Best age for kids to start learning judo?

Ricebale wrote:

Here's a vid of some of my kids learning how to commit to shoulder rolls. The emphasis is on balance and agility. I like to teach tumbling exercises.

I also do "washing machine" to teach kasushi, tug o war to teach pull mechanics, sumo to teach push mechanics and peg on go grabs to teach grip placement and speed.

My typical class has 8 kidsbetween 4-9 year old.

I integrate terminology and tradition alongside game play, it's all about education.

Enjoy.

I watched the video and every roll you called out a positive comment.

Is this type of feedback based on research as to how to give feedback to children or just your feeling this is the best way?

With young kids, the best way of getting them to continue is to reward them by way of positive comments in front of their peers. I think this is human nature and extends to adults as well.

Especially with beginners, the last thing they want to hear is negativity or being critical.

In terms with the OP, I have 5 year olds and up, and my opinion is that is too young. I have stopped admitting below age 8 for simple reason that I have a single class and the very young ones tend to take more time and thus takes away from the older players.

In saying that, If I had the time and a significant amount of 5-7 year olds, I would not mind teaching them but it would be more game-play based on judo that actual "judo"

Such kids would more easily "flow" into the more advanced classes than a absolute noob 8 year old.

Davaro wrote:With young kids, the best way of getting them to continue is to reward them by way of positive comments in front of their peers. I think this is human nature and extends to adults as well.

Especially with beginners, the last thing they want to hear is negativity or being critical.

.

I am happy to praise children for effort but not for poor technique.

The aim of that drill is to make the leap from the bag to the mat and "attempt" ukemi.

The long term aim is to remove fear of being thrown via seoi nage etc by describing an arc through the air whilst being less than sure footed.

In this case all the kids did make an attempt and did so with gusto, thereby earning praise.

In answer to your question not everything results in praise, the alternative to praise is to guide them back to thectask with words like "that's not quite it, try again" or if time is out "good try, we'll get that next time"

Here's a pre randori drill, "sumo ball", 6 year olds, I guess I like positive language, the aim is to develop forward attack, off the centre movement and balance attack.

I've found that straight gokyu training doesn't seem to work with under 10 year olds as they are more games responsive, I try to integrate the traditiond and basics into the games. I don't think a judo class as an adult knows it would work in an english speaking country until thry hit about 14 imo.

Cheers

Ricebale wrote:

The video linked to is marked private

Fixed, video viewable, I'll make the vids private again when this thread is finished.

your desire to minimize the available amount of videos of young children under your supervision is rather wise.

genetic judoka wrote:your desire to minimize the available amount of videos of young children under your supervision is rather wise.

Yep, the links aren't public, I'm sharing at this site for the purpose of education, ill remove them by friday. Thrre is not very much footage of judo kids around so I thought I'd help and perhaps excahmge ideas to help me.

Cheers

i think kids should be at least 6 years old, because at this level, most are able to take instructions.
we have a few kids at my current club below 6 and they present some challenges, because they like to run around too much and don't want to pay attention to what's being taught and to their surroundings.

i bought 101 Judo Games by Fighting Films and use some of the games from the DVD during class.

love teaching kids. it's probably one of the most gratifying things i've ever done in my whole life.

My middle kid started at 6, oldest kid at 9, littlest guy has been exposed to it since 3. At 3.5 he wore his brother's gi (rolled up) and demonstrated osoto-gari at a provincial meet in an "exhibition" fight. The older two are thriving. The now 4.5 year old will be on the mat this fall. We treat judo as sport, fun, martial art, fitness. It is just what we "do" now, and above all I mean it to be a tool for continual self improvement for the kids. Indeed, it's all they know now.