What age to start martial arts????

[Heather in Neverland]

For those of you experienced in martial arts (either yourself or your kids)...what is a good age to get them started?

 

Question #2...and this may seem weird...but our youngest ds (almost 5yo) is adopted from Korea. Is it way too cliche to put him in martial arts? We have gotten comments since we first got him about him being good at karate because he is Asian (ridiculous, I know, but you would be surprised what people think and say). I love the martial arts and I think he would like it but am I setting him up for rude/ridiculous comments???

[Snickerdoodle]

I wouldn't do it before 6 or 7. That's when we started my son and it seemed like a good age where he could follow directions and take some responsibility for doing things himself and take some pride in doing things right/well.

 

There are lots of 4-6 year olds in his current studio and frankly, when I see them I think it's a bit of a waste of money since the kids seem not ready to move their bodies in the right way to learn the forms.

 

Of course, other people may disagree.

[JudoMom]

We started ds9 & ds8 when they just turned 6 & 5, ds6 started when he turned 5, and ds4 has done a few classes, but will officially start when he turns 5 (I was on the mats and was able to help him quite a bit, and he'd been watching for years so he knows some basics already). From what I've experienced (I teach the basic falls to incoming students in our club), many 5 year olds are ready. Most 4 year olds are not. 6 year olds pick it up a lot faster.

 

I wouldn't worry about any comments you might get from people. If you like martial arts, and your son would enjoy it, don't let what people might say stop you. I can see why those comments would be annoying, but I don't think you're setting him up for ridicule.

[Julie in AZ]

A place to start may be www.homeschoolkarate.com and try it at home. My kids really enjoy the program. They've learned a lot and gained good skills that would transfer to a class setting. :)

[Jeannie in NJ]

my son age 11 has been in karate since he was a couple of months shy of 6. He is Korean (the only Asian in the class) and we have never had any comments made regarding Asian and Karate. He is in about the middle range regarding skills, not any better or worse than non-Asians.

 

I have noticed that about age 6 seems to be a good age to start, I have noticed younger kids seem to have more trouble paying attention for the required class time.

[lulubelle]

I think it depends on the school and the child. We looked at 3 different one's before deciding to give it a try when my son was 5, which was just about 1 year ago. The school has a seperate age group for 4-6 year olds. It is just a 1/2 hour class. We have really liked his progress. Also, our 4 year old was just watering at the mouth to start it too, as as soon as he turned 4. Our 4 year old is very coordinated and athletic. We waited 2 months after his birthday so he started in the summer when the school is much smaller. He has really excelled and loves it! I do not feel it is a waste of money for us. They have both learned great skills and great character building! We plan for them to go through to a junior black belt. That has been our experience.

[Heather in Neverland]

Judomom...your avatar is a stitch! :lol:

 

Ds will be 5yo in February. He does listen and follow instructions well but I wonder if he could move his body the way he is supposed to??? I don't want to sign him up until he is ready AND capable of learning real martial arts-type things, ya know? Like I thought he might like gymnastics since he is always doing flips around the house. So I signed him up and paid a small fortune and it is nothing more than a bunch of 4yo running around the gym and jumping on things. There is no actual instruction going on. I don't want to do that again. So can 5yo kids handle actual martial arts instruction or is it more...ummmm...."unstructured"?:tongue_smilie:

[JudoMom]

Judomom...your avatar is a stitch! :lol:

 

Ds will be 5yo in February. He does listen and follow instructions well but I wonder if he could move his body the way he is supposed to??? I don't want to sign him up until he is ready AND capable of learning real martial arts-type things, ya know? Like I thought he might like gymnastics since he is always doing flips around the house. So I signed him up and paid a small fortune and it is nothing more than a bunch of 4yo running around the gym and jumping on things. There is no actual instruction going on. I don't want to do that again. So can 5yo kids handle actual martial arts instruction or is it more...ummmm...."unstructured"?:tongue_smilie:

 

It really depends on the kid.

 

In our club, we have students in the junior class from 5-adult. They are taught the same moves at the same time.

 

Most martial arts places will let you try some classes for free, so you might want to check into that. Also, if you don't like one dojo, check out another if possible because they vary widely.

[momof165]

My son started Taekwondo when he was 7, now he is 9. He tried Taekwondo when he was 5 but didn't like it. At age 7, he wanted to give it another try - and at this time he was ready. Now, he just loves Martial Arts and trains 3x a week for 1-2 hours. So, I guess it depends on your child. Don't worry about any comments - in my son's school there are many Koreans, Chinese and Japanese taking Taekwondo and everyone just thinks it's cool. :)

 

Sonja

____________________________________________

Homeschooling JUST ONE - ds 9

[Kris]

So can 5yo kids handle actual martial arts instruction or is it more...ummmm...."unstructured"?:tongue_smilie:

 

It really depends on the kid and the school. We have little ones at our school who aren't ready to do "real" martial arts, but they are learning the life lessons that our instructor teaches. On the other hand, we have a boy who just turned eight, I believe, who is a second degree black belt and is absolutely awesome, having earned at least two championships.

