Ideal age for childen to learn karate

For kids who are interested in the martial arts. Moderated by "Seisan Sister", who is 13 years old and a seasoned Uechi competitor and according to her father, a very serious martial artist.
Post Reply
User avatar
chef
Posts: 1744
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2002 6:01 am
Location: State of Confusion
Contact:

Ideal age for childen to learn karate

Post by chef »

What is your ideal age to start teaching karate to a child and why?

Regards,
Vicki
"Cry in the dojo, laugh in the battlefield"
User avatar
f.Channell
Posts: 3541
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 1999 6:01 am
Location: Valhalla

Post by f.Channell »

Basic punches, Kicks, awareness and self defense skills (different from adult) 4-6.

Sanchin and the full Uechi curriculum?
Forms from 7-8 and up.
Sparring after a few months of kata.
Kumite after a couple of years of kata.

Timing really depends on the childs maturity and learning skills.
But all benefit in one way or another.


F.
Sans Peur Ne Obliviscaris
www.hinghamkarate.com
User avatar
robb buckland
Posts: 1200
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2008 2:18 pm
Location: Wells Beach , Me.
Contact:

Karate Kamp ?

Post by robb buckland »

When my daughter was 4 she had a good enough attention span to learn a wide range of technique and footwork.....I have visited schools though that offer more "martial arts babysitting" than good training.
In the 80's and 90's we ran a residential martial arts summer camp for kids 8-18 .we were able to make some acceptions to the camp age requirement but the program was generally to intenese for the lil'ones :D
FEARS Ltd
"Art meets Reality"
www.fearsltd.com
User avatar
f.Channell
Posts: 3541
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 1999 6:01 am
Location: Valhalla

Post by f.Channell »

4-6 year olds definately can handle good blocking reaction drills, combination pad work, stepping-sliding kicks, jumping kicks, and can learn gross motor movement matwork such as bridging and basic takedowns.
Trick is in making it fun and disguising the repetitiveness of training.

I just leave out the complex Karate forms for this age and keep the classes shorter than the older kids classes.

F.
Sans Peur Ne Obliviscaris
www.hinghamkarate.com
Post Reply

Return to “Kombat Kids”