Martial Arts for Toddlers

[BruceP]

Personal combat begins as soon as a child exhibits territorial behaviors. Nothing anyone can do about that. Might as well recognize it and provide them with the tools they need to develop skills and strategies to deal with having their boundaries tested by others.

Kids should be taught to fight, but in such a manner that they would never actualize the learning unless it was a natural response to a genuine threat. Harnessing the combative skills that come naturally and spontaneously to kids doesn't have to involve the loss of innocence. They generally don't relate games and play to combative actions, so they need a de-emphasized method of exploring conflict while incorporating the movement patterns they naturally gravitate toward while under age-appropriate (non-threatening/non-violent) pressure.

Pressure can be created in fun and entertaining ways. Multi-tasking beyond their capacity is one type of play I used to teach my kids lots of skills that had nothing to do with fighting. I'd go first so they could see me break down and fail as I try to 'keep all the plates spinning' so to speak. It was a good way for them to reinforce those patterns they were most comfortable with while giving them confidence to explore new patterns, knowing they could always fall back when the pressure got to be too much. Their ability to innovate was hilarious, and at times, amazing.

[zenshiite]

You know what is a big suckage? Seeing a 3 year old start to slouch... perfect posture just a few months ago, and then they just start slouching.

[Darthwing Teorist]

Personal combat begins as soon as a child exhibits territorial behaviors. Nothing anyone can do about that. Might as well recognize it and provide them with the tools they need to develop skills and strategies to deal with having their boundaries tested by others.

Kids should be taught to fight, but in such a manner that they would never actualize the learning unless it was a natural response to a genuine threat. Harnessing the combative skills that come naturally and spontaneously to kids doesn't have to involve the loss of innocence. They generally don't relate games and play to combative actions, so they need a de-emphasized method of exploring conflict while incorporating the movement patterns they naturally gravitate toward while under age-appropriate (non-threatening/non-violent) pressure.

Nice post.

[GrahamB]

You know what is a big suckage? Seeing a 3 year old start to slouch... perfect posture just a few months ago, and then they just start slouching.

Animals too - watch this cat lose the will to live!

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c12_1239886120

[cerebus]

You know what is a big suckage? Seeing a 3 year old start to slouch... perfect posture just a few months ago, and then they just start slouching.

Animals too - watch this cat lose the will to live!

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c12_1239886120

LOL! Awesome! Cat was like "Aaaaah Fack!!"

[Walk the Torque]

That was hysterical Graham

[internalenthusiast]

i haven't read every post. i loved the clip from caliG. at the top of the thread.

i also really like bruce's post. i think there are ways to involve kids, without violating where they are in life.

i wish i'd received this kind of training/mentorship as a young child. it might be like teaching a kid to swim at a young age?

[klonk]

Graham, that cat clip is hysterically awesome. Thanks, I'm sending it around.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c12_1239886120

[everything]

i wish i'd received this kind of training/mentorship as a young child. it might be like teaching a kid to swim at a young age?

yes, swimming is an essential skill imo. ma, not really, but sure is a nice-to-have.

my kids get swimming, some basic gymnastics, fitness and sports, some basic ma. in basically that order.

[jasonf]

Totally agree that training young kids in MA is bogus. I don't have any children yet, but when I'm with family young'ns I try and play with their balance. They always seem to want to wrestle around so softly letting them fall down a lot or spinning them around gets lots of laughs or a little frustration. I've never pointed out to do this or careful for that, just play with them and they'll figure it out, but deffinatley not hitting and not too serious for the kids its all about play.

[CaliG]

I'm curious is those who don't believe in teaching kids any MAs think there's anything harmful going on in the video.

[GrahamB]

I'm curious is those who don't believe in teaching kids any MAs think there's anything harmful going on in the video.

The original one or the cat one?

I don't like the original Systema kid one at all. I don't think there's anything "harmful" going on, but it freaks me out to see little kids acting like adults and not like little kids. There's something unnatural about it.

In the cat one, the pigeon escapes, so I think it's pretty harmless

Oh, and I think kids doing something like judo would be fine. When they get a bit older though.

[CaliG]

I'm curious is those who don't believe in teaching kids any MAs think there's anything harmful going on in the video.

The original one or the cat one?

I don't like the original Systema kid one at all. I don't think there's anything "harmful" going on, but it freaks me out to see little kids acting like adults and not like little kids. There's something unnatural about it.

In the cat one, the pigeon escapes, so I think it's pretty harmless

I didn't see a kid acting like an adult.

I do this with my kid and she can't stop laughing. In fact now she runs around the room and has me chase her.

Anyway, it's your opinion and I respect it. Adult or not, what frightens me is when kids watch TV all day.

[GrahamB]

I wrestle my little lad all the time - he loves it - it's hugs and giggles and tickles all the time. The kid in the Systema clip doesn't seem to be laughing very much, at least to me. Just my opinion.

[CaliG]

I hear you. To me this would be extreme for a young kid.



More than likely I'll raise my kids on BJJ/Judo (if they're interested). This way she can deal with kids trying to pick on them when it really counts like throwing them down, sitting on them and hitting them.

I think striking should come later maybe in their teens when they're bodies are more developed. But it's hard to say, I imagine most of us here are good parents but some kids grow up in very rough households and our kids are going to have to deal with some pretty aggressive kids when they grow up and some of those kids are going to have a mindset that even police officers would have a hard time dealing with.