what is the correct age for formal training

[traveller]

Sorry if this has been addressed anywhere else.
Any thoughts on what age formal martial arts training should start?
Please give sound reasoning based upon physical, mental and emotional attributes.
My teens are obviously old enough and they have been trained in certain defensive tactics which I feel more than serve their purposes.
My concern is with my 3-year-old.
I play wrestler with him often, and he watches shows like Power Rangers, and other kids stuff and seems to like to emulate what they do. But he is 3 and doesn't do it well and I am afraid he may hurt himself or one of the kids at pre-scholl if he deosn't get some training.
I have seen very young children doing some martial arts, but always felt the maturity level was not there for them to understand the difference between using martial arts at training or using it at school with friends.
I have even seen an advertisement in a newspaper about instruction for 2-years and up children.
Any sensible thoughts would be appreciated. I am sure I am not the only dad who has wondered about this.

[eXcessiveForce]

I have had children as low as 3. One is now pushing 15 and is getting close to blackbelt I've had lots of 6 year olds and many did quite well.

It really is important to choose the right program. children require special considerations and if the instructor is not up to the task then it doesn't matter if the child is ready or not.

I think to determine whether a child is ready or not you need to look at the child. Do they listen to instruction, how mature are they. Do they pay attention (attention span for small children is only about 30 seconds but with the right tools you can stretch it to about 2 minutes for the same activity)

The other important factor is parental involvement. For very young children the parents must make a commitment towards helping the child. This means sometimes assisting in the discipline process, or helping practise or even participating.

The youngest student I ever had was 2.5 years old. (Long story how this happened) the child really was not even able to speak well, and wore diapers, suprisingly was able to do what was told. Seemed to enjoy it, and did it right along with dad. If dad hadn't been doing it I would have never agreed to teach the son.

It also depends on the expectations you have. What do you hope to accomplish by the training.

[traveller]

Thanks
I would probably do the training with him even if it weren't needed. I am a very doting dad with this one and just love to watch his every move.
So I guess that is a good thing.
What I hope to accomplish is actually very broad.
One, I want him ready for a world that is not always friendly. I remember being the kid in the neighborhood that got picked on by the bullies, and I remember the day they decided picking on me was a bad idea.
I want him to understand individual sport/competitive accomplishment/success and team success. My other children have played team sports but never had interest in individual sports for longer than a few weeks. I think it was because we never provided the opportunity when they were young. I don't want to overlook it this time.
I hope it will be something he can hold to for his entire life, for his health, his enjoyment, and his safety. Saying that I know he may not like the 1st style he tries, and we may need to try something new at some point.
I want him to learn the personal discipline that I think one can only get from pursuits which are both physically and mentally demanding.

Of course it would be pretty cool to be the dad of the next heavy weight champion of the woooooooorrrrllld, but making fighter is not my intent. Raising a well rounded respectful man is the ultimate goal.

[eXcessiveForce]

Okay, well from my experience with this,

I would choose a style that is geared towards teaching character building as much as it is martial arts. And then make the commitment to reach a certain point no matter what. Be it black belt level, or what ever.

My training as a child was rough, I was the worst student. I had to practice and if I didn't I was spanked. Punishment was major part of my training. I remember kicking and kick and punch while crying. But it was much later that I realized how much this effected me. I was able to learn things faster, I was able to do it better and it was easy. New styles came quickly and I ended up with a much better understanding of the systems I studied.

remember no one wants to train everyday, and children do not have the ability to see how training will benefit them in the future.

Teach them Commitment, and perserverence. and discipline. These will take him far. Tiger started golf at a very young age, 3 or 4 if I remember right. and i can assure you he didn't always want to play golf. His dad made him practice, he made the decision to make the commitment for him. Even if tiger hated every minute of it, I bet he is thankful now.

[Bjjexpertise@be]

My only comment is that to make sure whatever dojo or school you send your child, make sure it has very friendly people and a nice atmosphere. I feel that the most important thing for kids at that point is a sense of family and brotherhood, you face the same difficulties and challenges but every goal you accomplish you know it was through your own efforts.

Note: I just went back to ead what I wrote and I couldn't make any sense out of it, if you guys can I congradulate you.

