MF Martial Arts Doxey

You asked, we listened—Saturday classes are coming to Lichfield!

One of the biggest requests we’ve had from local families is for a Saturday class, so we’re pleased to announce our new Lichfield Elmhurst location.

We launch in just 10 days, on Saturday 19 September, at Lichfield Golf & Country Club, WS13 8HE.

Classes will include:

🥋 Mighty Matts for ages 3–6
🥋 Junior and Family classes for ages 7+

To mark the launch, you can join for just £1. There are no catches and no contracts.

kick your weekend off with a Saturday class for you and your family, you can claim your place now at:

www.mattfiddes.com

THE SKILLS THEY NEED FOR LIFE

“LET ME TRY.”

As parents, we naturally want to help our children.

And sometimes… it would be SO much quicker just to do it for them.

Tie the shoelaces.
Zip the coat.
Carry the bag.
Answer the question.
Fix the problem when they’re struggling.

But there are times when one of the most powerful things we can do is not jump in straight away.

Because in that struggle, something important is happening.

They’re thinking.

They’re problem-solving.

They’re getting frustrated.

They’re trying a different way.

And eventually…

“I DID IT!”

At MF Martial Arts, we see this journey all the time.

A child might initially need lots of reassurance from Mum or Dad.

They may look to their instructor for help at every opportunity.

And that’s absolutely fine.

But gradually, we encourage them to take those little steps for themselves.

Remember their equipment.

Find their place in class.

Work with a new partner.

Try the technique before asking for help.

Answer a question themselves.

Take responsibility when something goes wrong.

Because independence doesn’t suddenly appear when they become teenagers or adults.

WE BUILD IT IN THE LITTLE MOMENTS.

Will they sometimes get it wrong? Yes.

Will it occasionally take three times longer? Definitely!

But every time we give a child an appropriate opportunity to work something out for themselves, we’re giving them a chance to discover:

“I CAN DO THIS.”

And that’s much bigger than martial arts.

It’s a skill they’ll take into school, friendships, challenges and eventually adult life.

We teach it on the mats.
They use it everywhere.

🥋 MF MARTIAL ARTS
THE SKILLS THEY NEED FOR LIFE

Mighty Matts — Ages 3–6
Juniors & Family — Ages 7+
Classes across Staffordshire & Lincolnshire

www.mattfiddes.com

Meet Emily - MF Fazeley Confidence Champion ❤️

This is what her parents had to say

“Emily has grown in confidence and self esteem since starting 18 months ago. Her attitude to lessons is brilliant and she is always striving to improve her technique and ability.
It has been the best decision we made to enrol her in lessons and see her shine.”

Keep up the great work Emily and keep being you ❤️🥋

MF DANCE — I DON’T WANT EVERYONE LOOKING AT ME

Some children will happily dance around the house.

They’ll learn routines in their bedroom, dance to their favourite songs and completely be themselves.

But put them in front of other people and suddenly…

“I don’t want everyone looking at me.”

For some children, being seen can feel incredibly daunting.

What if I make a mistake?
What if I forget the routine?
What if people laugh?
What if I freeze?

At MF Dance, we understand that confidence doesn’t appear overnight.

And being confident doesn’t mean being the loudest or most outgoing child in the room.

Confidence can start very quietly.

Maybe today they watch from the side.

Next time they join in at the back.

Then they dance alongside a friend.

Soon they feel comfortable dancing with their group.

And one day, they may surprise everyone — including themselves.

Because we’re not trying to force children into the spotlight.

We’re giving them opportunities to discover that they don’t have to hide from it.

Dance can give children a place to express themselves, develop friendships, face little challenges and gradually become more comfortable being seen for exactly who they are.

And the confidence they develop doesn’t have to stay in the dance studio.

They can take it into school, friendships, new experiences and everyday life.

You don’t have to be ready today.
Confidence grows one step at a time.

