This is one part of the series, Get Started In The Martial Arts: A Beginner’s Guide.
According to a recent survey, approximately half of all active martial arts students in the USA are under 18 years of age. Why would millions of American parents, who would never let their children play with a real knife or gun, encourage those same children to attend martial arts classes?
Generally, these kids are not learning real martial arts. And this is probably for the best, as small children are physically, intellectually and emotionally unprepared to do so. “Kiddie martial arts” is a mixture of dance and gymnastics, seasoned with superficial self-defense applications and elements of Eastern culture. Deceptive naming aside, it may be a wonderful, age-appropriate experience for your child.
Kiddie martial arts, like real martial arts, can instill the virtues of confidence, patience and perseverance. They are good exercise, and present an opportunity to meet new friends. These benefits notwithstanding, the kiddie approach is not ideal for adult students.
While kiddie martial arts programs are often designed explicitly to exhaust their participants, real martial artists must learn to conserve and channel their energy. While kiddie martial arts programs tend to focus on relatively safe exercises, such as tumbling on soft mats, real martial arts are concerned with inherently dangerous activities. Perhaps most importantly, the simplistic philosophical messages of kiddie martial arts will not assist adults in skillfully navigating the complexities of the real world.
This guide is written for a mature audience–adult students, or parents guiding their children’s practice–and we will explore some of these issues in detail later on. For now, just understand that martial arts are great for both kids and grown-ups alike.
[...] presents Martial Arts Are Just For Kids, Right? posted at DojoScore Martial Arts [...]