Do you think it is important for girls to be trained in some martial arts or at least basic self defense?
Is it true that martial arts and self defense training affects their physical development?
Re: Self Defense
Yes and yes. Little girls, especially when they are young, are very sensitive of their environment and martial arts classes (self defense for them is the same thing as martial arts) develops them very strongly and gives them that confidence that is rarely seen in kids who are around ~5 years of age. This gives them familiarity with their surroundings and they remain active from that age onwards. You have to worry less with a kid who is achieving black belt at a very early age.
I think we should take self defense classess atleast.