Martial Arts for Toddlers

[BruceP]

Teo wrote:

While exploration of personal movement is a basic principle, at the same time if a student does not figure something out or if he does something wrong, he has to be shown. When a teacher demonstrates the drill, he certainly shows a set of basic techniques, derived from principles but still a set of things that a new student can emulate. So, I think that showing kids what the goal of the drill is, it does give them something to emulate. This is not necessarily bad or against the exploring principle: they can work from there and be encouraged if they do something not shown and that may work

That's a really well balanced approach.

I have a much narrower view. I don't believe there is a right or wrong result in exploring movement as a problem-solving exercise. The leverages and intuitive physics of movement are specific to the individual, and therein lies the danger of emulation becoming a paradigm instead of an example. IME, keeping the goal hidden from the drill is best. It lets people be free and easy, natural and spontaneous. It's letting them do what they know best. But when that innate knowledge is undermined or corrupted, it's hard to maintain the integrity of the trust one must have in themself to navigate such an abstract approach to developing sound personal combat.

Something RobP2 wrote really rings true:

There is an interesting theory that under reall pressure people flip back to an earlier age when they experienced similar pressure. Perhaps that's why sometimes even highyl trained people revert to "playground punching". In that sense there is maybe not such a big distinction between kids and adults. The difference is adults like to do something deadly serious, in which they are learning important stuff, where kids just roll around and play fight. We tend to pick up all sorts of inhibitions as we "grow up" whichi take us away from that free movement, then spend years trying to get it back through non-free movement

heh

[Dr.Rob]

Okay I am in.

Being a father of two boys; an avvid hunter and martial idiot. I have struggled with this question...when to start?

My father played pro soccer and never encouraged any of his boys or girls play..yet my brothers and sisters all found our way in other sports and we are all still active in( This weekend past... a nephew who placed 5 th in GP Motocross Tourney out of a field of 35...second year racing at 16. My brother beams in delight.).

My Shifu told me not to teach my son any form of martial arts,because it wil ruin our relationship. "Find someone you trust, to give your kids the basics, you job is to be the parent. In the end if they want your style they can ask, or you can offer...then it's not forced." I will be either too soft giving a sense of false hope or too hard; breeding resent.

After watching a two year old Malay boy do a free knife form my Sihing leaned in and said that " wow, so cute. I can't wait to teach my son that..." 10 years later his wife has had daughter, who likes Dora instead. So with the questions of transferrance and imposed " blood lust" I wait to see if my boys show any
interest.

My four year old follows. His SamTong is actually quite good. He can Bagua step when he chooses and has an excellent flavour with a plastic knife while doing 8 frames. I was once told that " all children instinctually wrestle." So that's what I spend most of our time on. Throws, rolls, unbalances and takedowns. He has the rest of his life to learn how to strike. I would rather get the hugs. Besides its very difficult to show how too hit and then say...." by the way, when your at Montesorri later don't drill the teacher in the meat locker.." Most four year olds just don't get it.

My points.

Peace or by Pieces.

[Walk the Torque]

Dr Rob,

My favourite post so far.

[humbleboxer]

I have taught kids martial arts for a many years. I prefer teaching kids in general because when kids are young their minds are fresh and their bodies pliable. I do not believe that kids should be taught certain techniques until they are old enough to comprehend the consequences. the greatest challenge is to have patience, keep your hopes high and your expectations low, balance fun with discipline and let them develop at their own pace. try to have a plan, be creative and do not let them quit to early. the main things to develop are - discipline, focus, coordination(right-left sides, arms-legs), balance (1-2 leg), strength and flexibility. fitness is key. it is easier for children to learn certain skills because they are more flexible, have less body weight (higher size to strength potential) and less fear. I try to teach TCMA foundation training for kids and mix in other MA and western style athletic training (pilates, gymnastics, ginastica, plyometrics etc) when I see the boredom coming on. teaching your own children martial arts is another challenge. My son has just turned 4 and I started his training right after he was born. I constantly corrected his thumb inside fist to thumb outside when he was an infant. it has been gradual over time by playing; wrestling, punching, kicking, running, jumping, climbing, splits, one leg balance, Nerf guns/swords, watching YouTube videos, etc. I have to be careful when he rough houses. it took awhile for him to learn what he can do with me and what he can do with everyone else (his ball punching is near perfect, ouch). sometimes it is like living with Kato from the Pink Panther, but it keeps me aware. I have started working out more around him and he loves to imitate. I plan to start slowly changing our play to workouts in the next few months. I recently taught him a few Animal Walking exercises which he likes (look for the BJJ animal walks in the video section. they come out of the Ginastica which Alvero borrowed from TCMA and Capoeira). kids like to move but need to learn to be still to focus. statue exercise (standing still arms at sides) or sitting still cross legs will be added when he is ready. a few good books to look at are; Wushu Basic Training by Bow Sim Mark (see Donny Yen as a kid learning from his mom), Chinese Martial Arts-Teach Yourself, Capoeira Conditioning by Gerald Taylor, Enjoying Gymnastics - Paddington Press, The Wrestling Drill Book By Bill Welker.

[fuga]

My daughter is six and I am not trying to teach her any martial arts. Plus I don't think she is really all that interested in martial arts as a method of social engagement. It is more important to me that she develops a lifelong desire for exercise, increasing awareness of how her body moves, and that she gets a lot of play time with daddy.

That said, we do a lot of wrestling as play. We also sometimes hit a penduluming tennis ball with a stick. And about once a week, she comes to watch my BJJ class, where inevitably one of the teachers will play with her (teaching her to shrimp or pass the guard). And she used to come to the Fairyland Fight Club, but even then she just wanted to sit on the blanket and draw.

-pete

[bailu]

My two year old daughter copies my taichi form, then gets bored after a few minutes and starts running in-and-out between my legs... Makes stepping very interesting! I've noticed my root has improved dramatically since this started!

[Dmitri]

My two year old daughter copies my taichi form, then gets bored after a few minutes and starts running in-and-out between my legs... Makes stepping very interesting! I've noticed my root has improved dramatically since this started!

Mine did it too... Then she asked me to teach her how to do the form when she was 3. After a couple of times of trying to practice the opening, it was over. Now she's 9 and almost never asks about it (as I fully expected), but I sort'a "sneaked" her into GJJ classes, which she seems enjoying so far (been almost a year-and-a-half already; keeping fingers crossed...)

[Darthwing Teorist]

And she used to come to the Fairyland Fight Club, but even then she just wanted to sit on the blanket and draw.

-pete

Given the options of having her face pounded in the mud or drawing on a blanket, I think that she made a reasonable choice.

[fuga]

And she used to come to the Fairyland Fight Club, but even then she just wanted to sit on the blanket and draw.

-pete

Given the options of having her face pounded in the mud or drawing on a blanket, I think that she made a reasonable choice.

Now, I just start have to start making the reasonable choices.