Karate Kids !

[CHOKE UK]

Karate kids is the way I describe many kids first attempt at self-defence.

Often under pressure from parents, who want their kids to grow up being equiped to defend themselves from bullies,muggers,attackers etc!

As a result many kids are lead up the wrong path from the start.

So what should kids learn?

If you take them Muay Thai at a young age the effects can be very negative as they are not ready for such pressure at a young and tender age.

I have often seen kids afraid to go to a karate class, so more extreme arts would surely be unsuitable for the young child.

Even bjja can be too much for a young kid.

So whats the answer?

I have my own view but am interested in others sensible opinions!

And I dont want any plumbers posting that Kata is ideal for kids self defence!!!! LOL

[wardancer]

My answer would be BJJ:
My club does not have any kids so far. But all ages are welcome.
I think we do not have kids because you are members and are training in a Thai Box Club, due to the 'grown-up' apparence (tatoos, pit-bulls) parents are not keen on bringing their kids.
But if my instructor wanted to go teach in a high school or intermediate school gym, I don't see why it will not become as popular as Judo?
He started a weekly beginner class at the University. It turned out to be very popular especially (30 people showed up) because it is a no Gi class. I am definetily love to train Bjj with no Gi.

[Toudiyama[NL]]

I think what is needed is a mix of martial arts to get the kids to overcome their fear first

If it true that kids easier step into karate, use that as a startup, get rid of the kata, only usee the traditional basics at the very beginning
When they are used to some contaact ( during blocks) introduce some grapling
After that start to work with kickingshields

eventually you can work to a MMA training

eh choke, did I just give you a practical use for karate

People that enter SD classes because they get beaten up, most of the time aren't fighters, they never will be, you can get them to overcome their fear of fighting but expose these people to too much contactsparring and you will lose them and in a sense have failed

Now if you could seperate the two types of people and each teach on their own way, that would be best, it wouldn't hold down the real warriors amongst us and still help those who really need it

[Thai Bri]

I'd say Judo or BJJ. Yes, the kid would have to develop a certain toughness.... but thats the point isn't it?

I would NOT get them into somthing like Karate as it would, quite literally, give them awful habits that will be hard to get rid of in later life.

[wardancer]

I am not too keen on MMA as the answer of all of MA problems.

Sucessfull professionals fighters proved that crossing MA might be good.
But remember every time one Pro win, another guy bites the dust.

It is easy to critize MA because of MMA competition has open so many eyes.
'Water-down' MA (Mc Dojo) is better than no MA all together.
Once the kid is all grown up, it will up to him/her to get into something more real if wanted.
I don't have any kid as yet, but if I did I would rather have my kid do karate anytime.
Afterall, it is not my fault if some disgruntled guy trained in Karate and got their ass kicked.

[wardancer]

I'd say Judo or BJJ. Yes, the kid would have to develop a certain toughness.... but thats the point isn't it?

I would NOT get them into somthing like Karate as it would, quite literally, give them awful habits that will be hard to get rid of in later life.

Talk for yourself thai Bri, I did not have trouble with my karate habits.
Nobody beat me up because of your self claimed 'awful habits'.
What get the most annoyed with you is the casual way you generalize about your experience and say that it apply to everybody.
I went to a Thai Box and have no trouble 'switching' the new style.
Actually i found the whole experience boring, like: "Oh Thai Box is like Karate but they only do only strikes on bags and full contact sparring with gloves (and sometimes
more shin padding and helmet)". What else new, done that with Karate already?

[Thai Bri]

Tell us more about this miraculous Karate school........

[wardancer]

Tell us more about this miraculous Karate school........

Kyokushin karate and Ashihara Karate.

[Toudiyama[NL]]

I'd say Judo or BJJ. Yes, the kid would have to develop a certain toughness.... but thats the point isn't it?

I would NOT get them into somthing like Karate as it would, quite literally, give them awful habits that will be hard to get rid of in later life.

Both Judo and BJJ involve contact which scares some of the kids off

I too never had any problem adapting to Savate and MT/Kickboxing
but hey I was never told the Kata were practical for learning how to fight
The only thing that needed a bit of getting used to was the clinch

All MA have some bad habbits, like turning the back because it is not a legitimite target or blocking when avoiding woulld be much wiser

How come 10 years of saying traditional arts don't work, kids still rather enter a karateschool then a MT/kickboxingschool
Why work against thatwith your "preaching" here, why not use it by using a little of karate at the start, don't you think that would reach more people?

You had a different experience in karate than some of us did, I did a style where the SuHaRi principle is very important, it teaches you to break away from the form ( don't mean kata here)
You alreaady agreed that when stripped down to the basics, the techniques itself aren't what's wrong with karate
Don't start about thin air because I used kickingshield with the kids too ( from 6 yrs up) but too much contact in the beginning isn't helping the kids CHOKE UK was talking about

SD isn't teaching fighters to fight better, it's teaching non fighters not to be afraid anymore for a fight
No matter how good your fighters become, if all the non fighters drop out, you are also crap at SD

[darrianation]

I think the most important thing to helping your kids to defend themselves is talking to them and listening to them.

