what to teach 8 yr old?

good day to you sirs,

i'm a newbei in aikiweb forum and would like to ask your opinion on what techniques an 8yr old could easily appreciate?
btw im a 1st dan aikido instructor and been teaching for 7yrs. This is only for conversation purposes.

I teach a regular Childrens class and teach all techniques except pins (other than Ikkyo). Kids seem to like it. Obviously some modification is needed with Kotegaeshi etc so that the wrist isn't damaged but otherwise anything goes.

ditto Phil

rgds

Bryan

I'd have someone teach them judo. Once their bones harden up a bit (what, about 15 or so?) then start aikido. YMMV

Ron

I think it's great that kids start aikido that early. If it is already a big part of their lives by the time they reach puberty perhaps it will be a positive influence during their teenage years. I agree with those who said that aikido is ok even for young kids as long as care is taken with their joints.
Gaia

GaiaTS wrote: I think it's great that kids start aikido that early. If it is already a big part of their lives by the time they reach puberty perhaps it will be a positive influence during their teenage years. I agree with those who said that aikido is ok even for young kids as long as care is taken with their joints. Gaia

we here in the philippines have a stereo-type to make our children enrole in taekwondo coz that's where the the good families are enroling their children. But since my kids wants to learn my art(maybe to impress me) i teach them. But its more of games. And yes i agree w/ you it does influece them.
The question is what technique could youngsters aprreciate?
irimi?, shionagi?, suwari-waza?,.......... what technique?

Hello!

The most imortant thing for children that age is to have fun and to feel that they are accepted for who they are. I accualy dont know what techniques i would have learned them. Maybe you should start whit some exersice game, and learn them fall techniques and i also think that different types of kokyunages would be good!.

Hope that I could help you!

Blade_Looper wrote: Hello! The most imortant thing for children that age is to have fun and to feel that they are accepted for who they are. I accualy dont know what techniques i would have learned them. Maybe you should start whit some exersice game, and learn them fall techniques and i also think that different types of kokyunages would be good!. Hope that I could help you!

isn't constant pratice of falling dangerous for that age?

I can't imagine why rolling and falling would hurt kids. When I helped with kids classes (close to 4 yrs) 8 yrs old girls were ideal beginners: more focussed than 8 yr old boys, very self-regulating due to interest in rules and order. Rolling skills, games, and techniques without jointlocking/stress all worked really well. Probably the easiest technique to teach was shihonage.

Janet Rosen wrote: I can't imagine why rolling and falling would hurt kids. .

how old are you ma'am?
how's your kidneys? mine hurts.
how's your falupian tube?
how many year have you been practicing?

I REALLLY think that falling (safely and gently - we're not talking high breakfalls here) is just fine for kids. They bounce right back much more easily than adults. I know plenty of great aikidoists who started as kids and lots of trustworthy, experienced teachers who have no qualms about teaching them. But perhpas we should hear from someone with personal experience??
Gaia

master35 wrote: how old are you ma'am? how's your kidneys? mine hurts. how's your falupian tube? how many year have you been practicing?

Excuse me? The state of, or even the existence of, my fallopian tubes are none of your, or anybody on this forum's, business.
I am a bit shy of 50 yrs old, and roll and fall just fine, thank you.

im sorry but i didn't mean that about anyones reproduct..organ..
yes i believe that its no joking matter.
what i meant was continues falling from a young age(even not high) would damage kidneys and perhaps i'm affraid to my young girls reproductive organ w/ continues falling practice.
lets say a girl from 10 til 30yrs old of constant practice on falling like judo would have a diffinite damage to her pregnancy(majority causing ectopic preg). medical research on women competing on judo research has made this.
so my stand as a long aikido practitioner is to limit falling practice at this age because even w/ a knowlegable instructor youngsters should practice throws and less on falls(except roll).

so i ask what technique they could aprreciate?(not falling or rolling but techniques)
pls. read my first post because im not good in english.

Janet Rosen wrote: Excuse me? The state of, or even the existence of, my fallopian tubes are none of your, or anybody on this forum's, business. I am a bit shy of 50 yrs old, and roll and fall just fine, thank you.

sorry maam rosen but didnt mean to offend you.

what dan are you now ma'am?yudansha?

You all might want to look at this article.

