Team FSC Muay Thai Blog

By Sonny Perez - February 2023

Teamwork Skills at FSC Muay Thai Martial Arts

Our life skill this month at FSC Muay Thai is Teamwork. Teamwork is all about people working together and combining their skills to perform some sort of task effectively and efficiently. Kickboxing may be an individual sport, but here at FSC Exeter we work as a team. No one's going to do a kick for you, but we'll help, encourage and cheer you on whilst you do it!

Not all kids have a large peer group and it can leave them feeling a little lonely. This is why we think it's so important for FSC to have an atmosphere where kids can meet new friends and feel a part of a team without feeling left out. ...Read More

In class we will have the kids work with a partner/group to do various techniques. This allows the kids to get more familiar and comfortable with each other, and the more comfortable they feel the better they'll work together.

Why is teamwork important for kids?

- Teamwork helps improve a child's communication skills. To hear and be heard are powerful tenants of well-being and communication.

- Teamwork helps improve a child's social skills. Teams are a great way to get to know new people, the more people you meet the easier it is to deal with social situations.

- Teamwork helps improve a child's self-confidence. When a child can speak their mind in a group of people who are listening it gives their confidence a boost.

These skills are important for a child to have as they will only get better as they grow older. As adults these skills will be part of their everyday life.

Working in a team can expose them to other's world views which will broaden their understanding while also improving their problem-solving skills, as they may have to manage conflict and other challenges.

Teamwork involves empathy as kids need to connect with each other so that they become helpful and invested. By doing this they'll forge a strong bond of mutual respect. Teams work together much better when there is trust amongst all those involved, especially when all participants share a mutual understanding of care for each other.

Working effectively in a team means that all participants support, help and respect each other. If there is a lack of these components, then the team won't perform well together.

A lot of the time people work solo, and doing so can be easier for some. Not everyone works well in a team or desires to have other people involved with their tasks, some teams don't work together as well as they'd hoped. But there's no doubt that teamwork is important.

Having good teamwork skills will get you far in life. There are so many times in life where you'll have to work in a team and those times are important. They can lead to great outcomes and yield big rewards, so it's best to try to work well collectively.

It's best to practice young. By starting young, your child has the potential to significantly improve their skills which will greatly benefit them in the long run. It's so much easier to start as a child as they are much more susceptible to change, whereas as adults we’re much more set in our ways.

Performing tasks alone can be a daunting experience - especially for kids - so teams can take the pressure off and make them feel more comfortable. Strength really does come in numbers. ...Read Less

By Sonny Perez - July 2022

Never, NEVER Give Up! How Martial Arts build resilience in children

This month we'll be teaching the kids the importance of having perseverance and never quitting, even when things get tough. There will be times in life when things get a little hard and seem impossible to overcome, that's why we're teaching the kids to never give up!

By teaching our kids the importance of never giving up they'll become more confident in what they can do. This will have a huge positive effect on their attitude both at FSC Martial Arts classes and at home. ...Read More

If you continuously give up when challenges seem a little tough, you'll end up in a loop of constant self-doubt and the things you could really enjoy will seem impossible. Every time you try to join some sort of activity or club, you'll feel reluctant to try out anything challenging even when it could be fun.

Eventually you'll stop trying new things all together. You'll fear failure and your attitude will be nothing but negative. You'll hold yourself back from reaching your potential and will be afraid of leaving your comfort zone.

It starts early. If we allow our kids to give up and quit every time they feel a bit uncomfortable, then they'll end up like that. We'll never get to see them become the people we know they can be, and they'll never take part in activities.

Resilience is our ability to adapt and bounce back when things don’t go as planned. Children who learn to be resilient will recover from setbacks much quicker, making them more confident and feel more capable when problems come along. They'll have faith in their abilities which will help them become confident and optimistic people.

Learning to become resilient is super important for our children's mental health. It’s a skill we carry into adulthood and the more resilient a person is, the better they handle stress and deal with life's pressures. Building resilience in children not only helps them to face and overcome obstacles, but it also reduces their chances of suffering from anxiety.

At FSC Martial Arts and Muay Thai classes, we teach our kids to never give up by using mini challenges of perseverance. These small challenges make them focus and try their hardest, and by overcoming these their attitude becomes more positive and their confidence improves.