 

Our school offers a "free trial" of a week or two. You might want to see if the one you're looking into does that.

[2cents]

I'm a Black Belt and I started TKD with my son when he was 9. We both had our Black Belts by the time he was 11. That is pretty fast but we were at the studio about 4x a week (had a great unlimited attendance deal). I have seen very young children 3 and 4 yrs old and honestly don't think the skill is very meaningful for that age. Some studios have tot classes that only stress working together and the dicipline aspect without learning the forms and meanings. This is IMO more age appropriate and a good intro to learning the rest when they are older. I think a good age to start is IMO no earlier than a mature 5 yr old or better 6. At those ages they also have the coordination to handle some of the precise moves and the height is also a factor in sparring. I also urge anyone who can take the class with their children to think about it. It is a great bonding activity and something you'll always be proud you did together. :)

[Krista in LA]

My kids and I all take tkd and should be earning our 2nd degree black belts in the next month or two. I also teach at the school and have seen a big difference based on age. My dd was 9 when we started. She also did ballet so she had a good combination of coordination, balance and flexibility. She was good at following instructions at that age also. My ds was 6. He was able to learn everything just as quickly as my dd, but didn't have as good of technique. In teaching, I have found that there does seem to be a difference around 6, especially in boys. We even have a separate program for the under 6 crowd that is designed for younger children that have a shorter attention span. It uses a lot of games that help develop martial arts skills as well as teaching them the white belt material at a slower speed. I have never seen a martial arts class that was unstructured, even with the younger ones.

 

So, the short answer to your question is, if he really wants to start now then go ahead. As long as you find a good school, he will be learning and growing. If he isn't asking to do it yet, then you might want to wait another year or two.

[chiguirre]

This is my 5yo's second year of TKD. Last year she was in a 4-6 class that didn't include forms. I do think it was worthwhile because it did help develop her balance and strength, but it wasn't essential. This year she's in a mixed age hs class and is definitely less coordinated than the older kids. She still likes the class and admires her teacher (a hs mom) so I don't mind taking her even if she isn't 100% ready to learn her forms or test for a higher belt. How worthwhile it is to start before 6 or 7 depends on your goals and budget.

[joannqn]

My son's TKD school starts at age 5 but will take a 4 year old who is ready. How well the kids do seems to depend on the kid (and probably the parenting that the get). My son started a couple weeks before he was 6 and has consistently been complimented by the instructor and master for his discipline, dedication, and leadership in class. They sometimes have him teaching forms to kids older than him.

 

On the other hand, there are some older-than-my-son kids who we wish would quit or get asked to leave. One particular family has all three of their kids in TKD because the youngest (just turned 5) wants to be there. The older siblings are forced to participate even though they don't want to and it shows as they are VERY sloppy on their techniques, don't pay attention, and often goof off.

[dirty ethel rackham]

It depends on the studio and the child. If the studio as an age appropriate class (under 6 class designed for short attention spans) AND the child really wants to do it (like is bouncing off the walls), then I say "go for it." As far as the Asian cliche, I saw a t-shirt in a martial arts supply catalog that said "It's just safer to assume I know Karate." It cracked me up. No, it would not be cliche. At my sons' studio, there are many kids of Asian descent: Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Philipino, etc.

 

ETA: There are many kids at our studio who are upper belts (like purple and brown soon to test for black) who started out at 3 and 4 years old. Other kids have come and gone out of this program, but none have regretted doing it. Most of the parents signed the kids up just to give them an outlet for all that little kid energy. In some, it lit a spark. In others, it was a great way to be energetic in a safe, structured environment.

Edited January 3, 2009 by dirty ethel rackham

[Tree House Academy]

I think it totally depends on the child. My oldest ds started a Karate class with our homeschool co-op this year. He is 9 and has ADHD. Any time before this year, there is no way he could have been quiet and listened to his instructor.

 

However, I have a friend from another board and her son is barely 6 and he is a green belt - working on the next level.

 

It totally depends on maturity and interest, IMO.

[Laura K (NC)]

A younger student might benefit from the mental discipline, but won't be ready mentally or physically for a true black belt, imo. I disagree with the notion of martial arts being a track, like schoolwork, from which you periodically graduate to new levels. Pretty soon you either run out of levels or the child gets discouraged that he isn't getting rewarded with a different color belt for all his hard work.

 

I know of a black belt who was really sharp even at 10 years old. He was singularly driven and had remarkable focus. He was able to teach classes before he was 11. I guess it's possible, then, even for a youngster. Just keep in mind that it's the journey, not the destination, with martial arts. That would be an excellent lesson for a student to learn.

