My grandniece started Shotokan at about 9, and is a brown belt at 12. It’s been great for her development and discipline. Only downside is it won’t be long before I have to stop picking on her..
My grandniece started Shotokan at about 9, and is a brown belt at 12. It’s been great for her development and discipline. Only downside is it won’t be long before I have to stop picking on her..
My nephew in the image I posted on the first page was one of those children everyone in the family seemed worried about...was he just slow? developmentally challenged? Will he have problems later on?
Well, just goes to show that we shouldn't be so quick to judge a kid's abilities by his sticking to his own schedule.
He received scholarships to multiple Ivy League schools but decided on U. of Maryland as it had the courses he was interested in. He did a number of internships with major Fortune 500 corporations and now at 26 is knocking down a multi-six figure salary and owns a condo in Georgetown.
Not bad for "maybe" developmentally challenged. And to think, he could've followed in my footsteps, (the supposedly smart one in the family), and thrown all that away.
Honestly, getting back to the crux of this discussion, I think that the values and discipline learned at an early age in any good system, proffered by a good and caring instructor, far outweighs which particular system they study at that juncture. Nurturing (and safety) is everything.
A friend teaches Tang Soo Do.
He is reluctant to take children under six.
Code Name: JET STREAM
My 6 year old daughter has been taking American Tang Soo Do for about a year. The level of discipline and self control that the instructors instill in the children is nothing short of amazing. They will have a room full of 20 plus kids age 6 and up, all sitting quietly with eyes fixed on the instructors, respectfully listening. If they get out of line- pushups. She has really taken to it, and looks forward to going to class. It seems like we're there every time the doors are open. It can be expensive, but it has been money well spent.
10-8
I started my daughter in bjj at 4 she is 5 now is actualy retaining technique. The 2 big reasons for going with bjj were thats what I train, and I think grappling builds a lot of mental toughness. Teaching patience and problem solving is what I hope she is learning at this point techniques are secondary. Another added benefit is that your not teaching them to hit. I understand that martial arts stress that it is for self defence only but I think teaching them how to contol their opponet with out the need to hit is more PC in school like settings.