[jubaji]

Sorry if this has been addressed anywhere else.
Any thoughts on what age formal martial arts training should start?

The second trimester.

[grappler-jordan]

The second trimester.

LOL

As for myself I started when I was 5, I think it was one of the best things my father ever could have done for me. I don't know if I could have started when I was any younger then this due to the fact that I was a bit hyper-active. I also have a 3 year old, and I have been pondering when to begin training him as well... I guess each case requires individual consideration based on the child really...

I think I will probably start teaching mine soon on my own, probably put him in classes around 5 or 6 based on his maturity.

[bjjp]

well i am only 14 and i can remember at 3 watching power rangers and things like that,and my baby cousin now does the same and he is 5,but before that he was really hyper and off the wall ,so my aunt/his mom put him in a tea kwon do school and the teach was kool but he is strict like as in he says it you do it type strict, and he would make my baby cousin sit there for like 10 minutes a day in a horse stance and man after he did that for about a week every day he calm down and actually matured from a 5 year old to like a 8 or 9 year mentality,so after saying that,i would first do ome personal trainig as in doing small stuff like that,aree find some one who will do that,like they mix it up first 10 minutes of class he has to do things as in hold in a horse stance and cant move talk,then he can train,but then again boys will be boys.

[OmaPlata]

4 years old kids can start. period

[EmptyneSs]

3 seems pretty young dont you think? 3 is very different from 6 or 7. waiting a few more years cant hurt inmop.

[rev.jc]

7

I hate it when kids get hammered when they are to young, we are not starting out kids in sports until they are 7, and never in karate. I have found in my expeirence that kids who do sports before 7 are not really minded about it anyway! Let a kid be a kid, my son will start Junior wrestling at 7 that gives him 3 more years to run around in the yard and wrestle with the dog.

as far as boxing I am waiting until 10 because of growth issues but it is just my 2 sense!

[Kirves]

My son is 3 and half. He's just starting judo. He is the minimum age (three and half) required by the local judo club.

The content of the junior judo training as per Finnish Judo Federation has got very little to do with judo actually. It is not like they dress up in gi's and start throwing and choking each other. It is merely a merry gymnastics class with coaches who've gone through required schooling on how to direct young children. It could be labelled almost anything besides judo, but the activities are somewhat directed towards the idea that the children can easily transfer to the actual judo classes in a few years. In effect, the children get used to gathering and playing with others socially, aren't afraid to perform physically in front of and in touch with each other, they develop skills such as balance, coordination, being carefull with each other and growing a concentration span i.e. listening to the coach instead of running around the hall wildly and uncontrollably. They are also slowly detached from their "brest milk" so to speak, meaning that at first there's the mother or father present along with them, but slowly and individually each child is left to play and learn while the parent steps back and watch instead.

It is all in the organization of things, of course a three year old is too young to start an actual class of judo or karate workout, that's for sure.

[Sandtiger]

Age for formal training

I am currently teaching 2 classes at my school one is for 3-4 year olds and the other is for 5-6 year olds. I have been pleasantly suprised how well the children do with the classes. We teach 12 basic principles to the children and use the program as preparation to the older children programs.

I have one three year old who is the perfect image of discpline. This young man is already doing correct form push ups, is able to stand at attention for as long as asked and doesn't flinch. He is quick to respond to corrections such as how to improve kicks and punches and falls. Let me say he is an abnormality, most of the 3-6 year olds are more wiggly but they too are learning quite rapidly.

I honestly feel that with the right instructor, child and program that age 3 and up is a perfectly fine age to start. I have a hard time thinking of starting children any earlier.

[traveller]

Thanks for all the input thus far.
Almost all of the post will be used in my decision making process -- it is two later for that whole 2nd trimester attempt recommended by jubaji.
I am inclined to beleive my 3-year-old may be just a bit to wiggly for srious training, but would probably like the junior judo stuff posted by Kirves.
Of course location and availability will play a huge factor for us as well. We will be making a big move soon and I will take time to figure everything out and get settled, so he may be nearly 4 by the time all that happens.
On the other hand I was thinking that some new activity in the new location may help him with his social adjustment.
If you have any other ideas please keep posting, it may very well go on to help a number of other folks on the forum and new members looking for info.