[phathui5]

My eight year old started a year ago this month, in Jan of 2008. He was seven and I think it was a good age for him to start.

[Laura Corin]

Seven or eight is a good age, depending on the child's self control and ability to concentrate.

 

Laura

[hsmamainva]

My 9yo started taking Tae Kwon Do lessons when he was 7 and I think that's a great time. I've watched many classes at the school and around 6 or 7 is when they can really start to pay attention in class and truly participate. The ones that are 5 and under usually have a bad case of the wiggles and giggles. But there are exceptions.

 

My son loves it and I would describe him as 'driven'. He will probably receive his black belt when he's 10 and begin teaching classes.

 

My oldest daughter is 3 months away from her black belt, however, she didn't start taking lessons until she was 14 (she's 17 now).

[Omma]

My ds was adopted from Korea, too, BTW! :grouphug: He likes it that TKD originated from Korea and that he gets to learn it! And he hasn't gotten any negative comments. I must add, however, that his TKD instructor happens to also have a son that he adopted from Korea!

 

My ds tried TKD when he was 5, and was crying in the middle of classes, so we stopped that, quick. We ended up giving him 2 years of gymnastics which really helped me in his coordination, flexibility, balance and strength. He decided this past summer that he wanted to try TKD again (this time it was his idea, not mine) and he has really enjoyed it. He is 8 years old and is doing quite well with it now.

 

Brenda

[Desert Rat]

Our TKD class has several Korean families attending. I think it's a great way to incorporate his birthplace into his life.

My oldest started at 6 and has been taking classes for 2 years. He's about 3 steps away from black belt status but our master waits until 14 to test. My youngest started at 5 and is moving very slowly, which is fine with me. I love our master and he is really good with kids. I think more important than age is the right school. We found ours through our city programs and he's independent, reasonably priced and does really care about the kids (and adults). He chooses his helpers carefully and I've been very pleased with the way TKD has built Huck's confidence and coordination both of which he was really lacking.

HTH

[nmoira]

 

I think it depends on the school and the child.

Yes. My girls' Aikido dojo has a 45 minute 4-6yo peewee class. It's very gentle and appropriate for most kids in that age range. However, we've see a few kids leave for a year or so after a couple months of classes because they did not yet have sufficient self control (even in a very gentle and nurturing atmosphere). OTOH, my 4yo is not only ready, but will probably have to pulled out due to boredom after a year or so because serious work doesn't start until the 7-14yo class. She's physically adept and already is unhappy that she doesn't get to do what her big sister is doing.

[Doran]

My daughters and I started taking karate classes 7 years ago. Dd1 was 8 (barely), and dd2 was 5 (2+ months shy of 6). I have said for years that the youngest would never have survived the initial month had I not also been in the class with her. Older daughter would likely have been just fine, even if she'd been only 5 when she began, but "little bit" is too distractible. Coordinated? Yes, quite. Able to follow instructions well. Absolutely, and better than her older sister! Attentive. Sure. To a point. If she's really interested in it. That point, in that class, was/is about an hour. Pity that it's a two hour class! You get where I'm going here.

 

We are still members of the same dojo, but since the kids started in public school in August, it's been nearly impossible for us to manage our schedules in such a way as to continue attending. I'm really sorry about that, and so is dd1. Dd2 really has very little interest in going back, and frankly, her interest has been gone for well over a year (she's now 12). I wonder sometimes whether she'd have had more extended interest if we'd waited until she was older to begin.

 

It is a very discipline intensive practice. For some kids, that works very well. For others, not so much, in which case there are probably many other suitable activities "out there".

 

Good luck with your decision,

[G5052]

Our Aikido dojo says age 8 for girls, and age 9 for boys, but they ask a lot of questions before accepting kids that young because it's serious training and they want a certain level of focus and discipline. They're also good in that they will let anyone do up to two free classes and then you just pay month-to-month (no contract) and can stop and start for any length of time without paying.

 

My older one was 9, and my younger one was a few months shy of 9, and they both found it very difficult at first but love it now. One is a green belt, and one is a yellow belt.

 

We're perpetually tight financially, but this is something we've kept on with for some time now.

[Cricket]

We started both of our sons at 6 years old. That was a good age. I've seen a number of 4 and 5 year olds in classes and it's my opinion that they are just too young. They can't advance nearly as fast as older students. When they do finally understand what moves they should be doing, they still can't do the moves as well. Even that said, our oldest is almost 11 and while he has always shown talent, we've seen great improvement over the last year.

 

The gym we went to before had many Korean students. The instructor is from Korea (he moved to this country about 10 years ago) and I'd say almost half of the students were 1st or 2nd generation immigrants.

