Many parents are faced with the decision to approve or reject Taekwondo for children – or even other martial arts. At what age does it make sense, does it have other benefits, or is it even dangerous? We offer an overview of pros and cons below.
Inhalt/ Content
Taekwondo as such originated from Japanese karate and the principles are the same. This means that your child’s integrity comes first, before absolute fitness, exams and other events or achievements.
This is one of the reasons why Taekwondo is a very popular sport for children. If your child shows some interest in martial arts, feel free to give it a try.
Advantages of martial arts for children
We would like to shed some light on the prejudices that overly concerned parents have towards martial arts for children.
- The effective training of motor skills, as it inevitably takes place in Taekwondo, provides a significantly improved coordination and condition, especially in early childhood.
- In addition, the improved motor skills will have a very positive impact on other physical activities if he or she wants to learn something else later on, and the targeted development of physical skills also entails a strengthening of the mind. Thus, martial arts lays a valuable foundation in the points of body control, balance and, especially interesting in the subject of bullying, self-confidence.
- The assumption of some parents that a martial art specializing in leg techniques is too dangerous for children, you best quickly throw over the heap. In the dojang, your children will not learn how to strike best and fastest, but rather the entire system of Taekwondo serves to make it clear to your child that physical violence is the last form of confrontation. The exact knowledge of the term “self-defense” and violence prevention are as much a part of the training for the Taekwondo children as the warm-up.
- The children also learn to function in a group, to deal with their peers, to resolve conflicts, and to be respectful of each other and the instructor.
Video: This is what a Taekwondo kids training looks like
As already noted, the training is more than physical exercise, so to give you a little insight, check out the following videos.
Taekwondo for children in the sports school
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more
Taekwondo training for children from A-Z
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more
Martial arts Taekwondo children 4-6 years
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more
Can children defend themselves with Taekwondo?
Taekwondo is for children just like any other martial art a good way to better defend themselves in extreme situations.
However, it must be clearly stated that a 5 year old child has a chance against an adult only with luck, if really danger threatens. Alone because of the missing range.
Nevertheless, Taekwondo makes children more defensible and strengthens their ability to defend themselves:
- The Korean martial art builds self-confidence. And a defensible child is a less interesting victim for an attacker or an adult who has bad things in mind.
- Punches or attacks can be fended off better by the learned basic techniques than without training.
- By counterattacking, your child may be able to surprise the attacker and buy time to escape.
From what age can I learn Taekwondo?
If you look into the topic of Taekwondo training for children, you will quickly notice that many Taekwondo clubs already accept very young kids.
Depending on the club, the minimum age can be 3 years, while other clubs wait until the age of 7. We recommend a starting age of 4 to 5 years.
Generally, there is no disadvantage to a lower entry age. If the club specializes in children’s training, groups are formed whose members are similar in age and skill level.
So the effect of early entry is that the Taekwondo children can grow together with their successes. This helps them form long-term friendships within the group.
What are the dangers?
As with any other physical activity, the risk of injury can never be completely eliminated.
Danger from injuries
Although the likelihood of serious injury is very low, a strain or sprain can quickly occur, especially in the early days.
However, these are not a reason to stop training, but often come from incorrectly executed techniques. Let your child heal the injury and then encourage him to make a second attempt. As skill levels increase, the risk of injury decreases.
Overtaxing the child
While overexertion is an ever-present danger, it can be especially apparent in a sport as sweaty as taekwondo. Especially if your child prefers to spend his or her time in front of the computer, the transition can be difficult and can mean many weeks or even months of hard work. If your child wants to throw in the towel, talk to the trainer beforehand about how big the differences are. Before you abandon the training, remember that a period of despair is quickly forgotten when it is ended by success.
Danger from close combat?
You should also keep in mind that full-contact fighting, as it is done in the Olympic Games, is not the heart of Taekwondo children’s training, but is reserved for competitive athletes. Maybe your offspring will be one of them someday, but this is a decision he or she will have to make on his or her own at a later date.
Conclusion: Taekwondo suitable for children?
We can only answer this with a clear yes. Because it is not about children fighting or exposing themselves to greater danger.
- Taekwondo is about developing motor and mental skills.
- Children learn to deal with other children and to solve conflicts (without violence)
- The sport provides the child with a good balance to the challenges at school
- The risk of injury is probably not much greater in a soccer game than in Taekwondo.
It isadvisable for parents to talk to the club or coach in advance. Thereby you can ask how a children’s training runs, which other age groups are represented and to get to know the framework, what is trained, when the coach intervenes.