Kids Weekly Challenge: An At-Home Workout for Young Martial Artists

Our kids weekly challenge is a fun way for young martial artists to keep training at home. In this video, Coach David explains how it works: three staple exercises every week, one new challenge, and a weekly effort goal.

How the Weekly Challenge Works

Every week kids do the same three basic exercises plus one new challenge. They set a baseline at the start of the week and try to improve by the end. When your child submits the challenge, they also submit their effort goal for the week.

What Is an Effort Goal?

An effort goal is something your child controls, not a result. "I want to try to get a takedown." "I want to pull guard 50 times." "I want to attack 20 armbars." It's not "I want to tap everybody out." Teaching kids to focus on effort instead of outcome is one of the most valuable things martial arts can do.

The Three Staple Exercises

• Push-ups: 50 total, in whatever sets work, like five sets of 10 or two sets of 25. Keep the back straight. If the last sets get hard, break them into smaller sets.
• Sit-ups: Sit with legs crisscrossed and feet off the ground, and use a pole or a pillow for support.
• Pulling: Three sets of 10 rope pulls. Parents can hold the rope if there's nowhere to hang it. On the last rep, try to hold halfway as long as possible.

This Week's Challenge: Ball Switch

In a push-up position, kids have 90 seconds to toss a ball from hand to hand as many times as they can. If they drop it, the clock keeps running while they get it back. Record the baseline, then see how much they improve by the end of the week.

Why We Do It

Strength and coordination help kids in jiu-jitsu, and the challenge builds the habit of working hard even when no coach is watching.

Kids Jiu-Jitsu in Hayward

Mindset Martial Arts & Fitness is at 24249 Hesperian Blvd in Hayward, CA, next to Southland Mall, and has been teaching in Hayward for about 16 years. We're a short drive from San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Castro Valley and Union City. Learn more about our kids martial arts program, including our beginner no-gi class for ages 5 to 12 on Mondays from 4:00 to 5:00 PM.

Check the class schedule or reserve your child's first class.