Beginners are kids and adults alike. When you train with a junior student it's more of an experience for them than you. You have the benefit of brushing up on the basics while they get the benefit of learning from a senior student.
So you're complaining about training with a "kid" when you're a kid yourself. Yeah, time to get over yourself buddy. Being a good partner goes both ways. You might still be new, but she's newer and if you can help her do something better you need to communicate with her. Explain to her that she needs to tap. If she still doesn't, explain each and every time. When she isn't your partner, how tshe conducts herself in class is none of your business. Your business is to train your best and be a good partner, whoever you're paired with.
I would have more of an issue with putting teenagers in a class with 5 year olds than teenagers with adults.
Finally, there is no such thing as "too short" in martial arts.
Sometimes. Depends purely on the kid. The last time I trained with kids around that age, was probably when I did Tae Kwon Do over 14/10 years ago.
I just recently took in a kid student and begun teaching her. She's only 10, but I have never seen a more dedicated, passionate, mature, 10 year old with as much heart as she has.
She asked me about 2 months ago if I could teach her. I laughed at the time and thought "are you sure"?
So I arranged a meeting with the child's mother and told her my plans, what her daughter would be learning, and I explained to her that I teach a Martial Art. Not some watered down, child friendly nonsense, and I stressed to her and her daughter that training was going to be hard, and I was gonna push her daughter hard.
She has stuck with, even the workouts which we do after lessons. Running stairs, situps, etc. I have pushed this little girl beyond what she thinks her limits are, and she does it. She is a quick learner, well mannered, and truly has heart. I don't train her super hard, or in a way that would be bad for her, but I do push her and expect her to strive for success.
I have yet to see another 10 year old with that much dedication. I tried to train my second youngest sister once who is 14. She didn't last a month, which is a shame bc she was doing so well.
Thus, it depends purely on the kid. I evaluate each and every student I take in. I start things out hard day one. It weeds out the ones who aren't serious, don't have heart, and lack the drive to achieve a goal.
My older students ages 16 and up, I train on an entirely different level. Few have decided to stay around. Bc, I'm private and an assistant instructor through akban, I don't get many students that I personally teach, but out of say the 20 that have shown up to "learn" only 4 have stayed.
But in general, yes, I can see how training with kids can be annoying.
I love working out with kids, but my patience runs low very quickly with really young kids.
For any student who cannot focus - no matter the age - it is mentally draining, whether I'm working out with them or instructing them. Very young kids naturally don't have long attention spans, so, I get it and accept it. Over several schools with whom I assist, there are several 7 and 8 year olds I absolutely love to work with, because they have this fire in their eyes. There is nothing I can give them that they don't accept the challenge. One is a girl who flings a bo around with lethal precision, and she's only practicing for a year. Two others are brothers who use their sibling RIVALRY energy to try to better the other in every way possible. Whatever... they do what I tell them to, and each tries to be perfect at it just to be better than his brother.
There are two 14 year olds, and one 17 year old, whom I cannot stand. Lazy and disrespectful. They are there because their parents made them go. They have no motivation. While they are not a discipline problem, they ARE black belts and thus are a model for the other students, who undoubtedly see the slack given to them by the head instructor. I guess it's a matter of time before the other students behave the same way.
There's one adult in my Aikido class who I try to avoid because he's a chatter box. He questions EVERYTHING to the point there's no time to work out. Despite reprimand after reprimand, he seems to have some clinical disorder around his incessant talking.
There's the average 12+ crowd who likes to be challenged, and can be engaged with intelligent conversations. This group is awesome to work with because they do try hard and watching them progress is satisfying, particularly if you know you are a part of that progression.
So age, for me, is less an issue than maturity. If they can focus on the business at hand, I can be with them all day long - kids or adults.
I find kids a mixed bag.
For my own development I do not like kids in the class. I train hard and train with senior black belts at a very high level of intensity. And it's not something that kids should be doing.
Now, there are times when I'll train with the mixed classes. And this is great for keeping the basics sharp. For getting deeper understanding of techniques and for working on teaching skills.
Kids also help us develop patience and help us see things differently.
So I'll suggest you learn to deal with them as they're in our life and it's a good skill to have.
Uhm, you're not placed at an adults class because of maturity, you're placed at an adult class because in ANY martial art (unless it's some sort of money grab) every kid older than 12 will be put in the same class as adults. Many academies dont have many students or staff to cover for "multiple shifts" so they just throw all of them together unless they are younger than 12, which changes metodology and stuff.
And there will ALWAYS be that one person who is a prick at the class, the only option is to deal with them.
Ive never trained with anyone younger than me, everybody in the dojo is atleast 20-30 years older than me. That treat me like an adult and hit me as hard as they hit everyone else.
On a side note, training with people who are extremly good and way better than you will improve your training substantially if you dont get hurt in the process.
Ok so I go to a dojo too and I'm also 14. Anyway, I would talk to her/the master and tell her she needs to be careful. You can also talk to her 18 year old friend. :)
I wouldn't worry about it. She won't be there long.
The best thing to do is make friends with her.
Yes always I do very much so
Im in an adult class, but these two new students came in together. One is 18... And her friend is 13. Shes immature and amnoying. She's too short and either refuses to tap or gives it to u easily. She try's to correct me and others way more experienced than her. She wines often and i think the master is slightly annoyed too. Instead of tapping she whines and goes "ow ow owwwwww." We practice hapkido, i feel really uncomfortable having someone with no attention span doing joint manipulation on me. Im fairly new to the dojo so its not like ive been there long enough to complain. Also im 14... Just a year older. But theres a reason why i was put into the adults class, im
Mature- i actually try and i pay attention. I interact with others in the dojo and fit in well. She barely even shakes ppls hands at the end of practice and doesnt bother to learn anyones name. I realized ive been ranting... I guess my age is showing ha
What would you do in my place?Remember im A new guy myself and though im 14 you wouldn't catch anyone complaining about working with me.
There is also a kids class available - her 5 year old brother attends so its not like rides an issue.
Its not that you have to have patience.