Luis - there are just some things you don't ask a lady.

Some comments come to mind after reading the article. One is that the range of exercises that can cause problems is pretty broad and I suspect the intensity of the exercise has a lot to do with the problem. I don't think Aikido training in your average dojo is going to be that intense and if it where there is plenty of knowledge out there to prevent and alleviate the situation. I sure am not going to tell my wife and/or daughter that they can't do a particular sport because of that potential problem.

As for kids - they definately wont be that intense at 8 years old. I would be more concerned about the wrists but here in Japan the kids do all the Kihon that the adults do. Just that consideration is made for the lack of maturity.

PeterR wrote: You all might want to look at this article. Luis - there are just some things you don't ask a lady. Some comments come to mind after reading the article. One is that the range of exercises that can cause problems is pretty broad and I suspect the intensity of the exercise has a lot to do with the problem. I don't think Aikido training in your average dojo is going to be that intense and if it where there is plenty of knowledge out there to prevent and alleviate the situation. I sure am not going to tell my wife and/or daughter that they can't do a particular sport because of that potential problem. As for kids - they definately wont be that intense at 8 years old. I would be more concerned about the wrists but here in Japan the kids do all the Kihon that the adults do. Just that consideration is made for the lack of maturity.

thanx for the medical link on uti but no need im a medical practitioner and leo.
ya i forgot since me and wife talk openly about anatomy. forgot some could be offenssive.

I'd say they'd only find it offensive if it was framed that way...hint hint hint hint...and since you're not married to anyone on this board that might be another clue.

Oh, and since when does being a doctor preclude you from reading medical research? I'd think you'd want to look at the article even more closely. And then offer an alternative perspective (backed up by research) if you deem it appropriate.

Ron (sheesh, language barriers only excuse so much)

Ron Tisdale wrote: I'd have someone teach them judo. Once their bones harden up a bit (what, about 15 or so?) then start aikido. YMMV Ron

I fully support Ron here. Judo instructors have a LOT of experience, much more then aikido instructors how to teach kids. and most aikido instructors are simply too sloppy, and training for kids is boring as hell.

So go to judo dojo!

Yes this is an interesting subject. With so many variants on how children's bones develop, organ malfunction and so forth it can be confusing to know exactly what will happen. However, I am of the opinion that children tend to be more flexible, pliable and resilient that the average adult. In saying this every technique can be taught to a child. I recommend that if you are teaching children, to go to your local school and watch what kids get up to, the games they play and the way in which they interact with each other. This will give you a very clear indication the children will cope just fine with any technique including all joint locks, pins and throws. Aikido can be harsh or it can be graceful but everything comes down to conditioning and it takes time and steady progression. If you are a teacher of children my advise is to include a game at the end of class, we play suwari waza tag forwards some days backwards others. Its fun for the kids, the assistant instructors, the parents and the aikidoka that are waiting to do the next class.
So if anyone has some great games for kids I'd be interested in knowing about them.

We teach children from very young to late teens. We teach the kids class like an adult's basics class with warm-ups, then ukemi and footwork/ aiki exercises for the first half hour then depending on the class we will teach 2 to 3 techniques. We then will conclude with either a game like shikko soccer or dodge ball or they do 1-2-3 push over for the young ones and seated kokyu for the more advanced or older children.

We start the kids out at 10th kyu, and by the time they reach 6th kyu they have a wide knowledge of different techniques from ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo, kotegaeshi, iriminage, kokyunage, tenchinage, etc. The tenkan, irimi and tenshin kokyunage throws are the first techniques we teach them then they progress upwards.

Children have an amazing capacity to learn aikido and are fearless in their ukemi, it's just up to the adults to be patient and keep them focused. Some of our teens have been training longer than me, over 5 years, and their basics are incredible and better than most adults.

As a woman I find it insulting to think that people still have the attitude that women's reproductive organs will be damaged by physical and sport activities. It has been a reason since the Victorian era until the late 1950's and early 1960's to keep the women in the home. I have done hard activities in my youth from swim team and Tae Kwon Do and my reproductive organs have not suffered. Please, that belief is old and outdated.

Anne Marie Giri wrote: As a woman I find it insulting to think that people still have the attitude that women's reproductive organs will be damaged by physical and sport activities. It has been a reason since the Victorian era until the late 1950's and early 1960's to keep the women in the home. I have done hard activities in my youth from swim team and Tae Kwon Do and my reproductive organs have not suffered. Please, that belief is old and outdated.

