looking for some sort of martial arts for kids.?

Question

can anyone recommend a good form of martial arts that teached discipline and defense mostly as well as a little of offense. I have a 5 and 11 year old that I would like to get them into, both girls, my son is to small still. Mostly for the 5 year old as she is small in size, (weight) and from experience she will get teased alot so I want her to be able to defend herself against bigger kids if need be, not to be aggressive though.

Answer 1

If you want them to truley be able to defend themselves, well let me say any will help against the average person, jujitsu will enable them to defeat an experienced fighter because all brawls end on the ground. Please trust me on this I know.

Answer 2

Judo or brazilian jiu jitsu. Judo will teach your kids how to throw, sweep, or take person down, very useful especially if you don't want your kids to hurt other too badly. It will basically show who domination the fight fast if someone keep getting throw and sweep by your kids.

brazilian Jiu jitsu is more aggressive style, it involve a lot of locks. The best thing is, it teach people how to fight and defend themselve while they're on their back which is extremely useful for smaller person.

However make sure your kids go to class that have lot grappling or full contact sparring. It will teach your kids how to defend themselve better and also dramatically cut down on their desire to go out and test their technique on other kids who doesn't train.

TKD, karate, Aikido and others are just asking for trouble because most kids aren't strong and good enough at actually striking. Also almost all TKD and karate and Aikido school doesn't let people experiment or test any technique fully. So it's useless. It's like as try to teach someone how to drive a car in a car that don't run. You can tell them how to turn the steering wheel and how to brake, but they wouldn't be able to start a car and drive away without crashing.

Answer 3

There are so many questions that needs to bring and consider in order to cope yourself on some important issues, but the things is we really didn't know you personally. So, there is no other who knows your capability beyond anything else except you, so you are the one that must suppose to answer said question, because the issue here is not about your own physical ability, because things rely upon your willingness and determination to learn and achieve your main aim and purposes, besides any style of Martial Arts are worthy matter that can let you fit physically and mentally. Think so many times and ask yourself if what you like most that can satisfy and make yourself comfortable with, the most efficient way is by visiting some legit dojo, if there are available in your area then go on and observe, ask some important and necessary questions to the assigned Instructor related to your concern, maybe through that effort you can decide and push thing if what's favor you most conveniently. Good luck ..............

Answer 4

learning martial arts is not about fighting back against the bigger kids....learning martial arts is to restore confidence
if she is being teased or bullied, i'd suggest the first thing she does is to inform the teacher or get a lot of friends so others won't tease her
almost all martial arts teacher teaches without making sure the kids understand that martial arts is not used to fight
but again, if your kid is well disciplined already, then learn karate, judo, or taekwondo as these three are the most popular ones and quite an achievement if reached black belt

Answer 5

It sounds like Tae kwon Do is the best fit your looking for.
Defense mostly in the beginning, and gets to offense later.

Discipline is taught in every martial arts.. so don't worry about them.

If itz the bigger kids your worried about
Maybe you can consider Judo...
which is mostly defence...which also acts as offense.

One caution though..
I've heard alot of rumors that Judo will make kids not grow as much.
Reason.. is probably there are alot of breakfalls in Judo.

Answer 6

i did judo when I was little to help. It is wrestling and tripping not chopping and kicking like karate. The best thing to do is go and watch classes with kids your chilrens ages and see if you want them doing those kinds of things. If your kids are not agressive they are not likely to get that agressive. If it is a boy and they are hyper they might get more agressive especially with karate or boxing. My parents took me to the class and asked me if I wanted to try it. I stayed 3 years until the other kids got so big and I did not want to get hurt. I wanted to be in ballet after that. I went to karate as an adult and I was very good because I was so flexible because of ballet. I could get into kicks correctly that other people could not because of the ballet.

Answer 7

Jeet Kune Do. In my opinion JKD is the best martial art to learn discipline and more about yourself. It teaches valuable survival skills and unique ways of fighting. It has interesting philosophies such as "find a way in no way" and "it's not always the bigger and stronger man that wins, but rather the one who thinks he can win". JKD will teach self-confidence and improve fighting ability with the proper training.

Answer 8

i like taekwondo, it's great for kids (depending where you go) you learn a little offence but a lot of defense too. Depending where you go you learn discipline. In many of the places there is sparring when you get all dressed up in pads so you won't get hurt and get to really try the different strikes and kicks. There is also kicking and punching pads and targets to practice on.

Answer 9

Start with a dance from of Ti Chi which will give them a basic understanding of form and discipline of movements then move them into a class of Ti Chi which will teach them to use the fluid movements they have learned to defend theme selves

I think Ti Chi is the best because it is smooth in its movements and is a dance but can evolve with teaching to a fighting technique to defend yourself also it teaches you to use your oponents strength against them without having to be stronger or heavier than an oponent

Answer 10

I'd recommend karate like shotokan or shorin-ryu. Or even Tae Kwon Do. Most kids are still uncoordinated so a hard form suites them well. A kick is a kick. A punch is a punch. All martial arts and sports in general teach disciplien and defense.

However said, I am a kajukenbo practictioner. It is a younger, more eclectic, mixed martial arts form. It mixes tradition karate forms with judo/jiu-jitsu, kenpo karate and bo fu (chinese boxing similar to muay thai kickboxing). This form teaches how to defend against all forms of attacks including multiple attackers, ground fighting, stand up, escape and evade, etc. The concept of most fights ending on the ground is a true caveat. However, almost 100% of all fights start standing up. And if you have multiple attackers, you don't want to go to the ground. Kajukenbo teachs and trains to fight standing up or on your back.

Nonetheless, you really can't go bad in any martial arts. It's really going to depend on the instructor staff of the dojo. Do you like them. Is there philosophy something you want your kids to live by? Remember this, the dojo's philosophy is what your buying into. Do the graduates or higher ranks and the head instructor people you want to be role models to your kids? I've been to dojo's where the staff were cool because they were trying to sell me on the dojo. However, the upper ranks were jerks. I just don't like it. Martial arts is a way of life. Not just something that starts and stops at the door.

If you live in the Bay Area of Northern California, I train at Pallen's Martial Arts in Castro Valley, CA.