Martial Arts for Kids - Why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
One of the most frequent questions we get from parents is why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu would be beneficial to their child. Certainly, discipline and confidence are some of the hallmark benefits a child can get from practicing Jiu-Jitsu, but I always like to extend that answer by highlighting the importance of how the art is introduced to kids for I’m a firm believer that it has a deep impact on their level of engagement with the art but also it will reflect on the development of their resilience to stay with it for many years.
For a number of years before I became a black belt I observed the relationship that kids, their parents and their instructors have with Jiu-Jitsu. Broadly speaking, it always seemed there was a big disconnect of expectations, which inevitably resulted in a shorter tenure of the student in the school.
For the most part, parents want their children to learn how to defend themselves, exercise, burn some energy, and instill a sense of discipline. Instructors want the students to follow the class, learn the basic body movements, learn basic techniques, and drill. Kids just want one thing. To have fun. This is where the conflict resides. It is very hard to expect that a child will be able to retain attention, perform techniques (as simple as they may be) to perfection, enjoy, and see the value in learning them if they are not having fun.
The Jiu-Jitsu classes for the child need to be as exciting as going to the playground, and generally speaking, children younger than 10, need to be introduced to the Jiu-Jitsu techniques through play. To an untrained eye, a simple game might seem like a silly waste of time, but to an educated and prepared Jiu-Jitsu instructor, this is the perfect channel to introduce the most essential body movements and techniques to the child. Their ability to learn and retain those techniques will happen in a transparent way to the child. They will be executing many of the Jiu-Jitsu's most important moves, without knowing that they are doing it. Different types of games and activities should be the cornerstone of a kid’s curriculum until they are ready to be shown how those fun games and activities translate into practical self-defense and Jiu-Jitsu techniques. That’s how you start a child in Jiu-Jitsu and as importantly, that’s how you keep a child interested in Jiu-Jitsu. The deeper understanding of the techniques, the more demanding and intense sparring sessions, will all come at the proper time. It is one of the most precious gifts you can give to your child, that will be carried for the rest of their lives and influence every other aspect of their lives.
The level of complexity and intensity is very gradually increased as the child becomes more comfortable with the movements and techniques and everything is catered with the child’s safety in mind.
At Range BJJ NYC (Upper East Side), our kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program operates in a fun and nurturing environment, where children flourish and learn important lessons that can be applied in many different aspects of life. The child learns Jiu-Jitsu without realizing that it is happening because everything is associated with play. Little by little, the connections of the fun and technique are shown to the children at which point is almost second nature to them.
Through self-discipline, commitment, perseverance, and grit, you can accomplish anything.
Improving focus and concentration helps you ignore distractions and fully engage in lessons at school, in sports, and at home.
Patience and dedication pay off.
When you are healthy and fit, you feel better about yourself and are more confident
Why Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for your kid?
It does not rely on strength or size, so is effective against larger and stronger attackers,
It is safe because it’s focused on restraint and control rather than striking, and
It is considered the most practical and effective self-defense system in the world.