are more extreme than their peers.” Children with ODD display aggressive behaviors […]