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Children and the Martial Arts Very often I am asked by parents, which is the best martial art you can teach a very young child between the ages of 2-4? The best physical discipline or art you can teach a child at that age is not a martial art! That is not to say you can’t teach a child that age martial arts. I believe the best thing you can do for a child that age is to enroll them in a good dance or gymnastics program. It is important for a child of that age to acquire kinesthetic sense (the ability for muscles to memorize movement). In this way, when they are ready to study a martial art, their bodies will be ready to gain all the benefits and as they grow older and become more responsible individuals, their minds will better be able to grasp what they are doing. At the Dragon Tiger Kung Fu Center we believe that children should begin study in a martial art when they have reached the age of 5 years or older. We also believe that the course of study for these young people should be only defensive in nature. Learning martial arts is beneficial for children on many levels if they are also taught to be responsible for the knowledge that they acquire through training. When they are taught to recognize a situation that truly requires self-defense and to only use their skills to protect themselves from harm and not to be the aggressor, they also learn to be responsible, caring and compassionate young individuals. This is the type of wisdom we subscribe to and instill in the children studying with us at the Dragon Tiger Kung Fu Center. Click on the links below to learn more:
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