Karate is an oriental martial art that has been proving its effectiveness for a very long time.
Parents always wonder what classes to give their child. The whole problem is that at a young age it is still difficult for the baby to make this choice himself.
Develops willpower and self-esteem
Everyone has a different attitude to martial arts. But if you have a boy, then he must be able to fend for himself, starting already from elementary school, since it is there that the first conflicts with peers occur.
Karate for children is an excellent educator who will teach from a young age to respect elders, go ahead through any obstacles and be purposeful.
If you can still argue about girls, then the future hero must be given to contact sports.
Modern martial arts schools teach karate to children from the age of 4-5. Of course, karate training for children in such groups is not like the classes of older groups. It reminds more of a game than practicing a combat sport.
What do you need for classes?
So it is accepted that it is considered indecent to train in shorts or a T-shirt. In addition to karate becoming a best friend for children, it cultivates respect for others.
It conveys this character trait to children through strict discipline, which should always be respected. One of the rules is training in special clothes - this is a kimono for karate. It will be interesting to wear for children, especially because the jacket is always tied with a belt, which can be used to judge the level of knowledge and skills of a roommate.
Often, it is belts that become for children a good way to express their abilities and ambitions. So karate for children becomes a kind of competition, where everyone wants to have a more serious belt.
If you have a kimono, shoes (some train in Czech or barefoot - it depends on the temperature of the gym and type of cover), then you just have to find the money to pay for the trainer's work, and also decide on the style of karate.
How to choose a karate style?
There are actually a lot of varieties of this martial art, and all of them are somewhat different. For example, in kyokushin (also called kekushin-karate) in competitions, you can not beat in the head. Is this good or bad? Someone may say that this is good, because the head is needed in order to think, and from blows a person becomes only dumber.
One can argue with this, but let’s say right away - to miss a kick in the head is even less pleasant than a hand. And karatekas know how to kick with such speed that you do not have time to blink. While practicing the basic technique, students still train blows to the head.
If you want to completely protect the child from head injuries, you can give him to the kudo section, where before the fights special protective helmets are put on the students .
Not sure what to choose, judo or karate for a child, or maybe there are other options?
Do not spray, try to find out from your child where he likes best - take him to work out there and there.
How to choose a coach?
This question is very important, since the benefit that the child will receive from classes directly depends on it.
It is impossible to unequivocally talk about which coach is better - young or one that already has several decades of teaching experience.
A more experienced trainer is most likely needed by adult fighters, whom he will be able to teach new and effective combat techniques. And the young people just do well with young karatekas, as they may be interested in some new exercises, ideas that they easily implement in a playful way.
But again, each trainer has his own reputation, feedback from other parents. It is worthwhile to listen carefully to them, as you trust this person to teach your own child.
Much depends on the qualification of a trainer: the ability to find a common language with children, the ability to reach out or convey a thought to absolutely all students, educational skills, experience and confidence in words, the ability to maintain discipline in a group and much more.
How to protect your child from injury?
Of course, to completely protect the little man from bodily injury will not work, no matter how much we would like.
But some of them can be avoided if there is protection for karate for children. You can buy it at any store. Usually this is gloves on the hands, pads on the legs, a shell for the inguinal zone, a helmet.
If you want to give the girl in karate, then you still need to take care of the bibs, because she obviously does not need breast diseases in adulthood.
Can a child be allowed to compete?
Of course, but only with the permission of a karate trainer. For beginner children, this will be the very first way to test their strength and skills.
There is such a practice when a trainer with parents force small karatekas to take part in competitions. This is extremely wrong and adversely affects the children's psyche.
If you do not want the child to squeeze inside, then you should not force him to do something like that. He must decide for himself whether to enter the tatami or not.
Of course, for the first time he will be very scared - at such a moment he will need support. And in other cases too. So do not miss such events and let the child understand that you love him and worry about him.
What are the contraindications for karate for children?
Given the fact that karate is a martial art, not all children will need such an active sport.
Do not give your child to the karate section if he has:
obvious health problems;
heart failure is observed;
too high or low pressure;
retardation in development, both physical and mental, is visible;
there are chronic diseases that interfere with sports;
mental abnormalities are present.
Most schools that teach, for example, Kyokushin karate for children, require a doctor’s certificate saying that the child can be allowed to train and that he is allowed to exercise.