spatulahunter said:
What do you guys feel is the youngest age a child should be allowed to learn wing chun at?
Wing chun is a fairly aggressive art where the moves are designed to hurt or maim, so with that taken into consideration would it be safe to teach to younger students or are they better off to start with a competitive art like wrestling or a calmer one like tai chi where martial applications arent always the most important?
I personally think they may be ready around 10-12 depending on the maturity level of the student. they could safely learn forms and basic drills but the applications would have to come later when they are able to handle the consequences of using techniques that can seriously hurt someone.
Just curious to see what you guys think
Something to consider—
Jet Li had mentioned in an interview when he studied, his first 3 years was devoted to hard physical training, mainly attributes like, (flexibility, strength, balance, and agility training). After the first 3yrs he would be moved on to 3 years of soft internal disciplines, like still and moving meditation and learning Buddhist, and Taoist doctrines to balance him out as a human being and martial artist. After that he would go to practicing the art to perfection doing forms, learning applications, and so on. He had been practicing since he was 4 or 5years of age, and was a champion wushu expert since the age of 10 or 15, and people that have met or known him have said he is a humble, nice, and compassionate man with real fight ability and knowledge. I think it also pays to note that when he studied, his master becames also his surrogate father as well as his martial teacher. It is a time honored tradition of close teacher / student relationship of the highest level, where the teacher's word is law and irrefutable, and he does assume the role of father, something none of us here in the USA are quite prepared to do by the way due how our culture is.
I believe you can start them very young, but not without teaching them good human values first to balance them out, like (respect to all life, compassion, forgiveness, good heart, an so on). And what better time to learn these thing than when they are young and still developing, and are most able to absorb all you throw at them, especialy good human values.
Perhaps it's better to show the the forms and build a good foundation in them first, like a good solid horse, forward energy, footwork, basics of trapping and jamming, and other more defense oriented techniques that can take up quite a long time for him/her to master anyways and it will keep them interested also. Then later on when they can comprehend and they show some maturity, at your own discretion of coarse, you can then explain some of the more deadly stuff like finger jabs to the eyes, pressure points, knee breaks, and so on, but of coarse teaching always good values and the consequences of using any technique or fighting in general should always also be at the top of every lesson.
Personally I thing that unless your totally prepared and willing to put in that kind of dedication of almost raising another persons child other than your own, unless it is your own, I wouldn't take on such a responsibilty. There's just way to much involved than just teaching martial arts. And if you plan on teaching older students as well, you probably already know from experience that you can't just teach anyone either. You have a lot of jokers out there who want to learn all for the wrong reasons of looking to prove something to other and seriously looking to hurt someone as well as endangering themselves too, which is something else you'll need to judge as a teacher too before taking on anyone.
Best of luck!
JM
