Recommendations... and why?

[Andrew Green]

Rule-Breaker, Andrew. Precisely the type of obvious answer I wanted you to avoid.

Do you have a specific instructor in mind? if so, what does he teach to kids?

No, not in your area and have never met your kid so I couldn't recommend a instructor.

Find a place that has a instruction style and school culture that suits your child and a place that your child wants to go. Stop worrying about style. If anything think about teaching style, not which geographical area of origin.

 

[JP3]

No, not in your area and have never met your kid so I couldn't recommend a instructor.

Find a place that has a instruction style and school culture that suits your child and a place that your child wants to go. Stop worrying about style. If anything think about teaching style, not which geographical area of origin.

It's not my kid, Andrew. In fact, it's not any actual kid.

It is a question about what style, art or whatever you think best suited in which to put children, in general.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Well, the kid might not really know at the outset. So you try different things and eventually they find their way.

Yup. And by that logic, the recommendation (from a lot of us apparently), would be to try out BJJ first. If he likes it, great, if not try a different style. Hopefully with some actual information from the kid of what he didn't like about it, although more than like with just "I don't know. I just didn't like it." Then you pull your hair out and try a random school.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I haven't read the entire thread - I missed it when it started. I like the BJJ recommendation. For that age, I'm not a fan of small joint manipulations (so I wouldn't recommend something like my primary art). I'd want to see some striking training, to give them something to practice blocks against, but that's a secondary preference.

Something like BJJ brings good exercise, gives a chance to learn to work well with others, lets them experience losing in a context where it's a common expectation, even for the best in the room. And, as others have pointed out, it's one of the best answers for dealing with a bully who gets physical.

 

[Jenna]

OK, here's the situation.

You've got a close friend who has young kids. You and he live in a generally suburban area just outside a large urban area so you have access to lots of things within reasonable driving distance and both you and he make enough cash to live reasonably well.

The friend dops by or calls you one day about his 8 year old, and ask you, "I've been thinking about putting the kiddo in some kind of martial arts and I don't know diddly about any of that except for movies. What do you recommend I try?"

What do you say? One rule, since I'm going for style descriptions and recommendations for kids, so skip over the initial obvious response of "Just go around where you live and check out various dojos to see what interests the child" type of response. Or the other types of "personal good fit" responses. I already get that, that bit is common sense. Assume that everyone gets along with everyone and all the schools would be an equally positive experience.

But... recommending martial arts styles for children to begin with? That's my question.

Without any other supporting details, the question seem like it ought to be more difficult to answer than pulling an answer out of my hat??

The implication is that actually, when it come down to it, in fact there IS a universal best art for all children of 8yo??

so anyway.. I recommend buy a bicycle instead.. it probably work out cheaper than martial arts training specially bought used off small ads and would also be excellent for getting to and from school and for popping to the store for a healthy apple and the child can also learn, with some training, to pedal away quickly from bullies.. Question is though.. what kind of a bicycle then? Hmmm.. not a BJJ-branded one unless you want the child to end up on the ground.. j/k