Look, there are many worse things these kids could be getting involved in than an athletic endeavor which also teaches them some pieces of the arts. I'm not against these types of places, as I understand why they are the way they are. They are businesses run by businessmen and women. Rare is the individual who is able to open a school and keep the doors open for long without branching out into children's classes for kids even as young as 4 years old. A number of these instructors do this so that they can teach the serious students in a nice place at night and pay the bills with the other nonsense. On the other hand, some of them just like to run around having everyone call them "grandmaster" or "most majestic big cheese" while cashing the checks, nailing folks to contracts and charging big testing fees. The biggest one of these places in my local town occupies a space the size of a supermarket and I've heard all kinds of tales of mothers of students having affairs with the instructors and other such nonsense. Not really the environment I'd want my kids in.
It's easy to give flack to kid black belts, but to say the ability to attain a black belt should be based on age is a bit misplaced. Do you really think a school that would give a black belt to an 8-year-old, for example, is creating adult martial artists that are much better? Sure, an adult will (hopefully) have better overall control and coordination, and sparring against them won't be a complete joke, but that doesn't mean they have good technique. I've seen countless YouTube videos of crappy adult black belts.
It is unfortunate for martial arts as a whole that some schools sell an experience more so than they sell actual martial arts. As students, it's our responsibility to make sure the goal of our school is aligned with our personal goals within martial arts.
A belt really isn't an indicator of actual skill. A belt indicates a student's known curriculum. Within each rank there are going to be A students and B students and D students. It's not much different than going through high school. Eventually, if you show up enough days and put in some marginal effort, you'll graduate and end up with a diploma. Likewise, even in the best martial arts schools, if those C and D students show up long enough, they are probably going to end up with a black belt one day.
For me, the achievement of black belt, when/if I get there, won't be so much getting a black belt as it will be getting a black belt from my school. They don't churn out black belts left and right, so it is a well-earned accomplishment for those who do get there. I'm just not going to waste time/energy worrying about students at other schools who get to wear a black belt but don't have the skills to back it up.
The best thing any parent can do for a child. Ideally, the dojo would be run by a person who tempers the importance of fighting technique with the importance of character and spiritual development. I would choose the teacher for my child VERY carefully. Chances are though, in a typical town or neighborhood, there would be one school around that would be run at the beginner level by just a regular guy - not a philosopher but not a tyrant either - so I would become very involved in my child's martial arts development...it would be more up to me at that stage to set an example from the non-fighting standpoint. I suppose as it should be anyway in any parent-child relationship. But by the time the kid was a teen, the best teacher within an hour's drive would be essential.
I enjoy seeing kids in martial arts classes. I try to help them, as much as I can. We allow minors to train with adults, and we do not have a separate set of youth ranks. Therefore, the kids are required to act like adults, in class. If they cannot meet expectations, they are asked to leave the school until they have matured a bit. It also means that younger students progress very slowly. If they stick with it, they can achieve first black, adult rank, in high school. Few do, although some return later in life, to resume training.
Also, we consider a first degree black belt to be a 'serious student,' not an expert. Black belts train at a higher level and are gradually brought up through the black belt ranks.
I don't think that there's anything wrong with kids learning martial arts. But as people have said before, I have problems when it comes to being a belt factory and just giving them out to make money. I think it really comes down to the child. If they are serious about learning, than they should totally learn as much as they can for as long as they can. If they just want a belt and have their ego stroked, then it's not worth it. But, also, it's very different in the west than it is in the east. I have a totally different opinion when it comes to China or Thailand with children in martial arts.
It is wonderful that kids learn martial arts, they gain confidence and develop skills. The problem is the belts and rankings that they are provided. There is no way that any child should be a black belt.
I think it's OK if the child wants to do it. I took Taekwondo lessons when I was younger. It's not all about learning to fight, or to become a badass. It's about discipline. And it's great exercise.
But I don't think a parent should push their children into it. My daughter once thought she wanted to do it. We took her to an introductory class. After the class she decided she didn't want to do it.
Children in martial arts is lovely idea.
waste of time and money. they're not learning anything useful.
It'd be great to hear your input on this particular topic. I know that kids are part of most martial art schools and a lot of them are black belts as well. I also heard someone say anyone with kids in the school is basically running a daycare.
What I personally think is how the kids sees it. However, at my dojo I haven't seen many kids in the intermediate class, maybe they quit before obtaining the blue belt, which is the next step in your training and is much harder. I feel as they quit within a year or less. Even at a decent school, I feel as they'd quit. Because you know kids try a lot of things and do sports. Some quit and move on with something else. What do you think, but I bet I'm wrong, idk.
