- Joined
- Apr 16, 2004
- Messages
- 4,262
- Reaction score
- 41
I sat through alot of testings and tournament sparring for my kids, before I started in TKD. As a parent, I cringed to think my kid was getting hit that hard and it wasn't hard at all! As a student, when I got hit hard from my own kids, I realized that they were strong and could also take the hits from me-although I still couldn't go further then moderate on good chest gear as a mother!
Our tests for kids though are handled with light touch, maybe moderate if older teen though, against usually a black belt but not always. Depends on how much control the higher belt has. Testing/sparring shouldn't be about how they take the hits, but rather how much skill they demonstrate, endurance overall (not hits) and spirit. After all they are kids. I don't think the sweep was called for, although Im sure a learning experience. Was that on a mat too? It is true that the parent could pull them out and that would be the end of martial arts possibly in their lives. Heard alot of stories like that. Let them get tough in class and save the controlled moderate touch for brown-black belt. After they get 18, they can get alot tougher, but they will be the one choosing it, for sure. TW
Our tests for kids though are handled with light touch, maybe moderate if older teen though, against usually a black belt but not always. Depends on how much control the higher belt has. Testing/sparring shouldn't be about how they take the hits, but rather how much skill they demonstrate, endurance overall (not hits) and spirit. After all they are kids. I don't think the sweep was called for, although Im sure a learning experience. Was that on a mat too? It is true that the parent could pull them out and that would be the end of martial arts possibly in their lives. Heard alot of stories like that. Let them get tough in class and save the controlled moderate touch for brown-black belt. After they get 18, they can get alot tougher, but they will be the one choosing it, for sure. TW