Age

[G95champ]

In truth anyone at any age can train.

 

However my take on it is young kids are wasting there time and the time of others because there is just so much mental things they dont understand.

 

I personally don't like teaching kids under 12 but I have.

 

Many dojo's take in 4 and 5 year olds because its eaisy money and you need money to stay open.

[Karate-addict]

In truth anyone at any age can train.

 

However my take on it is young kids are wasting there time and the time of others because there is just so much mental things they dont understand.

 

I personally don't like teaching kids under 12 but I have.

 

Many dojo's take in 4 and 5 year olds because its eaisy money and you need money to stay open.

I agree, in my Dojo we accept students that are around 15 years old, younger students consider karate as a martial play instead of martial art.

[MASIsshinryu]

In most states, persons of either 15 or 16 years of age are permitted to learn to drive cars. Persons younger than this are assumed to not have the level of maturity required to understand the responsibility associated with control of a device which could easily injure or kill people.

 

Depending on the focus of the dojo, is the ability to injure or kills with your body (or weapons) any different?

 

Dojos which are oriented more towards sport applications will tend towards allowing younger students. As one moves towards training for combat, and increasing levels of realism and "street application," the minimum age usually increases.

 

That said, I absolutely recognize the benefits of MA training for youths. My son (almost 6) has benefitted greatly from my instruction, if even just in his confidence. Would I accept another person's 5-year-old for instruction? No, probably not. If for no other reason than because I do not fully know the values and behaviors being taught in the home.

 

I have never taught anyone under the age of 16.

[username9]

Ok - the basic and clear answer is it varies from Dojo to Dojo - Case in point....ME!

 

When I started I was 7 years olkd - and the local instructor wouldn't take kids under 10, but one of his students had a club near by who takes kids as young as 6 if they can concentrate! - Same Style, Different Clubs, Different Age Limits!

[karategirl06]

In mine you have to be 4...then after that it does not matter how old you are.

[italian_guy]

6 for the kids class, 14 for the adults.

[malanovaus]

Six within the dojo I train at as well. We do accept children as young as 3 but they go to a special class held once a week. Once they are six they are allowed to enter the regular youth class.

[Rateh]

3 is the youngest

they go to a separate class for ages 3-6, some students aged 5 go to the regular kids class.

I know three sounds really young, and i would have never considered teaching them. But my head instructor signed up a three year old shortly after i started the class for our 4-6 year olds, because these students were having difficulty keeping up in the kids class, for obvious reasons

shockingly enough, the three and four year olds go through an amazing change. They are completly different kids between starting and say 4 months of training twice a week. Stand still in a ready stance, follow directions, yes ma'am, raise their hand, can do pushups, jumping jacks, situps, etc...

but of course, they dont learn all that much material in their class

front and roundhouse kicks, four basic blocks, a few strikes, front and horse stance, how to fall correctly, and a few takedowns

[karatekid1975]

I assist in our "Tigers" class. The youngest is 4 (4 to 7 year olds). But they don't learn anything beyond basics (kicks, blocks, ect).

Once they turn 7, they can go to the regular kids class. Even the kids don't learn as much as the adults till they are 2nd gup/kyu, and usually they are older by then (roughly 11 or 12).

To join the adult class, you have to be 12 (there were a few exceptions with kids being much bigger than the average 11 year old that were allowed to join the adult class).

[ninjanurse]

In my previous school, I helped develop and ran the "Karate Rangers" program which was specifically designed for 3 - 5 year olds. It focused on body awareness, attention & learning skills, and basic techniques. At 6 the kids were moved up to the kids classes. This age group is highly capable and are eager learners...not to mention a lot of fun!