Why the Martial Arts You Took as a Kid Didn’t Stick—And Why Aikido Might

Over the last few decades, more Americans than ever have had at least some exposure to the martial arts—often as kids. Youth martial arts programs have seen significant growth since the early 2000s, and today, they’re a common extracurricular activity for children across the country.

If you trained as a child, your experience may have included uniforms, belts, and structured classes that were equal parts physical activity and character-building. And yet, for many, the training didn’t last. Sports, school activities, and social life took over. The dojo faded into memory.

This isn’t a failure on your part—or your parents’. In fact, many parents enrolled their children in martial arts with the best intentions: to promote fitness, focus, discipline, and confidence. And most kids’ programs genuinely try to deliver those outcomes in age-appropriate ways.

But childhood martial arts and adult martial arts serve different purposes—and they speak to different stages of life.

What you may not have realized at the time is that youth programs are often structured around broad accessibility, positive reinforcement, and fun. These are valid goals for children. But they’re also limitations when it comes to unlocking the deeper potential of martial training.

Aikido, like many traditional martial arts, was never meant to be consumed as a product or milestone-based activity. It is a practice—one that deepens with time, attention, and personal introspection. And that’s something most children, quite naturally, aren’t developmentally ready for.

So if your childhood martial arts training felt shallow, or if you’ve always had a faint sense that something was missing, you may have been picking up on this deeper truth. You were sensing the outline of a path that couldn’t yet be walked.

At Aikido Northway, we offer adults the chance to revisit martial arts with new eyes—and new maturity. We train not for trophies or belts, but for insight, connection, and personal transformation. It’s not about going back in time. It’s about moving forward into something deeper.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to return to the martial arts—this is it. I invite you to come train with us.

Book a Free Intro Lesson

No experience needed. Just curiosity and a willingness to begin again.