Youth spotlight, magazine
Self-defense in the Modern Era

Your child must learn the ground game

Why does a parent sign a child up for Martial Arts? Most parents would say, “ So my child can learn to defend himself”. Others might say “So my child can learn self control”, respect and discipline”.

These are the things that a parent would automatically think come with a martial arts program. This, unfortunately, is not normally true in most cases.

If you were to sign your child up in a karate or tae kwon do program, he would probably excel in some character development such as self-control, respect, and discipline, but he would almost completely miss out on learning self-defense.

This is simply because your child’s day at tae kwon do or karate class would find him engaged in endless amounts of unexplained kata (forms), followed by some pre-baked “board breaking” that can be snapped at a touch and concluded with some very limited point sparring that does not allow hardly anything to be performed that might actually happen in even a mild real-life confrontation.

Now, on the other hand, you’d see a world of difference if you signed your child up for a Brazilian (Gracie) jiu-jitsu or mixed martial arts karate program (like Tai-jitsu, or Nin-jitsu). When it comes to real self-defense techniques, your child would learn some of the best techniques that the world has yet to discover. Consider this:

• Your child would engage in hands on training with multiple partners when practicing Techniques
  
• He would train in everything from stand-up striking grabbing take-downs, throws and  ground fighting
• Your child would then get a chance to implement a little trial and error. He could test his techniques with a fully resistant opponent and use all the ranges of combat that a real-life confrontation involves.

While your child is learning real self-defense in his Brazilian jiu-jitsu or mixed martial arts karate class,he is also learning self-control, respect, discipline and many other character qualities. So the final answer does not take a rocket scientist to figure out.

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts are by far the most effective programs to teach your child to truly defend himself in the modern era. 

By coach John Simmons.
Youth Spotlight Magazine