Well yes and no.

When my wife teaches ballet she makes a point of teaching muscle control during jumps to prevent injury to certain reproductive organs.

This does not mean that women should not participate they should be aware and take care. Similar to men learning how to breakfall properly to protect their own.

Ron Tisdale wrote: I'd say they'd only find it offensive if it was framed that way...hint hint hint hint...and since you're not married to anyone on this board that might be another clue. Oh, and since when does being a doctor preclude you from reading medical research? I'd think you'd want to look at the article even more closely. And then offer an alternative perspective (backed up by research) if you deem it appropriate. Ron (sheesh, language barriers only excuse so much)

oh.oh.oh. hostile grounds.
BY THE WAY I READ IT!!! CLOSELY YEAH DOC NICE IDEA! YEAH I FIND IT APPROPRIATE!!!
SHEEEEEEEEEEEESH??????????? FOR LANGUAGE BARRIERS???????? DAMN YOUR VERY SMART!!!!!
OH BY THE WAY ARE YOU IN THIS PICTURE?
http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showp...sort=1&cat=500

Szczepan Janczuk wrote: I fully support Ron here. Judo instructors have a LOT of experience, much more then aikido instructors how to teach kids. and most aikido instructors are simply too sloppy, and training for kids is boring as hell. So go to judo dojo!

I AINT NO JUDO PRACTICIONER BUT I BET I COULD GIVE YOU AN SHONAGE W/ MY EYES CLOSED!!! WISH I COULD MEET YOU!!!

Scott Eggenton wrote: Yes this is an interesting subject. With so many variants on how children's bones develop, organ malfunction and so forth it can be confusing to know exactly what will happen. However, I am of the opinion that children tend to be more flexible, pliable and resilient that the average adult. In saying this every technique can be taught to a child. I recommend that if you are teaching children, to go to your local school and watch what kids get up to, the games they play and the way in which they interact with each other. This will give you a very clear indication the children will cope just fine with any technique including all joint locks, pins and throws. Aikido can be harsh or it can be graceful but everything comes down to conditioning and it takes time and steady progression. If you are a teacher of children my advise is to include a game at the end of class, we play suwari waza tag forwards some days backwards others. Its fun for the kids, the assistant instructors, the parents and the aikidoka that are waiting to do the next class. So if anyone has some great games for kids I'd be interested in knowing about them.

thanx for the advise sir.

Anne Marie Giri wrote: We teach children from very young to late teens. We teach the kids class like an adult's basics class with warm-ups, then ukemi and footwork/ aiki exercises for the first half hour then depending on the class we will teach 2 to 3 techniques. We then will conclude with either a game like shikko soccer or dodge ball or they do 1-2-3 push over for the young ones and seated kokyu for the more advanced or older children. We start the kids out at 10th kyu, and by the time they reach 6th kyu they have a wide knowledge of different techniques from ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo, kotegaeshi, iriminage, kokyunage, tenchinage, etc. The tenkan, irimi and tenshin kokyunage throws are the first techniques we teach them then they progress upwards. Children have an amazing capacity to learn aikido and are fearless in their ukemi, it's just up to the adults to be patient and keep them focused. Some of our teens have been training longer than me, over 5 years, and their basics are incredible and better than most adults.

thanx for sharing your info ma'am very much appreciated.

Anne Marie Giri wrote: As a woman I find it insulting to think that people still have the attitude that women's reproductive organs will be damaged by physical and sport activities. It has been a reason since the Victorian era until the late 1950's and early 1960's to keep the women in the home. I have done hard activities in my youth from swim team and Tae Kwon Do and my reproductive organs have not suffered. Please, that belief is old and outdated.

that's rude granting you dont consider cultural background then this advise. yes i know lots of europians and i know how they raise thier child and some would find it very harsh. but i love my girls that much and to this reply is insulting. AND I DONT IMPLY OF MAKING MY GIRLS LOWER THAN BOYS. WHAT A SUGGESTION. I'M A FIGHTER OF WOMANS RIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its countries having pro-abortions rights and lots of bloody phedophiles you should give this OLD AND OUTDATED SERMON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!