MF DANCE
Move • Belong • Express • Grow

Mini Streetz — Ages 3–6
Juniors & Teens — Ages 7+
Classes across Staffordshire & Lincolnshire

Come as you are. Grow as you dance.

www.mfdance.co.uk

💙 THE SKILLS THEY NEED FOR LIFE

👂 “I SHOULDN’T HAVE TO ASK FIVE TIMES…”

Sound familiar?

“Shoes on please.”

Nothing.

“Shoes. On. Please.”

Still nothing.

Then eventually…

“HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO ASK?!”

Listening is one of the biggest skills children are developing as they grow.

But good listening isn’t simply hearing words.

It’s learning to:

Stop what you’re doing
Listen to what’s being said
Understand the instruction
Respond appropriately
Take action

And that’s something we practise constantly at MF Martial Arts.

When an instructor gives a direction, children learn that they need to stop, look, listen and respond.

Not because we expect children to behave like robots.

Far from it!

It’s because learning to listen helps children become more independent, focused and responsible.

And the great thing is…

We might teach it on the mats. But they use it EVERYWHERE. ❤️

At home
At school
At sports clubs
With family
And importantly, in situations where listening could keep them safe.

For our younger Mighty Matts especially, we don’t expect perfect listening from day one.

We practise it.

Again.

And again.

Until gradually…

“I’ve asked you five times!”

starts becoming…

“Wow… you listened FIRST TIME!” 🙌

And THAT is a win worth celebrating.

🥋 MF Martial Arts

THE SKILLS THEY NEED FOR LIFE

We teach it on the mats. They use it everywhere.

Mighty Matts Ages 3–6
Juniors & Family Ages 7+
Classes across Staffordshire
🌐 www.mattfiddes.com

STRONGER MINDS, NOT JUST STRONGER BODIES

When people think about martial arts, they often think about:

- Kicks
- Punches
- Belts
- Fitness

But some of the most important things we teach can’t be seen.

They’re happening on the inside. ❤️

It’s the nervous child who eventually walks through the door without holding Mum or Dad’s hand.

The child who makes a mistake and says:

“I’ll try again.”

The child who once worried about joining in who now puts their hand up.

The child who discovers:

“I CAN do difficult things.”

Because throughout this series we’ve talked about anxiety, fear of failure, joining in, confidence and resilience.

They’re all connected.

At MF Martial Arts, we’re not here to promise that martial arts makes children’s worries disappear.

What we CAN do is provide a positive environment where children regularly get opportunities to:

- Face small challenges
- Experience success
- Make mistakes safely
- Develop friendships
- Learn to manage frustration
- Build resilience
- Grow in confidence
- Believe in themselves

And sometimes those changes happen so gradually that you don’t notice them straight away.

Until one day you look back and realise just how far they’ve come.

We teach martial arts.

But we’re developing the person wearing the belt.

Because our goal isn’t simply stronger bodies.

It’s…

STRONGER FROM THE INSIDE.

Confidence • Resilience • Self-Belief

MF Martial Arts Staffordshire / Lincolnshire
Mighty Matts Ages 3–6
Juniors & Family Ages 7+
🌐 www.mattfiddes.com

💙 STRONGER FROM THE INSIDE

“I CAN’T DO IT…” YET.

Every child will face things they find difficult.

A tricky piece of schoolwork.
Learning a new skill.
Not being picked for something.
Losing a game.
Making a mistake.

And sometimes the first reaction is:

“I CAN’T DO IT.” 😔

But what if we could help children add one tiny word?

YET. ❤️

“I can’t do it… yet.”

Because resilience isn’t about never getting upset or frustrated.

It’s learning that a difficult moment doesn’t have to be the end of the story.

That’s something children get to practise regularly at MF Martial Arts.

Sometimes a technique doesn’t work.

Sometimes they forget what comes next.

Sometimes somebody else progresses more quickly.

Sometimes they don’t achieve what they hoped for first time.

And that’s when the real learning can happen.

We encourage them to:
- Stop and reset
- Ask for help
- Try a different way
- Keep practising
- Celebrate improvement, not just perfection
- Have another go

Because every time a child struggles and then tries again, they’re learning: