If you are thinking about enrolling your children in Taekwondo, please let me explain why I think you have excellent intentions but at the same time, have much better options available to you.
Many parents are proud that their young children often achieve Blackbelts and even Dans in Taekwondo. Dans are the additional degrees awarded on a black belt. Taekwondo is not without benefits. It is always a good sign for a martial art that there is a competitive outlet so those who wish to compete can do so. Taekwondo is an Olympic sport and the children and adults that practice it develop flexibility and fitness.
However, please understand that Taekwondo is limited to just striking and under confined conditions i.e. you can’t grapple and the type of strikes are limited.
For children, giving them a self defense system that focuses on punching and kicking means that if they feel threatened or are threatened with physical violence, it is punches and kicks that they will turn to. As a parent, there is a good chance that with any or each altercation, a call from the school and / or a visit to the Principal’s Office may follow.As a retired Police Officer of 25 years service, I know that for an adult, the consequences can be more severe.
My suggestion to every parent is to enroll their child in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The beauty of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is that it teaches children to deal with all forms of physical aggression BUT, and this is most important, without resorting to strikes. From a school’s perspective, this means your child is unlikely to ‘hurt’ the aggressor. By us teaching your child to grapple, they will completely control aggressors in a managed and mature fashion, using highly efficient takedowns that work even against bigger, larger aggressors. They can pin the aggressor to the ground and can use persuasive techniques to explain, calmly and rationally, why attacking them is not a good idea. As an Officer of 25 years service, I know these techniques work effectively as the personal safety of myself and my fellow officers depended upon it.
Please contact us to book in for a free trial class for your child. You may even wish to try one yourself!