Building resilience is often down to the individual person; but surrounding yourself with people who make you better and help you develop is a big help. If we allow our kids to be around people who don’t have their best interests at heart, then they won't fully develop into the brave resilient people they can be. Kids need a positive influence in their lives, they need people that they can look up to, they need role models.

By starting early, we're instilling good habits that they'll carry for the rest of their lives. This will help to keep them working hard and driving forward to reach their goals. If we teach them that quitting isn't an option, they'll have no choice but to push through and persevere. They won't fear failure and will keep their heads up high while they push on.

Here at FSC Muay Thai, we talk a lot about having a 'Black Pradjeat Attitude'. This means giving it their all, staying focused and most importantly NEVER GIVING UP!

A Black Pradjeat is a common goal all students have, so we make sure to teach them that it's not just about how good of a martial artist you are, it's about your attitude too. If they have a negative attitude and give up easily then they'll never achieve it.

Giving up is never an option for champions. Giving up is like going back to the start. The only way we should go is forward.

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By Sonny Perez - June 2022

How Martial Arts can build Self-Belief

Believing in yourself means having faith in your own capabilities. It means believing that you can do whatever you put your mind to.

It’s easy to dwell on our weaknesses and see them as flaws, which can diminish any faith we have in ourselves. If we focus on our strengths, then our confidence will increase. ...Read More

Teaching our kids to believe in themselves will bring on their confidence and self-esteem tenfold. Without this, they’ll never unlock their true potential.

Here at FSC Muay Thai, we use martial arts to get children confident in themselves and let their true potential show. This way they can become the absolute best versions of themselves. We strive to help them overcome self-doubt and get things done. We want them to acknowledge that the only way to get things done is by having faith in - and acting upon it - themselves.

An important thing to have is the 'YES I CAN' attitude.

We teach our children that if any kind of challenge comes their way, they don't doubt themselves or give up – they stand tall, take a deep breath and say 'YES I CAN!'

Having this attitude will help them build self-confidence and belief. Even if they still doubt themselves, we teach them to say it out loud. Fake it till you make it!

It’s great for kids to have goals in life. These goals are what drive them to succeed, and in order to achieve them they'll have to take a few risks and face a few challenges along the way.

“IF IT’S MEANT TO BE, IT’S UP TO ME!”

For goals to be achieved, we teach our kids they must push through and take action. We can assist them along the way, but only they can unleash their full potential. Self-belief doesn’t usually come naturally, but the more they tell themselves they can achieve anything the more likely they are to succeed. The more they succeed then the more their confidence will grow.

Fear is something that everyone feels, its normal. How we react to fear is what divides us. There are some who run from it and there are others who face it. Fear isn't telling us to run away and hide, it’s encouraging us to take action and not hold back. Here at FSC we encourage our kids to not run away from fear but embrace it.

Failure is something that holds some kids back because they think that if they fail once then they'll fail every time. That's not true. Having that mindset is what's holding them back. Failure is just another step towards success, by moving on and learning from it they're changing their perspective on it. This will lead to success faster.

If our kids know how to learn from their mistakes, they'll then be more comfortable making them. Making mistakes is completely normal and a great way to learn and become better.

Don’t feel ashamed of your mistakes, feel proud of your new lesson.

Even as adults, we sometimes give up because we forget what we're working towards, we forget our end goal. If you feel like giving up then remember what your goals and dreams are, remember how important they are to you. This is the most important lesson.

If you believe in yourself, anything is possible.

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By Sonny Perez - May 2022

Fostering a Child's Growth Mindset through Martial Arts Practice

Having a growth mindset means believing you can improve your skills and knowledge. You're willing to put in the work and enjoy taking on new challenges. May at Team FSC Muay Thai is all about learning the benefits of having a growth mindset, and how to improve this. This helps our students work hard for their goals and to develop that ‘never give up’ attitude.

How to develop a growth mindset

Change your self-talk:
Get rid of negative words like "can't" and add growth-minded words like "yet". "I haven't reached my goals yet" ...Read More

Practice visualisation:

If you picture yourself achieving your goals, then you'll be more confident and more likely to attain them.

Overcome fear of failure:

If you want to achieve big things, you will fail along the way. It’s completely normal and part of the process - so don't give up! Having a growth mindset doesn't mean that you're not going to fail, it means that you'll use it as a steppingstone to greater things.

