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Old 10-19-2010, 11:10 AM   #24
jonreading
 
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Dojo: Aikido South
Location: Johnson City, TN
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,209
United_States
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Re: training kids in Aikido

Considering at the time I am writing this post there exists on Aikiweb a post from Ledyard Sensei that not only exceeds my comprehension, it will exceed my comprehension for years to come... The aikido I am training is not for kids.

I think the argument here is how much can you alter aikido training for children before it stops being what we know as aikido. You modify the instruction, modify the curriculum, modify the duration of training, modify the intensity of class... In other words, if you make aikido into something completely different than the aikido [we know], kids can do aikido. Sure.

I think the focus of early martial training should be body awareness, coordination, discipline, and routine. To be honest, I believe there are tumbling classes, gymnastic classes, dance classes and a variety of other programs that better suited to accomplishing those goals than modifying aikido. Let alone other arts like wrestling, judo, karate, tai kwon do, etc.

If you are in a situation where no other alternatives exist, sure, modified aikido works. But I don't advocate pushing children into aikido because you want them to train aikido. Let those arts and activities better suited to children teach children; we spend far more of their lifetime as an adult than a child. And I can tell you for a fact I will NEVER take a dance lesson as an adult, but sure enough there is proof out there of my 5-year old rehearsal when I am dancing in an Elvis costume like a fool. Seriously. It's not funny.
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