How martial arts helps kids manage anger and focus
By Jenny Peterson
Martial arts is a centuries-old practice rooted in discipline, respect and self-control — qualities that make it especially beneficial for children and adolescents learning to manage their emotions.
“Martial arts is unique to any other physical activity that kids are doing today, because it has specific components that deal with helping them with anger and aggression,” said James Houston, a sensei and black belt who has taught for 30 years and holds private classes across academies in Charleston from traditional karate to Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
“In the nature of martial arts, it’s critically important that you learn how to control your temper. And you learn how to be disciplined in your approach,” he said.
Houston said he’s seen particular improvement in children with ADHD, though he emphasized that benefits extend broadly to all students.
“I personally did sports and different types of activities, but martial arts was the only thing that had that type of effect to hone in on my ADHD,” he said. “It’s not a cure-all, but they do get tools. Those tools just have to be reinforced at home.”
Building Self-Control Through Martial Arts
According to Houston, martial arts instruction varies widely between schools and approaches.
Some emphasize structured character development in every class, while others take a more traditional, gradual approach.
“Sometimes it’s more overt, like in systems where behavior, goals and discipline is discussed every class,” he said. “That’s a more modern approach. The traditional approach is more along the lines of it being learned slowly over time. The first step is self-control — learning to stand still, listen and receive instruction.”
In traditional academies, he said, discipline tends to be stricter because foundational behavior skills are being built from the ground up. He teaches students as young as three years old to adults in their 80s.
“The traditional approach takes more time to teach that way, but I think the effect is more substantial,” he said.
According to Houston, even when students stop taking martial arts classes, they often retain the lessons learned throughout their lives.
“I’ve taught thousands of students over the years, and often, when I run into a student I taught as a child a long time ago, they may not remember how to punch, kick or block, but they always remember the life lessons. They’ll say, ‘I remember in class you said this and it stuck with me forever,’” Houston said. “They remember the character development parts, even if they’ve forgotten all of the physical.”
Breathing and Emotional Regulation
Those lessons often begin with something simple: breath. It’s something many young kids haven’t spent a lot of time paying attention to and is the entry point to meditation and emotional regulation.
“In traditional martial arts systems, it all begins with the breath,” Houston said. “If you can control your breath, you can control your heart rate and your emotional response. When people get upset, the first thing they lose control of is their breathing.”
Houston, who also works as a CEO in financial services, said the same principles apply in business.
“We use these types of training in strategy and negotiation,” he said. “Keeping control over your mind is important in any situation.”
Choosing the Right Martial Arts School
Houston encourages parents to match the style of instruction to their child’s personality and needs.
“The key is finding a martial art that you enjoy. Some students prefer grappling like jiu-jitsu. Others prefer striking arts like karate or taekwondo,” he said.
He also recommends parents visit multiple schools before deciding.
“The best thing is to interview the instructor,” he said. “Make sure your goals align with how that instructor approaches training.”
Programs vary widely, he added — from competition-heavy schools to those focused primarily on character development or cultural tradition.
Teaching Life Skills Beyond the Mat
At Mount Pleasant Family Martial Arts, owner and chief instructor Stile Drewry teaches American freestyle karate to all ages, including kids and teens, which all include lessons they can practice beyond the mat.
“We focus on self-control, respect and self-discipline,” he said. “We teach kicking and punching, but at the end of every class we have what we call a ‘mat chat.’ We talk about what those lessons mean and how they apply at home and school.”
Even simple behaviors, he said, are part of the curriculum.
“Things like saying, ‘yes sir, no sir, yes ma’am, no ma’am’ — that’s self-control,” Drewry said.
Students also learn boundaries, confidence and emotional regulation.
“We teach them to say ‘stop’ and mean it,” he said. “We work on confidence so they can project themselves clearly. That ties into self-control, respect and discipline — doing what you know you should do, even when you don’t want to.”
Family Training and Leadership Development
Drewry said he began a program for family-based training, where parents and children attend class together.
“When families train together, they stay engaged and complete the program together,” he said. “They build memories together and sometimes, those belt graduation photos end up on wedding tables later in life.”
Both Houston and Drewry say martial arts is often thought of as aggression training.
“We redirect energy into something constructive — punching and kicking bags, not people,” he said. “We focus more on self-control than anything else.”
Now in his 40s, Drewry said his own practice in martial arts has evolved. Programs include leadership training for advanced students, a specific track for teens at Mount Pleasant Family Martial Arts.
“We don’t just teach black belts. We teach leaders,” Drewry said.
Drewry also runs beginner programs for children as young as three.
“We start with a game-based program called Little Leaders,” he said. “We teach listening, following directions, and simple self-control.”
The goal, he said, is early intervention.
“If we can get to kids early, they stay out of trouble later in life,” he said.
