Need advice for young prospective student

[decollet]

I am new to the forum and a mother of prospective martial art student. After a bit of studying, I have not completely decided on which art is best for my son. Can someone advise me on what age is best to start a child into serious instruction? Also any other advice I should know before we get started. Ive read a lot of people say to check out different schools, can you tell me what key elements to look for while Im visiting. Thanks so much.

[Sutiivu]

hello

 

how old is your son? what martials arts do u have in your area?the most important thing would have to be the instructor i would watch to see how the sensei teaches, does he/she make sure the students are doing the actions right, is he/she aggresive, is he/she qualified to teach, do they spar, how do the students act towards eachother and the sensei.

 

The art might be good but if u have a crappy instructor i wouldnt bother going. how much does it cost for him to go. What is the reason your son wants to learn martial arts?

[VinnieDaChin]

bjj! man i wish i had started as a kid, id be a super badass by now.

[jedimc]

Make sure you dont pay to much and look at the students at how good they are and if they muck around in class. their brown and black belts should look very good.

[solar_kid]

I would really recommend Robin Rielly's book Karate Basics. It has a lot of information on what to look for in a school (and I suspect that part of the book is applicable to all MA, not just karate), and it helped me with that same decision. It also can give you a good idea what to expect in a karate training session.

 

That said, I think some instructors really just have a gift for working with kids, and the best way to find out if a prospective school is like this, just go watch one of their kids' classes.

[aefibird]

Hi and welcome to the forum decollet!

 

I agree with solar_kid - the best way for you to find out about martial arts schools is to go along and watch their kids classes. Use gut feeling when you do this - would you be happy for your child to be taught there? If you have even small doubts about the place or the instructors, then look elsewhere. I'd suggest for you to visit a few different martial arts schools anyway, then you'll get a 'feel' for the selection on offer in your local area. Don't just go for the first place you visit.

 

Most martial arts are suitable for children to learn - kids generally pick up things much faster than adults. Plus, they are much more flexible. Popular martial arts for children these days include Tae Kwon Do, Karate and Ju Jitsu. Also, many schools these days have programmes specifically geared towards children and have specific classes for them.

 

Ask the other parents at your sons school - can they recommend a good martial arts place? Many children these days train in martial arts, so someone you know is bound to be able to recommend a martial arts school to you. Personal recommendation is a good thing to have.

 

Good luck in your search for a martial arts school!

[AngelaG]

Check to see if the instructors are police checked, and if someone holds a valid first aid certificate!

[krzychicano]

My son is 4 and he is loving every minute of it. I do agree with alot of the material that has been offered here. I would definitely study the instructors and make sure that they are good with kids.