Thoughts regarding mixed Martial Arts at age 6

[Tez3]

I apologize for my earlier statement as I did not mean to offend anyone. I was talking about the wannabe's who I've seen at many gyms that claim to be mixed martial artists but hold no "real" rank in any of the martial arts they claim to practice. Most, if not all, of the MMA athletes you see on TV actually have black belts in one martial art or even multiple otherwise they wouldn't be at the level they are at. Sorry for being so broad with my statement.

No worries! I'm prone to jump very quickly to defend my beloved MMA lol!

 

[Pyrock]

No worries! I'm prone to jump very quickly to defend my beloved MMA lol!

As you should!!:jediduel:

 

[Tez3]

I have a six year old boy in one of my classes who is a bit of a marvel, he seems naturally to go for chokes, ankle locks even face bars and has never been taught them! it makes it a bit nerve wracking though trying to 'ref' when he doing 'back to back' with other children. He hasn't seen these moves on TV or watched fights he just seems to instinctively know how to go for these things as well as doing escapes and he shrimps naturally. The down side with him at the moment is that he hates losing (well we all probably do lol) and he gets furious and will start kicking and punching... albeit it very good kicks and punches lol! he has to be stopped PDQ! He's learning self control though which is good,he's learning his first katas too which I didn't think he'd settle to. his father is a Gurkha soldier and he's inherited we think, that famous fighting spirit!

 

[YoungMan]

Better to stick with one. Learning one is hard enough at that age.

 

[Tez3]

Better to stick with one. Learning one is hard enough at that age.

I have to disagree, learning is so easy at that age! their minds are like sponges, take everything in and they really want to learn and try new things. thats why as adults we have to be careful what we teach them....that goes for everything not just martial arts.

 

[Andrew Green]

Better to stick with one. Learning one is hard enough at that age.

Learning is what kids do best, it's basically there primary function until they have learnt enough to put that knowledge to use.

 

[Baby_Huey]

I wrestled for 10 years, folk, free and GR, and I was taught how to use moves that could cause pain legally. But in Freestyle I had my neck broken from a full-nelson (which is illegal for younger students but after 14 watch out) I broke someone's neck with a front headlock throw. I would never let my kid wrestle until he was at least 12, because studies are finding that wrestling can affect the body development of a pre-teen. Preventing the body from developing muscle mass distribution, height, weight and even changes in hormone releases.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Common sense should be the dictating factor. Is the instructor qualified to teach children that young? Does the child have any physical issues or medical problems that would make it dangerous for him? Does the child want to do this?

Regarding the issue of keeping one art straight vs. learning the mix, you know your child: some children (and some adults) need the one at a time focus and thrive when they have it. Other kids and adults thrive with the bit of this and a bit of that approach. Its all in the individual.

Daniel

 

[Steve]

I wrestled for 10 years, folk, free and GR, and I was taught how to use moves that could cause pain legally. But in Freestyle I had my neck broken from a full-nelson (which is illegal for younger students but after 14 watch out) I broke someone's neck with a front headlock throw. I would never let my kid wrestle until he was at least 12, because studies are finding that wrestling can affect the body development of a pre-teen. Preventing the body from developing muscle mass distribution, height, weight and even changes in hormone releases.

Hey, can you link to those studies or give me enough info so I can find them on my own? I'd like to read them.

 

[Blindside]

Better to stick with one. Learning one is hard enough at that age.

My gosh, how ever did I learn to be literate and do math when I was a child, I'm sure I'd have a better education now if I focused on just one.

 

[kaizasosei]

martial arts is more than just fighting. but i think it would depend on the community. ma is everywhere so it is actually impossible to wish it away and would be foolish to exclude anything that is proven effective.
i do think cultural and technical things are better learned when young, maybe one could argue fighting too. i just think that traditional ma have things to offer that modern mma may have excluded for the sake of practicality and sport. in essence there is actually not that great of a difference because the amount of knowledge is probably more or less the same. i dont know about other things though like tradition and teachings of virtue etc....stuff like that. i think that is positive too to a degree.


traditional martial arts have tons to offer. they should be thouroughly investigated and practiced. it's not a huge adjustment to mma at any point.




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