should young kids do a martial art?

[Angus]

I reckon if a 3 year old was to do martial arts or something then their training should be limitted to a 'play' kinda thing where they play ball games and skipping and stuff to get their coordination and balance working better. I really don't think kids should start until they're 10, but i started when i was 6, and was doing jump-spinning crescent kicks quite well at the age of 8. I'm a freak!

 

Angus

 

 

[iamrushman]

sorry all....i don't want to step on anyone's toes here.....but my feelings are that martial arts should not begin till at least the sub teen age (10 to 12) due to the need for some sort of maturity level.......coordination isn't the problem but maturity is. you can always learn left from right....but using what you learn on your sibling or classmates should be addressed.

 

 

[Angus]

Yeah, i agree Rush, but we still have that problem with adults using their abilities to hurt and harm. If u find children doing that it's easier to mould them in order to stop them doing it. Kiddies are easilty manipulated, but once someone is opinionated (which is what kids get when they're 10-12+) then u have less of a chance of moulding them. That's the only problemo i can see.

 

Angus

 

 

[Karateka]

If you are going to teach a child at any age, you have to make sure that they realise the philosophy and that they cannot use this for any sort of malicious violence. Also, schools should have a policy that if you have any problems such as if you become a bully, then you could be excommunicated from the school. You should make the kids feel like that they can come to the Sensei's and Senior students if they have any problems. I started when I was 9 in a school which did none of these things. It was only till I joined my new school where this was instituted.

 

 

[Kickbutt]

Part of the training my daughter receives focuses on respect for her instructors and others and to NEVER use what she learns to harm anyone, except in self defence - it's in the creed we recite before every class. If that is instilled properly, then I do not believe there is a problem as far as kids using what they learn on other kids. As far as a 3 yr. old starting - I personally would have waited to start my daughter until she was 5 years old (her age now), as kids that age have a difficult time focusing and tend to have a very short attention span. I've assisted in a couple of the childrens classes where there is a 3 year old and found that it was very difficult to hold her attention and it subsequenty took my time away from the rest of the class.

 

Lori

 

 

[Prodigy-Child]

if ya wanna start your kid at 3 years old thats good.......but good luck with trying to make them stick with it by the time they hit the age of about 12 or 13.......alot of kids phase it out and ive seen it happen many a time

 

personally if i ever have kids im gonna start them off at around the age of 10

 

i started when i was about 12

[kickbuttnat]

in the old days i had to be 10 to start and i couldnt wait! they call the little classes little ningas and mighty morphins but one instructor refuses to teach them because of their attention span. thanks some interesting ideas, nice to find out what you all think.

[kicker]

i think 3 is two young i would go for 6-8 around there when they learn more stuff!!!

[thaiboxerken]

I feel that children don't really understand what the martial arts are really about. It's about combat, some adults don't understand this either. Very mature adolescents and teenagers start to grasp it, but children are there just to have fun. Personally, I don't think teaching kids martial arts is doing anything but paying the bills of martial art schools.

 

 

[Sutton_uk]

10-15 is the time to start young.

 

Any younger their attebtion and maturerate is nothing and some time at 17-18 you dont want to start