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Old 03-28-2008, 10:22 AM   #11
Jennifer Yabut
 
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Dojo: Old City Aikido
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 100
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Re: Ultimate fights expand to include kids

I'm also concerned about the "hard training" MMA and "ultimate fighting" entails. Most "striking arts" like Tae Kwon Do don't utilize joint locks. If I recall correctly, Judo doesn't use many joint locks either, right? And don't most (if not all) Aikido dojo have a *minimum* age for children to start training? Not only that, aren't they usually just taught the *basics*, and none of the "harsher" joint locks? I've also heard that joint locks can be harmful to a growing child's body.

However, my main concern can be summed up thusly:

Quote:
Ron Ragusa wrote: View Post
Two of the kids interviewed in the video:

"... get in there and get it over with and beat up some kid."

and

"I can punch people and not get in trouble."

Pretty much speaks for itself.
...and *that* is my biggest problem with children doing "ultimate fighting". I'm all for children learning the martial arts - but only to learn *self-defense*, *self-discipline*, and *self-control*. NOT so they can learn to beat up other kids better.

"The ultimate aim of martial arts is not having to use them." - Miyamoto Musashi
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