What age to begin lessons

[woot]

I know there are varying opinions on how old a kid should be before starting martial arts. I have a 7 year old son who is very ADHD. I have read some medical journals that really promote martial arts as a way to control a childs attention and compulsions. However, I don't want him to get burned out on it by the time he is 12 or 13. I started martial arts when I was 12. This is something I have always wanted for my son, but I want him to stick with it. It has always been a part of my life and I want the same for him. Any opinions on the subject is greatly appreciated.

 

[searcher]

Is he currently medicated? This may help him with his attention span in class. I, personally, am against using medication and I have had a few ADHD kids in my classes. They don't do bad if you keep the class moving. If the instructor stops for very long it can get out of hand pretty quickly. Will you be in the class with your son. I have found that this helps.

 

[terryl965]

At any age, before I get hammered here me and all my boys started as soon nas we could walk and I have been actively studing since 1964 so It can be done and it will become part of your daily routine.

 

[ArmorOfGod]

I don't take students under the age of ten, regardless of medical conditions. You have to look at the big picture and ask what the school is teaching. If they are teaching kicks and playing games a lot, it would be a good place for a young child. If the school is teaching wrist locks, arm breaks, and takedowns (like mine), do you really want a five year old learning that?

Seven is a somewhat bearable age to teach, but only if the child is mature for his age. You really have to decide if you put the 7 year old in, will he still be in when he hits 9. A very very small percentage of kids that young make it long in the martial arts. Basically, the older the better. You started at 12, and that is a PRIME age when referring to children. At 7, you will turn a teacher into a babysitter rather than a martial arts instructor.

AoG

 

[woot]

I agree with you about medication. I really don't like it myself, but his mother insists that he take meds. I will be there watching his class but can't participate in the kids classes, unless the instructor would allow me to help out with classes. I have been his coach in other things, like little league, and he really acted up, maybe it was because I was the coach and he thought he could get away with it or maybe it was the ADHD.

 

[The Kidd]

My sons started at 6 and 8, their passion has ebbed and flowed like any normal kid. They are always around it in some form or fashion since I study all the time, I don't push but encourage. Alot has to do with what art is being taught and how, as well as the maturity of the child as well as the instructor. We have had several ADHD kids in our school myself and the head instructor are used to teaching kids with this there are some people who help out who have a hard time.

 

[KempoFlow]

My son has ADHD and he started studying right before his 7th birthday. I think it has helped in some ways, but don't expect to see any miracles from just studying the arts.

 

[Renshi I]

Well woot,

As an instructor who works with special needs children, I have found that it's not a challange teaching someone who wants to learn. Some ADHD is behavior driven. In other words holding attention is more in the choice of the person than in the presentation. I have also found that line drills can be done with the assistant in the school while the chief / head instructor takes the time to acclamate the child. I had a great assistant who knew what I expected from the students so I could spend time to get the three I had adjusted to martial arts environment. To answer your question when the child can choose and you are ready to allow the child to find himself without being labeled ADHD as some beahviors are motivated by the fact that the child takes advantage of the benefits of being"special".

 

[Jade Tigress]

Well woot,

As an instructor who works with special needs children, I have found that it's not a challange teaching someone who wants to learn. Some ADHD is behavior driven. In other words holding attention is more in the choice of the person than in the presentation. I have also found that line drills can be done with the assistant in the school while the chief / head instructor takes the time to acclamate the child. I had a great assistant who knew what I expected from the students so I could spend time to get the three I had adjusted to martial arts environment. To answer your question when the child can choose and you are ready to allow the child to find himself without being labeled ADHD as some beahviors are motivated by the fact that the child takes advantage of the benefits of being"special".

Great post.

Martial arts can be very therapeutic for children with special needs. I would say 7 would be fine to start. My son has special needs in the form of neurological disorders. I started him in martial arts at age 9. He is 13 and still training. It's been great for him.

I say give it a shot. If it doesn't *click* this time around, don't sweat it. Give the kid a break and you can introduce it again when he's a little older. Then again, you may start now and find it's the best thing to ever happen for him. Good luck!

 

[Kacey]

Well woot,

As an instructor who works with special needs children, I have found that it's not a challange teaching someone who wants to learn. Some ADHD is behavior driven. In other words holding attention is more in the choice of the person than in the presentation. I have also found that line drills can be done with the assistant in the school while the chief / head instructor takes the time to acclamate the child. I had a great assistant who knew what I expected from the students so I could spend time to get the three I had adjusted to martial arts environment. To answer your question when the child can choose and you are ready to allow the child to find himself without being labeled ADHD as some beahviors are motivated by the fact that the child takes advantage of the benefits of being"special".

Great post.

Martial arts can be very therapeutic for children with special needs. I would say 7 would be fine to start. My son has special needs in the form of neurological disorders. I started him in martial arts at age 9. He is 13 and still training. It's been great for him.

I say give it a shot. If it doesn't *click* this time around, don't sweat it. Give the kid a break and you can introduce it again when he's a little older. Then again, you may start now and find it's the best thing to ever happen for him. Good luck!

Great advice from both of these posters. I would add that, even more than most students, you will need to find the right instructor for your child - someone who will take the time to listen to, and heed, your concerns, and treat your child like an individual, with individual expectations based on his particular needs and abilities. There are several good articles on the site about choosing a school that come up when you search the site using "choosing a school" as search terms, including here, here, and here. Good luck to you and your son, keep asking questions, and let us know how it goes!

