Should Teens train with adults?

[MJS]

I see nothing wrong with teens training with adults. Of course, the teen needs to be mature enough to handle the adult class, seeing that most adult classes are structured differently than a kids class. The material taught, the intensity of the class, etc.

Its a benefit to them, because they will get the chance to experience larger people attacking, and it'll force them to really get their material down.

As far as working with things that may be a bit risky, ie: grappling, etc. I feel that things need to be done on a professional level. Sure, grappling can put you in some rather embarrassing situations, however, the odds of a female being attacked by another female are probably a bit on the low end, compared to being attacked by a male. So to always seperate the sexes is doing more harm than good.

 

[Tez3]

I've found that when its mixed gender grappling the last thing anyone is thinking of is any sexual connotations. In fact if anything men are often relieved to grapple with a female as if they aren't used to grappling, doing it with a male is sometimes more unsettling.

 

[Thesemindz]

i think teens should be put with adults. Teens are more easily influenced than kids or adults. So by putting them with adults it will help them to grow and mature

B

I think this is an excellent point. I've worked with children as an instructor, mentor, and camp counselor, and I've found that treating them with respect and speaking to them like adults raises them to their potential. By the same token, I've often found it useful to speak to adults like they are children.

Kids are capable of alot more than most people give them credit for. They can deal with serious subject matter, if it is approached in a serious fashion.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

I've found that when its mixed gender grappling the last thing anyone is thinking of is any sexual connotations. In fact if anything men are often relieved to grapple with a female as if they aren't used to grappling, doing it with a male is sometimes more unsettling.

I've found the same thing. I've never been in a training situation, with kids or adults, where people were inappropriate while grappling. Maybe that's because the instructors always acted professional and everyone else fed off that vibe.

The only time I've ever had any discomfort was when a student was questioning me on rape defense. I tried to give her whatever information I had, including grappling defense, but she kept asking how she could make the man stop without hurting him. Eventually I had to tell her that there were circumstances where you may have to resort to violence to defend yourself. She was the vitim of ongoing sexual abuse by her boyfriend and didn't want to resist, but didn't want it to happen. My discomfort stemmed from the knowledge that my instruction wasn't going to help her, because she wasn't going to help herself.


-Rob

 

[astrobiologist]

Our adult classes usually are around 14 and up, but we have a new student who is 12 in the adult class. I've worked with him individually twice and he seems to be amazingly mature for his age, so I'm okay with him being in the class. However, the decision for who gets to train at what age is not mine at our school. My father and his wife are the school owners and oeprators.

I have to say that I'm not fully sure how I'll run things when I have my own school someday. I know younger teens can do great working through techniques and forms with adults, but when it comes to applications, grappling, and sparring it is far harder to properly match a young teen with an adult. In a way, both students are disadvantaged. The adult really has to hold back a lot and the young person may not have enough mass to really do anything.

Sometimes, though, the opposite is true. I teach a family class on Saturdays and it usually seems that the children act more mature and the adults are more willing to laugh and play a little. I can't get into advanced self-defense work or anything that would be dangerous for the children, but the classes tend to work out very well.