I agree. On the martial arts thing: make sure it's at a reputable place and an actual martial art (Judo, for example), not some kung-chu-aikido bullshit type of

I agree. On the martial arts thing: make sure it's at a reputable place and an actual martial art (Judo, for example), not some kung-chu-aikido bullshit type of thing, unless the goal is only to burn calories and move around. You need competition and fights with a resisting opponent, not a dance session with someone who falls on queue. Not an exhibition "martial art". You need something where two people go at it and there's a definite victor and a vanquished. I'd avoid any place where parents have too much of a say into how things are done or can complain that their child isn't "climbing the belt system" fast enough. I'd also avoid any place where instructors have a mindset of this being a place to play where there's no winner or loser and give away belts to please parents because of financial reasons. The lessons one learns: consistency, diligence, grace, humility are long lasting. One benefit is that it makes people feel at ease around people and act from a place of calm as opposed to feeling threatened by situations or people who do not really represent a threat turning them into reactionary creatures startled by anything. It also makes people keep their cool in situations where others would lose their temper. It also raises the threshold of physical escalation because you get an outlet for physical escalation every day: it's the people who never fight who talk about fighting all the time, are bellicose, feel threatened all the time, get triggered too often, and lose their cool at the slightest tension. These are generalizations of course, but still.