Martial Arts for 4.5 year old

[InTheBlue]

Can anyone recommend a martial art for a 4 and half year old in the East Coast?

I am really looking for a martial art that is Judo/Jujitsu or based around those as they seem to be more relevant with rolling etc than Taekwondo which is based on kicking people off horses!!!

Thanks

[nakatago]

What exactly are your goals for your child to learn martial arts? Having studied several, I know from experience that a lot of schools purport that studying theirs would let a person do something...which won't most of the time.

Could you elaborate more about the rolling relevance? Judo and jujitsu look better than striking arts but they'll be useless in self-defense when an assailant would have buddies. Real taekwondo is amazingly effective but unfortunately is diluted by the mass-marketed and watered down "franchise."

But for discipline or a cultural/art experience, either would be ok; just don't get lulled into a false sense of security that the child would know self-defense.

[InTheBlue]

What I am looking for is to give my 'spirited' child something to focus on in terms of a martial that gives discipline, fitness and confidence at the right time.

I thing rolling and knowing how to fall are particularly useful in early and later life.

I am not too concerned about him having to learn about 'fighting' as such yet as will progress to that later when he is ready.

Cheers

[nakatago]

Aah, that makes much more sense now.

FWIW, you may try giving these people a call: http://www.singaporejudo.org.sg/aboutus.htm

[InTheBlue]

Thanks for your help.

[sgnyc65]

My son who is 3 years old does Wishu (type of martial arts) at Ch'i Life Studio at the Orchard Hotel Gallery - he loves it!

[InTheBlue]

sgnyc65, I have a friend who's son also does it there but in private lessons on a Saturday. Will look at it further.

Do you have a website for them or contact name?

[InTheBlue]

Well he is doing Taekwando and seems to be enjoying it so we will see how it goes.

[nakatago]

Well he is doing Taekwando and seems to be enjoying it so we will see how it goes.

Just don't let him get lulled into a false sense of security, i.e. he actually knows self defense and could hold up to a mugging type of security,* and your kid should be fine. Think of it of him learning a sport with a more spiritual and cultural bent.

*I'm not dissing Taekwondo jins but c'mon guys, you know what I'm talking about. I've discussed this with a taekwondo teacher several times already and he admits to the 'watering-down due to a franchise business model' thing.