Martial Arts

I would like to enroll my girls in a martial arts program but I am not very familiar with all the different types. I just know judo has more throws, some have more holds, etc. Which one would you recommend for 5 year old girls? My goal is for them to be able to hopefully, stay in a program long enough to learn the discipline, feel comfortable using it if ever needed (hopefully never) to protect themselves or at least have the ability to try to.

They are not very athletic or strong...they are very shy but do have an excellent attention span.

 

My 5 yr. old is in martial arts and loves it! He takes Choi Kwan Do. It's a spin off of Tae Kwan Do, but has more fluid motions and doesn't focus a lot on combat. I think a good instructor from any of the martial arts will help them learn all those things you want them to.

 

My older children took Kenpo for years. It was great, they really loved it.

I think most martial arts programs have pretty good classes for kids. The best thing to do is see if they give a trial class. Give it a try and see if its the right program for them. Ours was run by a child psychologist and his theme was learning respect, self control and building good self esteem. I had a great feeling from the very first class, and never doubted the school.

 

DS takes Tae Kwan Do. He loves it, and the school has a program called Tiny Tots, starting at age 3.
I'm sure any qualified martial arts instructor could help you, if you ask them. You could also go and visit the different schools.

 

Thanks! I think visiting the schools would probably be a very good idea...and seeing if they have a trial lesson.

 

I am hoping to become a tae kwon do teacher in the next couple of years, I had to take a little break with the kiddos.
It is an excellent martial art, and during every lesson, the teacher would always make us understand to respect others and only use our new knowledge to protect ourselves, which i think is very important for children to know. My oldest sons have recently started karate lessons, because where we are tae kwon do lessons are only available from 7 yo. I like karate and they enjoy it too. Judo is more "wrestling" type, whereas karate and tae kwon do, you learn self defense in the manner of blocks, kicks and punches, also jumps. I also like the fact that the boys' karate teachers teach them chinese also, ie the names of the moves, numbers, they find it a lot of fun too!

 

I teach children's classes in aikido. It's a beautiful martial art, and IMO a really good one for children. It has throws like judo, but the emphasis is all on blending with an attacker's momentum and taking their balance in order to redirect their energy. It's all about harmony, moving WITH someone instead of against them. It's one of the most pacifist martial arts out there (in addition to being highly effective). Also, since it's all about throws, you also learn a number of ways of falling safely (a good practical consideration for accident prone kids!). Please feel free to PM me for info, or if you want help seeking out a dojo in your area.

 

My son took Kung Fu and absolutely loved it. He thought it was awesome when Karate Kid came out and he was doing Kung Fu. Even though the forms are different, whichever you choose will teach discipline and self-respect and not to react violently to situations, so you really can't go wrong with whatever you choose.

 

Jacob and Nathan have been taking Karate since the end of Kindergarten and loooove it! Their Dojo teaches Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate. I think it is a good idea to go to schools you are interested in and see about trial programs, cost, contracts, class times, etc. They all vary and you want what will work best for you and your family in long run to make it an enjoyable experience for all. I feel even though I don't take Karate there(yet) that I am part of the Dojo also, it becomes "family" in some respect.

 

Really appreciate the info....although my grandfather was a blackbelt in Aikido I myself did not take any martial arts or really grow up with anyone close to me that did so hearing a little about each discipline is helpful. Fucshiagraon thanks for the offer...I am sure I will have more questions as I read up on the different types suggested here and find out what is available in the area!

Just curious...it seems that most of you have sons taking martial arts...any girls?

 

Our Dojo has lots of girl members!! They seem to love it just as much as the boys and really do well We have an amazing female instructor too!! She is also the Sensei in charge of the Dream Team which one of my guys is going to try out for next month.

 

Ours too! The boy/girl ratio is about 60/40. And the boys and girls really do equally well. Sometimes the girls do better, because they tend to goof off less and concentrate better, and are less competitive than the boys (and being competitive in aikido really gets in the way of learning, makes it hard to learn technique correctly). There are 3 teachers for our children's programs - me, another woman, and a man. Aikido has a higher percentage of women (both practicing and teaching) than other martial arts, partly because it does not rely on physical size and strength, and if anything smaller people often have an advantage. But I know people with girls in lots of other martial arts, and children's programs in other dojos I've seen have plenty of girls.

 

Ours too! The boy/girl ratio is about 60/40. And the boys and girls really do equally well. Sometimes the girls do better, because they tend to goof off less and concentrate better, and are less competitive than the boys (and being competitive in aikido really gets in the way of learning, makes it hard to learn technique correctly). There are 3 teachers for our children's program - me, another woman, and a man. Aikido has a higher percentage of women (both practicing and teaching) than other martial arts, partly because it does not rely on physical size and strength, and if anything smaller people often have an advantage. But I know people with girls in lots of other martial arts, and children's programs in other dojos I've seen have plenty of girls.

 

I've been wanting my girls to go to Tae Kwan Do, but I can't seem to get them interested. Even when Mexico's only gold medal in the last oylimpics was a women in Tae Kwan Do. She's frequently on TV and really pretty too!
How have you gotten your kids interested in martial arts? or did you just say--you're going end of discussion?

I'm also interested in the Karate teacher teaching Chinese, are you sure it's not Japanese that they are learning?

 

That's great to hear the numbers of girls and boys are pretty balanced. I've talked a little about taking lessons with the girls. I think making it mandatory will depend on the program/instructors. My husband and I do feel strongly about them learning some discipline...so selecting the right one will be important especially for their first experience.