New Kids Program: Ninja Skillz
We are incredibly proud to introduce our Ninja Skillz program again! Ninja Skillz was a student and parent favorite at our Systems Training Center Westwood location. After a turbulent year, the Systems Training Center team has been determined to re-introduce the program, but this time in our Hawthorne location.
Our new talented coach, Gaby Silva, was on the Brazilian National Gymnastics Team is excited to teach the same values and skills she’s developed over her years of competitive gymnastics, in a non-competitive program where each child can progress at their own pace.
The purpose of the Ninja Skillz program is to teach children, from a young age to enjoy their bodies by running, jumping, climbing, balancing, tumbling and much, much more! Children are natural born movers but with COVID-19 movement has naturally gone down. A number of studies being conducted is showing the how the pandemic and one of its many consequences (not moving as much) is impacting children’s mental health. According to a 2020 comprehensive review, "High rates of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic symptoms were identified among children."
Movement (exercise) and social connection are two of the best ways to help improve your child’s mental health after a global crisis. Wendy Suzuki, a professor of Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at NYU states, “Exercise is the most transformative thing you can do for your brain today.”
So if you’re looking to help your child’s mental health, get them moving! The Systems Training Center Ninja Skillz program is a great way for children to get re-engaged with movement in a fun and dynamic class.
What are the Kids Ninja Skillz Classes?
The kids Ninja classes are a fusion between kids’ gymnastics and kids’ obstacle course racing, somewhat similar to Parkour, or freerunning. The program focuses on developing your child’s agility, balance, confidence and understanding how our bodies work biomechanically. These fundamental skills will develop the child’s overall solid base for athleticism and agility and thus, benefit them in other sports such as football, baseball, soccer and so on.
Your child will learn the necessary skills needed to have a solid background in tumbling and obstacle course racing. These skills include safety rolls, cartwheels, round-offs, walkovers and standing back-handsprings. Skills will build on themselves and they will advance when they have developed the strength, coordination, and flexibility to perform them safely.
The class is dynamic and engaging because it will also teach children, speed and agility, body control, develop functional strength, and coordination with our obstacle course races. The skills learned in the class go beyond the physical skills, kids will learn focus, discipline, impulse control, and create an affinity for the love of movement.
This class is for any child that loves to jump, roll, tumble, and loves obstacle courses. The class is fun, engaging, and not to mention a great way to channel all of the energy children have all while helping them develop essential skills to perform acrobatic moves and personal growth!
Benefits of the Kids Ninja Skillz Program
Functional strength
Agility
Athleticism
Flexibility
Coordination and balance
Multi-dimensional movements
Develop both Aerobic and Anaerobic energy systems
Sequencing and memory
Bi-lateral Brain development
Sportsmanship
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Why include a kids gymnastics class with kids martial arts?
There are several reasons why we wanted to have additional classes to the current kids martial arts classes that we offer. The kids martial arts classes that Systems Training Center offers, such as kids Kickboxing and kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu will develop a ton of confidence, athleticism and overall movement, self-esteem, and other life skills.
However, we always emphasize that we want to develop complete martial artists from a young age and what is possibly more of a martial artist than being a ninja?!
Jokes aside, we do want our young athletes to develop in as many ways as possible and gymnastics, tumbling, and acrobatics is arguably one of the most complete human performance sports there is. It also goes hand-in-hand with martial arts in many ways, such as agility, flexibility, balance and functional strength.
Another reason why we wanted to add this class was to break down certain barriers for some children and parents. First and foremost, it can be intimidating for a child (and many times an adult too!) to walk into a martial arts gym for the first time. If a child is already somewhat timid and shy, stepping onto a mat can be too much. The coaches at Systems Training Center like Angel Diaz and Sheridan Lopex, are highly experienced and skilled at helping our introverts come out of our shell or assisting children with social anxiety become more comfortable in social settings. Still, sometimes even the thought of a kids martial arts can be so overwhelming for a child that they may not even come in. Our expert instructors, know from experience that it is a lot easier to get a child to come join in on an obstacle course or playing a game or learning how to tumble. The goal is to meet children at their level and at Systems, we’re focused on creating an empowering environment for all children.
Typically, as the child gains confidence and experiences some accomplishments, they will be more likely and open to want to expand their knowledge and curiosity and be more likely to get into the Kids Kickboxing or Kids BJJ.
So many of the functional body movements that promote overall health such as running, jumping and climbing have been taken out of our day-to-day lives. Many schools have cancelled Physical Education completely, which we believe is going to have terrible long term effects for the next generation. Then sprinkle a global pandemic and school shut downs into this recipe. By supporting kids in developing a love (or at the very least affinity) for movement and associating these moves with having fun, we are helping them set up a future life with more positivity, problem-solving, creativity and activity.
What to expect from the Ninja Skillz Program
Each class will focus on one core skill for tumbling with 1-3 circuits and games the child will complete. The circuits/games support the core skill focused for the class by either focusing on dynamic flexibility and range of motion, body control, or strength. The various elements that make up acrobatic and tumbling movements require both strength and flexibility and it is impossible to master the move without applying varied and interdisciplinary movements.
Some days the classes may be more mobility and strength centric while other days it'll be all about speed and agility. No matter what, each class will have a core focus (handstands, cartwheels, rolls, beams etc.). The obstacle courses will be applied to every other class. Your child will soon be able to complete obstacle courses even a Ninja-warrior would envy.
Leveling Up in Kids Ninja Skillz:
Once your child masters specific skills in the Ninja Skillz curriculum they will be able to level up and engage in more advanced techniques.
Kids Ninja Class Trial
Want your child to try a free class? Please call the front desk to schedule your FREE trial at 424-269-1337!