Does it annoy you when people tell you karate is for kids?

[sensei8]

I was reminded of this thread on my way home from the dojo this morning. I pass by 3 MA schools on my way. All 3 advertise to kids. Pretty much every MA school I see ads for is targeting kids. The only MA ads I see targeting adults are for Cardio Kickboxing.

BJJ and MMA ads are pretty much exclusively adult targeted.

Im beginning to think that the stigma has a lot to do with the advertising. Perhaps the ads are catering to the stigma, or they're creating it, or reinforcing it.

I can only speak of my area. No idea what goes on anywhere I haven't been. I have yet to see ads featuring adults sparring or anything else in non-MMA and BJJ ads.

I can respect that schools like this have to satisfy their P&L's bottom line. What better way to pad the bottom line? Cater to kids/parents!! Got to pay the bills and make a living some how and some way without selling their integrity!!

Imho!!

[JR 137]

I was reminded of this thread on my way home from the dojo this morning. I pass by 3 MA schools on my way. All 3 advertise to kids. Pretty much every MA school I see ads for is targeting kids. The only MA ads I see targeting adults are for Cardio Kickboxing.

BJJ and MMA ads are pretty much exclusively adult targeted.

Im beginning to think that the stigma has a lot to do with the advertising. Perhaps the ads are catering to the stigma, or they're creating it, or reinforcing it.

I can only speak of my area. No idea what goes on anywhere I haven't been. I have yet to see ads featuring adults sparring or anything else in non-MMA and BJJ ads.

I can respect that schools like this have to satisfy their P&L's bottom line. What better way to pad the bottom line? Cater to kids/parents!! Got to pay the bills and make a living some how and some way without selling their integrity!!

Imho!!

Absolutely. My post wasn't condemnation of it, just stating what I see. If people want to think it's a kids' thing, let them. I'm quite sure I've got the wrong perspective on quite a few things in every day life that I have pretty much no interest in. Doesn't make me a bad person for it.

[sensei8]

I was reminded of this thread on my way home from the dojo this morning. I pass by 3 MA schools on my way. All 3 advertise to kids. Pretty much every MA school I see ads for is targeting kids. The only MA ads I see targeting adults are for Cardio Kickboxing.

BJJ and MMA ads are pretty much exclusively adult targeted.

Im beginning to think that the stigma has a lot to do with the advertising. Perhaps the ads are catering to the stigma, or they're creating it, or reinforcing it.

I can only speak of my area. No idea what goes on anywhere I haven't been. I have yet to see ads featuring adults sparring or anything else in non-MMA and BJJ ads.

I can respect that schools like this have to satisfy their P&L's bottom line. What better way to pad the bottom line? Cater to kids/parents!! Got to pay the bills and make a living some how and some way without selling their integrity!!

Imho!!

Absolutely. My post wasn't condemnation of it, just stating what I see. If people want to think it's a kids' thing, let them. I'm quite sure I've got the wrong perspective on quite a few things in every day life that I have pretty much no interest in. Doesn't make me a bad person for it.

I didn't take your post as it being a condemnation; just what you've experienced. And yes, you're not a bad person...not at all!!

[Melau]

Karate for kids? Sure, most of the members of a given dojo will be kids, but anybody that has a sensei that is a bit serious in what they're teaching will know that it's not for kids. It is something for raising a child, yes, but once you progress as a child your karate becomes more adult as well.

[sensei8]

Karate for kids? Sure, most of the members of a given dojo will be kids, but anybody that has a sensei that is a bit serious in what they're teaching will know that it's not for kids. It is something for raising a child, yes, but once you progress as a child your karate becomes more adult as well.

Solid post!!

Karate isn't just for kids, it's ALSO for kids, as well as it's for adults; equally across any demographic. For me, it's kind of like saying that McDonalds is just for kids, but adults like McDonalds TOO!!

[Spartacus Maximus]

That's probably why "mcdojos" are so successful...zing!

[Hawkmoon]

The situation is much akin to an unemployed dropout telling an honour student that studying and going to school is for nerds. What is the merit in listening to people who are not in the least informed enough, let alone qualified to discuss karate? Karate is not any more or less of a children's thing than hockey or baseball or cricket.

People who have this concept of karate or martial arts in general have only the most superficial familiarity with the subject and their shallow opinion is only a reflection of the flawed image propagated by popular culture and the entertainment media. They just repeat what they heard or interpret what they saw in a strip-mall dojo when they happened to walk by during the little dragons class.

This is just one of many arguments for keeping karate a personal secret.

Solid post!!

The other day I was talking to a friend about the upcoming Rugby Six nations tournament.

The idea we were considering was to get a few tickets to any of the games and soak up the atmosphere rather than sit in a pub for a change.

Now he suggested we dress up, yes thats right dress up in costumes ... so I threatened to beat him to within a inch of his life and we decided we would wear tees!!

The tees I refer to are in the shops today and read:

If Football was harder it would be called Rugby!

(Football=soccer)

A inter sport jibe about football fans about being a bit soft and Rugby a game for real men..(Its an ongoing thing in the UK, SA, NZ and Australia between the two sets of fans)

But the exchange between me and my mate rang a bell in my mind and this thread! The comments, as the post above states, are made by the less and completely uninformed.

To some of these 'experts' there is stigma or something that they seem to be drawing upon adding to that wry smile or sideways look.

So yes 100% with pointing the finger of blame at the media, but want to add, if we are going to blame them and point to eh evidence of this or that film or TV show... shouldn't we also shoulder some of that blame ?

After all we the practitioners are the guys being filmed in this or that film or TV show actually doing the stuff we point to as being the reason for this stigma at all?

Shouldn't have a level of morality or control something to guide us when the super excited types (yes them guys) jump up and put the foam suits on and do super high kicks of amazing skill in a cardboard city-scape fighting another super happy guy in a costume looking like some alien monster.....

Edited February 15, 2016 by Hawkmoon

[sensei8]

That's probably why "mcdojos" are so successful...zing!

I suppose you're right!! Maybe I should've said...Adults like Disneyland TOO, or something like that, but however, your point is well taken...and funny too!

[kenpokarate805]

Well if somebody tells me karate is for kid i will say you got it all twisted karate is not for kids its for adults too so get it traight

[williams384]