[Terabith]

The real question here is not his age, but the school. You need to visit several studios and talk to some parents who have kids in the school. In general, I think in most cases and most schools, I'd wait until the child was seven. However, there are some instructors and studios that are really superb with younger kids. I would prefer to see five year olds in a class for younger kids (say, a 4-6 year old class), as opposed to a class for five to twelve year olds. My second choice with that age, would be a family class with lots of parent child pairs (and for you to take along with him).

 

It's not that most five year olds can't learn genuine martial arts skills. My concerns are that most do not have the stamina or focus for a long class (hour to an hour and a half of high intensity work and focus), and also that most five year olds have a hard time with the notion of self defence (that we don't use the things we learn in the studio when we are not in the studio unless it's an emergency). It is difficult to teach a five year old in a developmentally appropriate and still authentic martial arts studio. It is almost impossible to do this while simultaneously meeting the needs and skills of 10-12 year olds or teenagers.

 

However, especially if I had a child who was desperate to start karate, I would look for a studio that had a program for young kids. If I couldn't find one, I'd probably wait until he/ she was six and try to find an instructor who is really good with kids.

[MrsMe]

We go through ATA. Karate for kids starts at age 3-1/2 to 4. It's a fantanstic Taekwondo program made especially for kids from early (Tiny Tigers to Karate Kids) to adult and they have locations throughout the states. It teaches life skills as well; perseverence, confidence, integrity, respect, etc. Classes are 40 minutes and they know how to handle kids extremely well. Classes include listening skills, teaching calestics along w/karate to get them ready for karate moves. I can't recommend them enough. At least in our area, they handle the kiddos better than I do.

 

www.ataonline.com

Edited January 4, 2009 by alilac

[Stacy in NJ]

Yes. My girls' Aikido dojo has a 45 minute 4-6yo peewee class. It's very gentle and appropriate for most kids in that age range. However, we've see a few kids leave for a year or so after a couple months of classes because they did not yet have sufficient self control (even in a very gentle and nurturing atmosphere). OTOH, my 4yo is not only ready, but will probably have to pulled out due to boredom after a year or so because serious work doesn't start until the 7-14yo class. She's physically adept and already is unhappy that she doesn't get to do what her big sister is doing.

 

 

Our dojo in NJ discourages Aikido before age 7. We don't have age segregrated classes, though. My dss both started between 6 and 7. My dh has been practicing for nearly 20 years, so it's something they've done together.

[nmoira]

Our dojo in NJ discourages Aikido before age 7. We don't have age segregrated classes, though. My dss both started between 6 and 7. My dh has been practicing for nearly 20 years, so it's something they've done together.

It depends on the class. Our PeeWee class doesn't do much... stretching, back falls, forward rolls, knee walking, and back rolls (over an exercise ball). The fanciest it gets is practicing koku dosa after playing a game of tip the teacher to learn about applying force across corners. Much of the class is spent doing large muscle exercise -- GI Joe crawling, crab walk, etc. They keep it fun, but expect a certain degree of self-control. OTOH, a friend of DD the Elder was in a more rigorous PeeWee class at another dojo, and while it worked out OK for him, it wasn't an approach with which I was comfortable.

[PiCO]

Like I thought he might like gymnastics since he is always doing flips around the house. So I signed him up and paid a small fortune and it is nothing more than a bunch of 4yo running around the gym and jumping on things. There is no actual instruction going on. I don't want to do that again.

 

I just have to comment on this- I hate it when places do this! There was a franchise in my town that was charging an arm and a leg for toddler gymnastics, and it was just play time. There are places out there that actually teach gymnastics to young children though- if anyone is looking, just observe a class. You'll be able to tell if they are teaching gymnastics or having play time. Yes, young children can learn!

 

Heather- I'm sorry you had a bad experience.

[Doran]

It depends on the class. Our PeeWee class doesn't do much... stretching, back falls, forward rolls, knee walking, and back rolls (over an exercise ball). The fanciest it gets is practicing koku dosa after playing a game of tip the teacher to learn about applying force across corners. Much of the class is spent doing large muscle exercise -- GI Joe crawling, crab walk, etc. They keep it fun, but expect a certain degree of self-control. OTOH, a friend of DD the Elder was in a more rigorous PeeWee class at another dojo, and while it worked out OK for him, it wasn't an approach with which I was comfortable.

 

Our class is not age segregated at all. Everyone, does every thing, at his/her own pace. Of course there are age-appropriate levels of expectation, but no one is given different lessons or special treatment, per se, because of age. One of our black belts is a 75 year old man, another is past 60. Our recently retired sensei is around 60, and I think I'm the next oldest in the class at 46. I'm also one of the few adult females. The youngest student is around 7. We're all in class simultaneously, which I enjoy.