Most martial arts training is quite safe for children. In fact, the majority of good schools list safety as the first priority of their youth classes. After all, martial arts training is meant to improve a child's ability to defend themselves during a confrontation and avoid injury in the process.
So getting hurt or contracting something while training is hardly on the 'to do list'.
Along with this, here are six things that you should ask about or see at safe youth martial arts schools.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: An hour per school you're considering.
Here's How:
- Ask About Cleaning Practices: There are several different bacterias and viruses that can be contracted while training in martial arts, and the ever infamous staph infection is just one of them. So it's important to ask how often a martial arts school cleans their mats and facilities when looking for a safe school for your child. Also, remember that sweeping the mat is simply not enough. Those mats should be cleaned on a daily or close to daily basis with a disinfectant strong enough to kill bacteria.
- Look For Appropriate Equipment Utilization: When sparring is being executed in the class, are the children using safety equipment? Some things you should look for are gloves, mouthpieces, headgear, rash guards, and shin pads, depending on the type of school and what’s going on in class that day. Also, don’t forget to check out the floor. Is it matted? If there is any level of grappling, it should be.
- Look For Flexibility Training: All martial arts styles require flexibility. After all, to execute that high kick, pull off that armbar, or practice some of the more meditative styles, flexibility is paramount. From a safety angle, flexibility training helps people to avoid injury. Therefore, at a children's class you should see a lot of stretching going on.
- Must See a Parent Section: This part is simple. If a parent wants to watch their child train in martial arts, they should be able to. If a school doesn’t allow parents to watch from a comfortable area, turn tail and leave.
- Ask About Sparring and Contact: Some contact in sparring is not necessarily a bad thing. But you don't want children, particularly young ones, to be striking full go to the face. Ask the instructor about the amount of contact that your child will be involved in during class so you can gauge if you're comfortable with it. Also, when it comes to submissions and young children, the instructors should be watching closely enough to call a halt to the action when a submission is employed, rather than waiting for a tap out. Children's joints should not be strained to a great extent.
- Ask About Verbal Self Defense Education: Don’t forget that the best way to deal with a confrontation is to do so verbally. Therefore, asking if the school teaches its students how to deal with bullies and problems from a verbal and cerebral end is a good question. Physical contact should always be avoided when possible.
