Starting out aged 4

[Carol]

So I guess the emphasis is on finding a good instructor rather than looking at each discipline?
If you had the same instructor with the same level of expertise and skill set across all disciplines... what would be the most suitable MA to the style I've described?

Hey Dave, Welcome!

You have received some excellent advice, I'll just add that not only is good instruction is important -- good children's instruction is paramount. There are a lot of instructors out there who may be fine teachers among a teenage or adult clientele, but are not as good with children, nor are they good with teaching kids in a way that is age-appropriate. I've seen MA instructors talk to 4 and 5 year olds in a tone that I wouldn't even use with my team at work -- and my crew is a damn tough lot (former Marine, former police officer, former corrections officer).

Personally I'm not opposed to starting a 4 year old in a quality school...but I really like the idea of starting him in gymnastics first and then enrolling him in martial arts a little later. I think, pound for pound, gymnasts are perhaps the strongest and fittest athletes out there. Its a great pursuit in its own right, and also a great foundation for just about any sport. It will give him a significant advantage in martial arts training.

As far as the most suitable MA...I don't think there is a best choice. I don't think there ever is. In addition to the quality of instruction, there are also going to be factors such as distance, time (scheduling), and cost -- factors that likely influence how long the parents can support such an activity. Find a good place to start and then see if his own interests go in a particular direction...this is the sort of thing you can only learn by experience. If you pick a good instructor to begin with, then he'll get the most out of the training, whether his interest is in that particular style, a different style, or something outside of martial arts all together.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[WC_lun]

A child of four will not be able to learn martial arts. They do not have the cognitive or physical ability, not to mention the attention span. Be VERY wary of any instructor who says he is doing anything more than running a physical activites class for children at that age. Forget style and concentrate on the teachers. You are trusting your soon to be four year old child with this person. It doesn't matter if he has the most wonderful art in the world, if the instructor does not have the right qualities to teach children, it will not matter.

I taught classes for many years. I have ex-students today that come up to me and tell me I was thier favorite teacher or they still remember this or that about things i taught. Its a good feeling and I think I am a good teacher. However, I suck at teaching kids under 10. I don't have quite the right skill set or personality. I don't want to play, I want to share martial arts. However, to teach martial arts to children, you must have that playfulness with them. For the really young children, martial training is nye on impossible, so the ability to play and keep the children as focused as possible is VERY important. I love kids, but i know I am not the best choice when it comes to teaching them. Find a teacher that has the skill sets and personality to teach children. Worry about style when the child is old enough to appreciate that.

 

[Tez3]

A child of four will not be able to learn martial arts. They do not have the cognitive or physical ability, not to mention the attention span. Be VERY wary of any instructor who says he is doing anything more than running a physical activites class for children at that age. Forget style and concentrate on the teachers. You are trusting your soon to be four year old child with this person. It doesn't matter if he has the most wonderful art in the world, if the instructor does not have the right qualities to teach children, it will not matter.

I taught classes for many years. I have ex-students today that come up to me and tell me I was thier favorite teacher or they still remember this or that about things i taught. Its a good feeling and I think I am a good teacher. However, I suck at teaching kids under 10. I don't have quite the right skill set or personality. I don't want to play, I want to share martial arts. However, to teach martial arts to children, you must have that playfulness with them. For the really young children, martial training is nye on impossible, so the ability to play and keep the children as focused as possible is VERY important. I love kids, but i know I am not the best choice when it comes to teaching them. Find a teacher that has the skill sets and personality to teach children. Worry about style when the child is old enough to appreciate that.

I agree with this and the others, four years old is no age to teach martial arts to. Much better Tumble Tots or a programme for children of that age. For when he's older the only place I can personally recommend (I don't know the instructor but I do know his and the association) is in Sunderland which I'm guessing is probably not going to be what you want lol! However if you do decide to put a disguise on and slip from Geordieland into the land of the Mackems I'll gladly give you the details. I would recommend patience though and wait until you son is a bit older.

 

[Abbeylima]

However if you do decide to put a disguise on and slip from Geordieland into the land of the Mackems I'll gladly give you the details. I would recommend patience though and wait until you son is a bit older.

Thanks everyone.

There's a 4 - 7 gymnastics at Gateshead Stadium I will look at after the new year. lol Sunderland. Just a bit far when I have other commitments. I will keep a lookout for what local clubs are available sometime next year, but as it's been mentioned there is no hurry for him at this stage and will look unhurriedly for a gentle introduction club to MA.

Best wishes

 

[WaterGal]

I have to disagree a little with some of the other posters. A 4-year old can learn martial arts to some degree - if they're taught in a way suitable for a 4-year old, and your expectations aren't too high. They need a lot of patient one-on-one attention, a short class with lots of variety, and will have a very slow rate of progression on the material.

I've helped teach a few 4-5 year old kids in taekwondo, and after 4 months they could (usually) stand in line and take turns, could (usually) remember which was their left and right foot, more-or-less knew their first form, could count to 10 in Korean, and could do a (weak) front kick, axe kick, side kick and roundhouse kick.

Adults usually take about 2 weeks to get that far. So, slow going. As a parent you'll have to be really patient. If that sounds okay to you, look for a school that has a special class just for really little kids. Usually they're called something like "Little Tigers" or "Tiny Ninjas", and will often be 30 minutes. And go watch a couple of the classes before you sign your kid up, of course!

Oh, and stay at the school during your kid's class, because some kids that age will get scared at first or start crying if they fall down, and also the bathroom issues somebody else mentioned.

 

[MikeBielat]

My son just turned 4 last week and I signed him up to train at my old dojo where I trained and taught. He isn't a "typical" 4 year old and is very smart and coordinated for his age I feel. I see him in his pre-school and he is leaps and bounds more advanced than the other kids.

Find a couple schools in your area and sit in on a kids class or two. See the ages but most importantly, try to see what morals and values they instill in the kids.

Our dojo does a word of the week every week. The instructor takes a couple minutes to cover things like integrity, self-control and other vocab words and has them see how the students can apply those things in their everyday life. Listen to parents, don't hit siblings, clean room, do homework, etc...

From there, it will be about finding a school that you think will hold his attention well. They say kids attention span is equal to their age. My 4 year old loses interest after 4 minutes of sitting. Make sure they are constantly doing something to maintain interest. Class should be fun and instructional. That is due to the teachers and curriculum. See if the school has little kid classes so the curriculum is better suited for them as opposed to being in an all-age kind of thing with 4 year olds to pre-teens. There is too much of a difference for that to be an effective class.

Unfortunately, kids need materialistic motivation sometimes. So different styles of karate give out belts sometimes sooner than others. Make sure to ask about that.

Our dojo maintains little kid's interest through pad work, partnering up, jump kicks and fun games now and then (obstacle course, etc).

They may allow your child to attend more than 2 classes but just remember that you don't want your child to "burn out" and quit. I have my son go two times a week spread out evenly.