
I would recommend martial arts for confidence building, especially in children.
My eldest son started doing Judo when he was 3, and won gold and silver medals in the English Junior Judo championships, he was the youngest in Britain at the time to win these.
he then did a couple more years and decided he didn't want to do it any more.
When he was 11, he decided to take it up again to enter and represent our region in the North west championships. He won this, and again decided he'd had enough,and hasn't done it since, but it built up his confidence no end.
I used to do Shotokan Karate when I was a teenager, but haven't done it since, I don't think martial arts are a bad thing as long as you aren't doing it to attack or be aggressive to other people who aren't taking part in the sport.
I did taekwondo for 8 years, then I switched to taijiquan.
Did some Marine Corps combative training where I incorporated a mix of arts similar to self defense as a Trainer.
I used to do wushu competitions for taijiquan and weapons but lacked the acrobatic skills for many of the changquan (Northern) styles that required fancy moves.
I would have loved to be pushed into doing Martial arts as a child, I decided to try Karate for a couple of months, I then lost interest and gave up, Id have loved if my parents had been more reluctant to allow me to quit.
My step daughter does Takwondo, shes got a room full of medals and trophies, She goes all around europe fighting, I really do envy her.
I think martial arts are amazing just for the self discipline, balance and agility it gets you.
Why couldn't I persevere!