Kids who’s parents are concerned, involved, and who they believe listen to them will have better self-esteem and more confidence.

Kids cannot out punch, or run an adult. Karate, kickboxing, or even MT will do nothing for them in the short run to defend themselves. It may help later, but what can be done now?

Violence is everywhere, in the media, newspapers and news shows report on it daily. We see or hear of violence in our neighborhoods, in our schools, and on the playgrounds in city parks. Our kids are often being forced to deal with these complex situations often before they are capable of understanding them. Being inundated by all these reports and talk of violence can frighten our kids and affect them in ways that aren’t always easy to see.

So in these violent times how do we raise our children to grow up to be safe, healthy, and confident adults?

First and foremost communication! Talk to your children openly and honestly about their fears and concerns and listen to them. Let them know if they have a question or a concern that they can come to you and you will listen to them and they can trust that you will not scold them or make light of what they have to say and if you don’t have the answers admit it and let them know you will find out the answer. Use every opportunity or chance you get to talk to them. If an event occurs at school or in the news that concerns them use that opportunity to discuss it with them. Encourage them to come to you when they need reassurance about something, or a question. Make yourself available to your children. Remember it often will take more than one talk before the child understands and his or her fears are resolved.

Remember when talking to your kids start early, open a two-way line of communication and talk often. Open and maintain an environment in which your child feels safe and comfortable to talk to you anytime. Listen to what your child has to say be calm and reassure them and communicate to them your values and what you expect of them, and above all practice what you preach.

[darrianation]

Tips to keep kids safe

These guide lines and tips will go much further to keeping kids safe than any Karate class could.

Your children need to know:

1) Their phone number
2) Alternate phone numbers like to your work, grandma/grandpa, and uncle/aunt if they live in the same town or nearby.
3) 911
4) Know how to dial the operator for assistance
5) How to reach you in an emergency

What parents need to know about child safety:

1) Develop a password, anyone trying to pick up the child needs to know this password
2) Always know where kids are, who they are with and when you expect them home
3) Know their friends, their friends parents and their phone numbers
4) Keep your children’s names of off of clothes, lunch boxes, jackets and jewelry where they can be seen
5) Make sure you know their baby sitter and check references
6) If your kids need to go to a strangers door for trick or treat, selling candy for school etc. always accompany them
7) Be curious and involved

Home

1) Never open the door for a stranger talk through the locked locked door and get the parent or other adult in the house as soon as possible
2) Not to answer the phone if they are alone and never tell someone they are home alone
3) If there is an emergency call a parent at work or a neighbor, or the police
4) Put emergency contact numbers where the kids can see them and make sure the phone can be reached


Tips for walking (to school or a friends house)

1) Your child should never leave the home without your permission, or without telling you where he/she is going, and when will they return
2) Make rules and stick with them this means if they are to be home at 5 o’clock then they are home at 5 o’clock
3) Travel in groups whenever possible
4) At night always wear brightly colored close and carry a small flash light
5) Never except rides from a stranger even if the person says he knows your, mom and dad or some other member of the family
6) If a driver pulls over to ask directions or for help looking for a lost pet teach your child to maintain a safe distance from the car door and do not help the stranger with his lost pet come and get Mom or dad to help
7) If a stranger approaches your child they should know to never go with them to turn and walk in the opposite direction if the stranger follows, the child should know he/she should go into the nearest business, school, or residence to ask for help
8) Never except gifts from strangers
9) Your kids should never go into an isolated area, into a home, or car without your permission
10) Tell you children to walk directly to there destinations and always use well traveled routes and not to take short cuts
11) Know the route your children walk to school, or friends houses

What you kids should know about bullies



For kids:

1) If bullied, tell your parents, telling is not tattling
2) Tell a trusted teacher, counselor or principal, or have your parents talk to the school
3) Do not retaliate or get angry
1) Respond evenly and firmly, or say nothing and walk away
2) Develop friendships and stick up for each other
3) Act confident and be assertive, act brave even if your scared
4) Take a different route to and from school.
5) Avoid unsupervised areas of school, play next to a teacher at recess
6) Do not bring expensive items to school
7) Invite the bully to play with you and your friends
8) In class offer to help the bully with his home work

For parents:
9) Take your child seriously, reassure your child he did the right thing by telling you
10) Encourage your child to share problems with you with the assurance that it is not tattling.
11) Talk to the school
12) Praise and encourage your child; a confident child is less likely to be bullied.
13) Help your child develop new friendships; new peers can provide a new chance.
14) Maintain contact with your child's school. Keep a detailed record of bullying episodes and communication with the school
15) Encourage your child to participate in sports or physical activity to improve esteem.
16) Teach your child to stand up for himself
17) Praise your Childs kindness, let them know their kindness is valued
18) Some signs your child may be a victim of a bully: withdrawal, torn clothes, unexplained bruises, nor wanting to go to school, needing more money for school, constantly loosing personal possession at school

Tips to keep them safe from sexual abuse

1) Teach your child about sex but keep it basic
2) Teach children that sexual abuse is a crime
3) Allow children to express affection in there own terms Don’t make them kiss uncle John, or hug aunt Jane if they don’t want to
4) Stress to your kids that they shouldn’t keep secrets from you
5) It is not okay for anyone to touch them anywhere that a swim suit would cover
6) Tell someone in authority (parent, school teach, police officer if someone exposes them self or makes you feel uncomfortable
7) Adults rarely ask children for help

* Remember that lonely attention starved kids are the most likely to be abused, and they are more likely to be abused by someone they know rather than a stranger.

