Do you want your child to train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) but have safety concerns? Or maybe you are worried about the kind of environment your child will be in? These are questions that parents think about naturally when it comes to their child’s safety. What you can do is to ensure that your child is protected and safe during training and rolling around on mats with other children. Here are a few guidelines concerning BJJ and child safety. You can observe a BJJ class and check whether the instructor is following these safety guidelines.
Know Your Martial Art
First and foremost, you must know that bruises and some minor injuries are common in all martial art styles and BJJ is no different. If your kid (s) is taking up BJJ then you will want him/her to be prepared for their training sessions. There is no safer martial art than Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as it was designed by its patriarch to be an effective tool for smaller and weaker people against opponents who are much larger and stronger. This is perfect for kids as it is the safest way to learn self-defense that benefits greatly in real-life situations.
Wear Protective Gear
As BJJ is not a full contact combat martial art, it does not require wearing protective gear on different body parts. The only gear that is recommended for practitioners to wear is a mouth guard to keep their teeth and jaws safe when grappling and clinching. Not to worry though, the surface is covered with soft mat to avoid any injury due to falling.
However, BJJ is a technical sport and the best way to stay safe is to stay alert and in the moment. Your child will be taught to be aware of his/her surroundings and judge their opponent’s movements and techniques. They will learn how to position their bodies to avoid any twisting of the joints or crushing of any part of their body. Rest assured, the sparring is closely observed by experienced instructors.
Always Warm Up Before the Training Session
Like any other sports, the first thing to do is to warm up your body properly. Make sure that the trainer who is in charge of your kid’s BJJ class does a proper 15 to 20 minutes of warm-up exercises and stretching before the start of the actual BJJ training. Stretching is very important when it comes to BJJ. It helps in warming up the muscles and keeps your child safe from ‘muscle pulls’ when participating in the grappling and rolling. Slow gradual stretching increases the blood flow to the muscles, increases body temperature and helps in lengthening your child’s muscles. This makes your child’s body ready for a tough BJJ training session.
Observe the Rules
Know the rules and observe whether they are being followed or not. Just like observing traffic rules prevents accidents, it’s the same way in martial arts. When BJJ trainees know the rules of the martial art, injuries can be prevented. Your child and other children know what is allowed, what is not and what is safe. This is a positive thing as it minimizes the chances of injury while also giving your child a sense of importance of observing rules and regulations.
If you want your child to learn Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in a safe and friendly environment from the best BJJ instructors, Arashi Do Martial Arts in Edmonton is the place to be. We teach our students the rules and regulations of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai and Karate so they can learn in a safe environment. You can have peace of mind knowing that your kid (s) is training at the best and safest martial art institution.
Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.
We have a wide variety of times for our Children’s Programs to fit your schedule. Contact us now to get started on your 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!
Arashi Do North has been open since Jan 2004 (since 1985 in Alberta). We offer Karate, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai classes to Children 4-7, 8-12, 14-16 and adults (16+). Come try out a class with use and check out our other social media for neat videos and photos.
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