Kids in karate

[Trukinjp13]

We have been pondering having the little ones take karate. What age did y’all start your kids? Or for those that are in karate and have no kids what do you think? Two 4 year old twins. (Boy/girl) 7 year old boy. Mainly looking at the 4 year old boy. Would like him to learn some control and patience.

By the way. These are not my kids. They live with me and I help take care of them. They have a amazing mother and a loser father who lives on the other side of the country.


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[blues]

My nephew started when he was about 7 as I recall. By the time he was a pre-teen he was already winning all sorts of competitions at reasonably high levels. (Unlike his stupid uncle (who he wanted to emulate) who didn't start until he was in his twenties.)

[Robinson]

Being from an Okinawan karate background, we never stressed tournaments or trophies which can of course give kids a sense of accomplishment. For that reason, we tended to start kids a little older and they were never promoted to adult black belt status until at least 16 years of age. The training was oriented more toward adults, though some kids were permitted to attend and train.

I think if you want to get younger children involved, find out about the school and make sure they have a program that is geared toward kids. Most of them are these days, so that shouldn't be a big problem.

I do agree with what BaiHu posted about good habits below.

[BaiHu]

We have been pondering having the little ones take karate. What age did y’all start your kids? Or for those that are in karate and have no kids what do you think? Two 4 year old twins. (Boy/girl) 7 year old boy. Mainly looking at the 4 year old boy. Would like him to learn some control and patience.

By the way. These are not my kids. They live with me and I help take care of them. They have a amazing mother and a loser father who lives on the other side of the country.


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I teach 4 and up. PM me if you'd like and we can talk. 4 years old is an awesome age to begin. Good habits need to start ASAP.

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[Trukinjp13]

The school in town here had a very dedicated kids program. So I am angling that way. Just curios on what people with experience thought. I never did karate. But had a few friends who did. One of which drastically changed his anger issues after.




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[Trukinjp13]

I teach 4 and up. PM me if you'd like and we can talk. 4 years old is an awesome age to begin. Good habits need to start ASAP.

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I could not pm you. Think the box is full, thanks.


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[BaiHu]

I could not pm you. Think the box is full, thanks.


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Sorry. Just fixed it.

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[blues]

Being from an Okinawan karate background, we never stressed tournaments or trophies which can of course give kids a sense of accomplishment. For that reason, we tended to start kids a little older and they were never promoted to adult black belt status until at least 16 years of age. The training was oriented more toward adults, though some kids were permitted to attend and train.

I think if you want to get younger children involved, find about about the school and make sure they have a program that is geared toward kids. Most of them are these days, so that shouldn't be a big problem.

My dojo was Shotokan, (Sensei Alex "Plus One" Sternberg), and most of our in-house tournaments were with the other Okinawan style dojos of Sensei Tom La Puppet (Brooklyn) and Sensei Chuck Merriman (CT) who were all students of George Cofield at one time. Occasionally we would participate in AAU tournaments at the state level but primarily kept it among the three dojos.

I don't remember any of these dojos having students who weren't at least in their late teens at the time (unless they held classes for children at other times and locations).

[Duces Tecum]

Kids are probably more likely to get into a grappling-type fight than a striking. Might start with a strike, but doesn't usually stay there. And then there's the young girl . . . as she grows up she might get more confidence from a grappling background.

You've probably already considered BJJ, but if it were my decision that's the way I'd go.

[Robinson]

My dojo was Shotokan, (Sensei Alex "Plus One" Sternberg), and most of our in-house tournaments were with the other Okinawan style dojos of Sensei Tom La Puppet (Brooklyn) and Sensei Chuck Merriman (CT) who were all students of George Cofield at one time. Occasionally we would participate in AAU tournaments at the state level but primarily kept it among the three dojos.

I don't remember any of these dojos having students who weren't at least in their late teens at the time (unless they held classes for children at other times and locations).

Huh. I know of Chuck Merriman -- a fellow Goju practitioner if I remember correctly. We had a young adult black belt who moved to the East coast and I think he trained at Merriman's dojo for some time.