What your child should know if someone attempts to abduct them

1) Yell to get peoples attention and say this is not my dad, or mom, make as much noise as possible
2) Run; run to where people are, into a business a school (if occupied), into a residence.
3) If on a bike get off and keep it in between you and the person
4) Its okay to break things to get peoples attention
5) Kick, scratch, bite, Stick you fingers in their eyes, Throw rocks, sand, hit them with sticks like a tree branch, Run
6) Crawl under a nearby car
7) If they have you in the car try to escape through the door or window when stopped at a light or stop sign
8) Escape (run at the first opportunity)

*Again a child is more likely to be abducted by someone they know rather than a stranger. A non-custodial parent is the most likely to abduct a child.

Guns:

1) Teach your children at an early age that guns need to be respected
2) Teach them firearm safety
3) Teach them not to play with guns and let an adult know if they find one laying around and not to touch it
4) Lock your guns in a safe place and use trigger locks
5) Some parks and recreation departments put firearm safety courses for kids have them attend



Childs identity kit

1) keep Up to date colored photograph
2) Medical and dental records; thing like blood type, broken bones, braces, allergies, missing teeth, medical problems, medications, etc.
3) Have your child fingerprinted and keep this records along with other pertinent data

* Childs identity kit was taken from pamphlets distributed by the FBI

Child is missing

1) Make sure your child is not at home
2) Call friends, neighbors, family members to see if they are there and get them involved in looking
3) Check favorite play areas
4) Call other organizations that they are involved in like the cub scout/girl scout leader, church
5) Call police: Know the following info description and what clothing they were wearing, birthmarks, Identity kit, when you became aware they were missing, where was their last known location, Any recent problems or concerns they may have had, were they were going, when were they suppose to be there and when were they suppose to get home, who they were with, the route they were traveling

[CHOKE UK]

[QUOTE='Toudiyama[NL]']I think what is needed is a mix of martial arts to get the kids to overcome their fear first

If it true that kids easier step into karate, use that as a startup, get rid of the kata, only usee the traditional basics at the very beginning
When they are used to some contaact ( during blocks) introduce some grapling
After that start to work with kickingshields

eventually you can work to a MMA training

eh choke, did I just give you a practical use for karate

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Toudiyama lol, very funny, well done!
Infact you may have something there!
For a child who is to nervous or afraid to attempt a more demanding martial art then perhaps karate does have a place?

darrianations point about kids cannot fight off adults, was a bit off the point!
You must learn to defend yourself against your own age group before you can worry about adult attackers!
The main aim of a childs self defence is to make them confident in situations of confrontation/bullying.

I am still undecided, as to the best martial arts class for my kids to attend?

I have taken them to many but am amazed at the ridiculous rubbish that they try to teach children!

So I have taken it upon myself to teach my kids!

There are three areas/styles that I focus on!
and I dont believe that there is a class that I could find which will train them better.
Purely and simply because I have their interests at heart and obviously am not financially motivated!

But generally I think that kids get a raw deal.

I have seen kids in karate kumite tournaments crying and the parents presssuring them !
When their class has not given them the required skills and experience for such pressure.

Show me an adult who says he never feels nerves or fear when in combat/sparring/fight etc and i will show you a liar !
So how can they expect kids to do it when they spend most of their time wasted doing kata etc??

"Karate-kids?"
Waxing on/waxing off.....
.....you'd learn more from playing play-station two!

[AlexJitsu]

Kids aren't as stupid as you think, it's not like you have to tell them that, and if you do, they'll probably think you're an idiot, just like I thought when I was in 2nd grade, but then again I have an IQ of 160.

A kid could pull off a snap kick to the nads and take out a stupid novice brawler easily. Judo throws require 0% strength if done correctly. Also, if you want your kids to be good fighters then you have to train them. Age doesn't mean a damn thing. They could get ripped as hell by doing push-ups and situps, and that won't stunt their growth since it's not pushing down the spine.

[CKD]

Well with bjj most parents would not like there child to learn a system "developed and proven in No holds barred matches". Some karate techniques would get a kid whooped in a streetfight,and it would lower self esteem, especially after he thinks he can defend himself and other people think he is a good fighter because he takes karate. Judo could also be good, basically I would suggest a grappling style, it would best prepare them for bullies. I remember in middle school, a good boxer got in a fight with an untrained person, was punching him around until he was tackled and the kid was mounted on top of him punching. It is way to easy to be taken to the ground, so a kid should learn a art to prepare them for that type of situation.

[wardancer]

Judo throws require 0% strength if done correctly. .

Judo requires strength, people do no get thrown around by judokas with no strength: they simply do not fall on their own.