Karate for the Young

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Kids, most around the ages of say … eight years to fifteen years. Maybe it is my limited view but it would seem that most of the karate dojo, martial arts dojo, I have bared witness to all seem to have only kids, very few adults, why is that? When I look at pictures when searching through say, Google images,  I tend to see a majority with children/kids/young adults. Hmmmmm

I remember a time when teaching karate the Sensei would not attempt to teach it to younger folks, say younger than sixteen (earliest age). The reasoning was something about the nature of karate and the necessary maturity (considering the strength of a students morals and character too.) of the practitioner/student. What is it that has changed in karate that now allows younger and younger students, students who dominate attendance in karate dojo?

Is any of this true or relevant to teaching, learning and applying karate in and out of the dojo? 

Hey, go ahead, I’ll wait for you … go to your favorite search engine and select images then search out karate students dojo pictures or some such then come back to let me know if most results show kids and young adults over full fledged adults (over eighteen as a standard). Go on, go for it, I am serious.

Now that you are back, what did you find and can you find or tell me the answer as to why? I suspect it has something to do with fees, etc. but I could be wrong. It also may be about selling karate or any martial art to the parents as a means of exercise and teaching of discipline, etc., right, could be maybe. 

In this example sample search view I counted about eighteen photos with either a majority of kids or just kids lined up for a photo op. If anyone can answer the question that would be great. It would be nice to have some understanding as I contemplate writing an article about the future of kid karate training, i.e., the pro’s and con’s of karate training for kids, etc. 

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