Understand the power of yet:

'Yet' is a very powerful word. It can change the course of your future just by adding it to your vocabulary. This is one that we regularly express to our students, as this can change their mindset in a massively positive way. It makes them more ambitious and not afraid of failure; they become amazing young people who their peers look up to.

A lot of kids think that if they fail once, they'll fail again (making them more likely to give up and less likely to try new things), they fear the challenges ahead and try to stay in their comfort zone. It's our job at FSC Muay Thai to help guide them to embrace these challenges!

Failure is a part of everyone's journey, and how we react to it is how it divides us. If we teach our kids about the normality of failure and how we can use it to further better ourselves, they'll then truly start to understand the importance of a growth mindset. To really prosper in life, they must grab every opportunity and not let go.

A growth mindset isn’t just about personal development; it helps your child feel more confident and embrace change. They won't look at challenges as chores but rather as new experiences. They'll take on tasks that previously seemed impossible with confidence and drive, trying their hardest to push through the situation.

We ensure that every kid feels noticed and motivated to do their best.

The reverse of a growth mindset is a fixed mindset. Those who think this way believe they can't improve their skills or better themselves. Having a fixed mindset can cause people to not take risks and try to play it safe, but it also means they aren’t fulfilling their potential.

We don't want our kids to have a fixed mindset as this can be the barrier that holds them back from doing amazing things. They'll give up easily and won't believe that they can better their skills. They won't have much drive for the future and may give up on their dreams if they seem too far out of reach.

We teach our students that with hard work and dedication, everyone can improve their skills. If they believe this, then they'll truly strive to grow in so many ways. We want them to unlock their true potential and strive for greatness while we help and guide them along the way. All our instructors want nothing but the best for our students, and we're always going to be here to give advice and guidance when they need it. ...Read Less

By Sonny Perez - Jan 2022

Martial Arts can help your child set and achieve goals

Setting goals is the first step. By setting goals you're setting up the finish line, now it's your job to get there. Goals are especially important for kids as it helps them strive for something and feel that sense of achievement. Without a goal, it’s too easy to feel stuck in one place with nothing to work towards.

What do you want to achieve? Ask this to your child. If they have something they dream of, then they'll be more excited and motivated to work towards it. If they don't have a dream or ambition, then ask them if there’s something small they’d like to achieve. Goals don't have to be big to motivate someone. For some kids something as small as improving grades can be an effective goal. ...Read More

Once a goal has been set a plan should be made. What must you do to achieve your goal? There will be lots of small steps that need to be taken before reaching the final goal, so be patient. It's vital that you reassure your kids along the way to prevent them feeling discouraged, especially if they feel like they're getting nowhere. Remind them of what they're working towards and help guide them in the right direction.

Achieving goals is a great way for kids to boost their confidence and self-esteem. This is especially beneficial since they may be going through times of uncertainty and self-doubt. Achieving even the smallest goals is going to make them feel more accomplished and organised.

One thing we instil in our students is the black pradjeat success cycle.

Know what you want.

Know your goal, big or small. You can't aim for what you can't see.

Have a plan.

A plan will help you map out each step along the way so that your journey is as smooth as possible.

And a success coach.

Have someone in your life who is going to give you good advice and guide you in the right direction. This can be a parent, a friend or anyone else who wants the best for your child.

Take consistent action.

Do everything you can to make your dream come true. You need to work every day to get closer and closer to your end desire.

Review your progress.

Make sure you’re still on track, and if not do what needs to be done to get you back there.

Renew your goals.

Once you’ve finally reached your goal, set yourself another!

By using our Black Pradjeat success cycle, your kids will be more motivated and driven to achieve their goals. This cycle gives them clarity and a plan, which then gives them more confidence in themselves to go forward and smash those goals.

It's a new year so there's no better time to set them resolutions. Ask your kids what they want to do differently this year. Asking questions like this is more helpful for prompting an answer, whereas simply asking "what goals do you want to achieve?" can seem daunting to a child.

Good questions to ask are:

"What do you want to do differently this year?"

"What do you want to do differently at school?"

"Do you want to join a new club activity?"

"Do you want to learn a new skill?"

