Millions of children in the United States enjoy taking martial arts classes. They offer a great way to teach discipline and self-defense as well as building confidence. If your kid wants to take it a step further and take MMA lessons, you probably are a bit concerned about safety. Mixed martial arts certainly can be dangerous; there are some ways to minimize the risks.
If you are truly worried about safety, consider that many other sports pose risks as well. Baseball, football and hockey are all popular youth sports, and you absolutely can suffer a serious injury, even a life-threatening injury from any of those three sports. Protective gear limits the risk of injury for these sports, and keep in mind that kids in MMA training also wear protective head gear, mouth gear, pads and other items to keep them safe.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there is no such thing as a sanctioned MMA fight for children, so basically your child would be training and learning techniques, not fighting. Keep in mind that these are skills that provide them with tools of self-defense, which is something that everyone should know at least a little bit about. Your goal should be to improve fitness, increase confidence and improve discipline.
Whether you are worried about safety or not, before you sign your child up for MMA classes, spend some time finding the right gym. Go in and spend some time talking with the instructors and ask about their philosophy. Observe a few classes within different age groups and see for yourself what is being taught. You want to see instructors that are respected but not intimidating and focused on self improvement and not on teaching aggressive behavior. If it looks like the Cobra Kai dojo from The Karate Kid, find another place.
Of course, if you would still prefer to avoid MMA classes but your child is really enthusiastic about training, consider a compromise. Why not sign up for just one style of martial art? One martial art that definitely will help lead a child into MMA training at an older age is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This art teaches many skills essential for MMA fighting, though it doesn't pose the same level of risk as all-out MMA. Most BJJ facilities focus on self defense and not on pushing aggressive behavior.
Other options to consider are taking wrestling classes, Judo, Karate or Taekwondo, rather than boxing, Muay Thai or kickboxing as the latter three often can be a bit riskier. You can certainly learn boxing and Muay Thai skills without working against an opponent, and your child can wait until he or she is older before they use these skills against an opponent.
If you are truly worried about safety, consider that many other sports pose risks as well. Baseball, football and hockey are all popular youth sports, and you absolutely can suffer a serious injury, even a life-threatening injury from any of those three sports. Protective gear limits the risk of injury for these sports, and keep in mind that kids in MMA training also wear protective head gear, mouth gear, pads and other items to keep them safe.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there is no such thing as a sanctioned MMA fight for children, so basically your child would be training and learning techniques, not fighting. Keep in mind that these are skills that provide them with tools of self-defense, which is something that everyone should know at least a little bit about. Your goal should be to improve fitness, increase confidence and improve discipline.
Whether you are worried about safety or not, before you sign your child up for MMA classes, spend some time finding the right gym. Go in and spend some time talking with the instructors and ask about their philosophy. Observe a few classes within different age groups and see for yourself what is being taught. You want to see instructors that are respected but not intimidating and focused on self improvement and not on teaching aggressive behavior. If it looks like the Cobra Kai dojo from The Karate Kid, find another place.
Of course, if you would still prefer to avoid MMA classes but your child is really enthusiastic about training, consider a compromise. Why not sign up for just one style of martial art? One martial art that definitely will help lead a child into MMA training at an older age is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This art teaches many skills essential for MMA fighting, though it doesn't pose the same level of risk as all-out MMA. Most BJJ facilities focus on self defense and not on pushing aggressive behavior.
Other options to consider are taking wrestling classes, Judo, Karate or Taekwondo, rather than boxing, Muay Thai or kickboxing as the latter three often can be a bit riskier. You can certainly learn boxing and Muay Thai skills without working against an opponent, and your child can wait until he or she is older before they use these skills against an opponent.
About the Author:
Rod Bourgoine enjoys blogging about mixed martial arts benefits. To get further info about an MMA gym in San Diego or to find jiu jitsu lessons in San Diego, please check out The Arena MMA site now.
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