Off The Mat
Welcome to Off The Mat, where we're dedicated to helping parents and athletes of all ages achieve their full potential in sports, particularly martial arts. Whether you're a parent looking to help your child improve their martial arts performance, or an adult looking to get more motivated and become a better version of yourself in martial arts, we've got you covered. Our goal is to provide you with valuable insights and practical tips on how to improve your mindset, training, and overall approach to martial arts. We'll also be sharing inspiring stories of martial artists who have overcome obstacles and achieved great success, discuss about different types of martial arts competitions, their rules and how to prepare for them. So join us on our journey to help you and your loved ones achieve greatness in martial arts, and become the best versions of yourselves. Thank you for being here.
Off The Mat
EP 39: New to Sparring? Help Your Child Win the First Round
Is your child new to sparring? This episode helps you turn those first shaky rounds into confident reps… with safety, patience, and a simple plan.
What you’ll learn
- Why “survival mode” is normal in early sparring
- The driving-lesson analogy that calms first-round nerves
- A quick gear and warm-up checklist parents can remember
- How to coach at home without being critical
- The one metric that matters most early on… consistency
- Josh’s first black belt tournament story and the light-bulb moment kids hit
Parent playbook
- Lead with patience. Praise effort and small wins.
- Ask, “What’s one thing you’ll try next round?”
- Let them figure it out in the ring. Be there, don’t rescue.
- Remind them to breathe. Then move. Then throw one clean combo.
Watch next
Start here: [For Parents: Kids & Sparring playlist link]
Connect with us
Instagram: Josh → https://www.instagram.com/josh.dumoulin/
Instagram: Nicole → https://www.instagram.com/nicole99kicks/
Subscribe: https://m.youtube.com/@offthematpodcast
About Off The Mat
We help parents and martial artists raise strong, confident kids through mindset, skills, and discipline. New episodes weekly… join us.
STAY CONNECTED WITH US
Website | www.championtkd.ca
Josh's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/josh.dumoulin/
Nicole's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/nicole99kicks/
Email | championtkd15@gmail.com
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