We should all have something to aim towards this 2022, big or small. Goals are what keep us exited for the future and what may come. ...Read Less

By Sonny Perez - December 2021

A sense of gratitude can be nurtured through regular martial arts training

December at FSC Muay Thai is all about Gratitude 🙏🏽
Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what we receive. With gratitude, we acknowledge the goodness in our lives.

5 ways we can show gratitude:
-Be present - show gratitude by showing up and paying attention. Put your phone away and open your ears.
-Smile - smiling is contagious in a good way! Spread happiness wherever you can.
-Give out compliments - make someone's day by complimenting anything about them.
-Write a thank you note - leave a note for someone if they've helped you out in any way.
-Volunteer your time - donate your time by helping with a local charity or assisting a neighbour. ...Read More

Here at FSC Muay Thai, we make sure to remind the kids to show gratitude to the people in their lives, especially their parents/guardians. These people do so much for them so showing gratitude is essential.

We make sure they realise how much their parents/guardians do for them daily. Small acknowledgements of appreciation really go far - this month we’ve emphasised the importance of them saying thank you to whoever drops them off and picks them up from martial arts. Saying something as simple as thank you is a great way to show appreciation and gratitude, so we make sure that the kids know this.

Gratitude isn't just targeted towards family members; it can be towards friends and people who have helped you at some point. People can be thankful to life itself for all the good that it has brought. Having the kids think about all the good they've received helps them feel gratitude towards others. Some people don't feel gratitude because they don't realise how much has been given to them, and when this happens they tend to take what they have for granted.

In order to feel gratitude, it sometimes takes someone else to put everything into perspective. We’re teaching our kids the importance of gratitude so they understand how much is given to them by others. We have them think about how they get to go to clubs and fun places, the games they have at home and the pets they have. We make sure they feel grateful for these things so they aren't taken for granted.

Not everyone has the same living conditions, and a lot of kids don't realise this. They don't think of having a TV in their room as a luxury, they think it’s normal. But for others having a TV in their room is unheard of. Learning that not everyone lives the same way can be a humbling experience.

Gratitude is extremely important. It gives us a positive mind set and saying something as simple as 'thank you' can make someone's day. Gratitude brings us closer to people along with giving us a great appreciation for the world and our lives. Having this positivity in our lives is what gives us motivation and drives us and our kids to do whatever we dream of. ...Read Less

By Sonny Perez - November 2021

Respect in martial arts for your child

Respect is a key core value that our children must learn. Without respect in society, the world would be a very unpleasant place.

Respect should be taught (and shown) to kids so that they can grow and become the best version of themselves. Here are just some of the benefits of teaching our kids respect. ...Read More

TOLERANCE

Everyone is bound to face some sort of conflict in their life. Teaching them respect will ensure that they try to get through it in a productive manner, even though they may not agree with what's being said.

LISTENING

Listening is a key part of respect. Being taught how to communicate with others properly will allow people to converse is a respectful manner. This means understanding and taking in what others are saying and giving an appropriate response.

OPEN-MINDED

Having respect means that your child will not judge strangers especially if they know nothing about them. They'll work to get to know them before making snap judgements.

There are many different kinds of respect, for example:

Respect for others - being accepting and kind to other people.

Respect for culture - recognising and appreciating other's beliefs and religions. Being understanding and non judgemental of other's traditions and opinions, even though you may not fully agree with them.

Respect for yourself - appreciating and accepting yourself for who you truly are despite what others may think or say.

There are so many more, but self respect can often be overlooked. Having self respect is extremely important, as without it you can't become the best version of yourself. You'll become your own hurdle in life. If you don't believe in yourself then you won't succeed as much as you could.

At FSC Muay Thai we believe in all of our students. If we believe in them and show it then they'll start to believe in themselves, and will become the absolute best version of themselves. Goals will be achieved much easier and their mindset will change positively.

Respect is such an important thing that's put into effect every day. Being polite to strangers, having self control, even helping out the elderly is such an important thing that may seem insignificant but shows a massive amount of respect.

As adults we need to have respect for children. If we have no respect for children then how can we expect them to have respect for us. Having respect for children is especially important for instructors, we want these kids to trust and listen to us. If we don't respect them we understand they won't respect us.

At FSC Muay Thai we believe in our students as much as they believe in us. We treat everyone how we would like to be treated. Respectfully.

Having a mutual respect with our students allows us to help them reach their full potential. ...Read Less