 

[Jade Tigress]

would add that, even more than most students, you will need to find the right instructor for your child - someone who will take the time to listen to, and heed, your concerns, and treat your child like an individual, with individual expectations based on his particular needs and abilities.

This is excellent advice. My son has been blessed with instructors who are skilled with special needs children.

 

[Grenadier]

5 years old is usually a sensible lower limit, although if there's a mentally and physically mature 4 year old, I would also lump that child in with the 5+ folks.

Even with this limit in place, though, the average 5 year old will often times pose a challenge to teach, since their attention spans are not nearly as long as their older counterparts, especially when they are beginning students.

If I have a class of younger children who are of beginner ranks, I'd limit the class to no more than 45 minutes, of which no more than 35 minutes of this would be actual training.


To Woot:

Your son could certainly benefit, and he's physically mature enough to handle it. If anything, I would bet that there are other kids who are similar to him in that class, and that he could learn a lot from them.

 

[ArmorOfGod]

A few adhd/martial arts articles:

http://express-press-release.com/10/Can Martial Art, Karate help children with ADD or ADHD.php

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14185547&BRD=1306&PAG=461&dept_id=187834&rfi=6

http://www.adhdnews.com/apr2001.htm

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/2025391.shtml

 

[Carol]

I don't teach, nor do I have kids. But from what I've heard other instructors say (including my own FMA instructor)< what tends to burn children out isn't necessarily the age that they start training, its the frequency that they train.

If the class is age-appropriate and based on the child attending one class a week, the class may be very beneficial. If he's in a class where youngsters are seen attending class 3 days a week and talking about their belt ranks, the class might not be as beneficial.

 

[bydand]

what tends to burn children out isn't necessarily the age that they start training, its the frequency that they train.

If the class is age-appropriate and based on the child attending one class a week, the class may be very beneficial. If he's in a class where youngsters are seen attending class 3 days a week and talking about their belt ranks, the class might not be as beneficial.

I'll whole heartedly agree with this! As the Father to 4 boys who are all very active, this is very sound. My oldest two train now (ages 7 and 9) the youngest for almost a year, the oldest for about 1 1/2 years. My 5 year old is nowhere near ready to train yet, but that is just him. right now the most important thing to look at is the Instructor and not "what" art it is. A great teacher in an art that may not be your first choice is better that a so-so teacher in the art you favor. An Instructor that fustrates a kid will turn them off to all Martial Arts faster than anything I can think of.

Good Luck in your search!

 

[woot]

Thank you all so much for your input. It will help me in whatever decision I make.

 

[evenflow1121]

This is a very interesting question. I think people need to define what their target is with respect to their children. Some people view ma as a past time, as sort of an after school program to put your kids in until they reach a certain age. Others like myself and all of you here as a way of life. I personally do not have any kids, but if I am lucky enough to have atleast 1, I d like for my child to study martial arts, but I would like for him/her to start when they have reached a certain age where they can appreciate what they are learning whether that be 12 or 16.

 

[still learning]

Hello, For kids with these problems...you will find JUDO is good art for them to learn.

Why: because of the physcial contact with each other.
2. They will learn how to fall and roll.
3. Judo is a gentle art and teaches lots of respect to each other.
4. The works outs will burn alot of energy.
5. Kids need the interaction with each other (judo has lots of wrestling techniques as well as Judo throws.
6. Something about the physcial contact daily help kids burn those extra energies...

Please check out the local JUDO schools nearby......Aloha

 

[shrek]

As someone who has been diagnosed with ADHD and is now too close to 40 for comfort, let me help you out with a few things as far as treatment goes and hopefully help you out.

Some of the drugs are helpful, but in my day it was good old Ritalin (head on a post)...which I will admit slowed me down, but to the bad end of that spectrum. What finally occured to get me off the drugs & into sanity was that I finally broke away from SUGAR. Diet is more key than anyone (especially doctors) want to admit in treatment of ADHD. Sugar on a person with ADHD acts like an alcohol & speed combo would to a normal person.

If you control the sugar, you will see a drastic change. The headache in dealing with sugar is the amount of time kids spend eating it every chance they get. You have to get the parents (both) and the kid to watch their sugar intake closely...this includes natural sugars as well as what's in the foods they eat. If you want to see a great example of this, this summer you & the kid need about 6 weeks on a strict diabetic-style diet...the greatest effect will be in the 4-6'th weeks...you'll REALLY notice a change if the diet has been kept. NOTE that any cheating puts one back to start...this is the downside.

As far as martial arts...consider Tai Chi. The movements are fun for kids and entertaining..but most of all SLOW and teach body control & focus...which are darned important things for ADHD persons. Tai Chi worked wonders for my skills in paying attention and slowing down my mind as well as my body. God knows we need the help on that

 

[jdinca]

It really depends on the child. We've had a few start as young as 3 1/2 and we've had a few that were turned away at 5 and told to give in another try in a few months because they weren't ready yet.

Another thing that is highly important is whether or not the child wants to be there. I've got a seven year old student who is a marvelous kid and wants to be at the school. He is, however, about as amped a kid I've ever met. I've spent a lot of time just getting him to slow down and listen to what I'm saying and trying to teach him. I was told by his mother last October that there had not been one issue about his hyperactivity at school this year. Very different from the previous year. This is not an isolated situation.

On the flip side, all three of my boys have been diagnosed with some form of ADD/ADHD. I started 2 of them at age 8 and 9. They weren't that interested and were done within a year. I was new at MA also, and I'm not sure I approached it the right way with them. How motivated they are, and how you motivate them to study is every bit as important as what age you start them at.