Your Opinion, Please.

[sensei8]

Her retiring could mean that she, for whatever reason(s), became burnt out in teaching. It might also mean that she learned that it was better for her to train, than to teach. After all, and not saying that this applies to her, not all "black belts" CAN teach!!

Stepping away from the MMA arena and into starting her own karate dojo might've appealed to her more than teaching MMA; experience in karate as a Sandan speaks a lot for some, and not much for others.

For me, until I see how the floor decides, she spoke out of turn. This causes my stomach to turn!! It's the "look at me" side of the MA that infuriates me to no end.

[Ryu Machida]

Here's some perspective. Why not encourage a kid if they're this naturally gifted? Look at this kid! He's 8! I feel really blessed to see him looking that sharp at this age and know that when I am 60 he could be world boxing champ.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evr4-EqPuwE

I'm not a Karate expert, and I'm new here so feel free to shoot me down, but shouldn't that little girls safety be the only issue? Correct me if I'm wrong but in many styles from what I gather you don't have to do full contact sparring to get a black belt? I have sparred with 30 year old TKD black belts that can't move like this girl. She's a natural athlete.

I don't mean to come in here and deliberately provoke, but to me, (and I studied Kung Fu as a kid), it seems pretty fair that she should earn a black belt if she can learn the Kata. Or would she have to spar heavily to get a black belt? Obviously no one wants to see kids that age getting hurt.

If it's a matter purely of tradition, then I can understand. I know boxing isn't a Martial Art, and Martial Arts are all about tradition. if that's the issue then fair enough. otherwise, why not let her shine?

[Harkon72]

You are right, boxing is a sport. Then again, the question for me is; does she really understand what she is doing? I can compare it to a person singing beautiful Opera without being able to speak or understand the language of the aria. It may sound fantastic, the tradition may sound preserved good and strong in what you can hear; but to the singer, the words are meaningless. So it is with child karateka performing kata; it looks amazing, it has the feel of a real master at work; but the depth of the art is unknown to them. If it was, I would question the ethics of what you should teach a child.

[Ryu Machida]

You are right, boxing is a sport. Then again, the question for me is; does she really understand what she is doing? I can compare it to a person singing beautiful Opera without being able to speak or understand the language of the aria. It may sound fantastic, the tradition may sound preserved good and strong in what you can hear; but to the singer, the words are meaningless. So it is with child karateka performing kata; it looks amazing, it has the feel of a real master at work; but the depth of the art is unknown to them. If it was, I would question the ethics of what you should teach a child.

I see what you mean. But if the raw athletic talent is nurtured and encouraged at that age, can't the wisdom come as they get a little older?

I think the girl in that video is incredible and also absolutely adorable, and I would be very proud to be her Dad. I totally appreciate that she doesn't really understand what she's doing, and if there is a danger that she could go around swinging at other kids her age that really wouldn't be good, but doesn't that apply to life anyway at that age? If her athletic ability is nurtured and she's guided through the process, then couldn't it all come into place? Perhaps someone like that it just requires a very strong positive role model.

When you look at how kids are forced into MMA, gymnastics, music, academia even from the age of 4 or earlier, practising Karate seem pretty healthy to me, all things considered. Just my two cents on the matter....

[Harkon72]

You are right, we do not see the pressure some kids are put under. The "Failure is Not an option" and "There's no such word as Cant", "Pain is weakness leaving the body" school is fine for motivating warriors or young soldiers, but not for 4 year olds. A video was removed from facebook after complaints; it showed two children in a martial arts centre being forced to fight each other. The oldest was 5 years old. The adults were filming and edging them on. It was filmed just down the road from us. If they had fought young dogs like this, they would have been arrested. The mental discipline and focus of the video on this thread is very apparent. The skill is well displayed, but it is a series of martial arts looking movements at the end of the day. Karatedo is mostly internal, with maturity, if this young lady develops it in her mind, then I am sure she will be formidable.