How young is appropriate to start Taekwondo?
By fabsprecious
@fabsprecious (1565)
United States
June 17, 2011 12:42pm CST
My son has been playing baseball for approximately a year, to be honest he really wasn't into it. But then again he is only 5 years old, so his attention spasm isn't all there. Apparently a friend of his, their parents enrolled them in a karate class and he loves it and he's been talking to my son about it and now he is all excited about it. The last day of baseball he went up to the coach and advised him that he wouldn't be here next season because he was going to start doing karate. My husband and I looked at each other and just laughed.
I want to enroll him in Taekwondo classes, but I still think he is a bit young, do they offer classes for children that age or do they have to be a certain age to enroll?
2 responses
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
17 Jun 11
My son started in Taekwondo when he was 4.
He has a big brother who's 10 and is already a reb belt, so his interest in it is very high.
Initially, the grand master said that he didn't want to accept 4-year olds, specially boys because of the limited attention span (he said girls do much better at 5 years old). Anyway, I managed to get him started, with the understanding that it would take him longer to move up to ranks because this might be all play for him. But, he did good! He turned 5 a couple of months ago, and is already a yellow belt.
Go ahead, and get your son in! I'm sure he'll like it!
@fabsprecious (1565)
• United States
17 Jun 11
Really, thank you for the insight, I will definitely consider it now. I will be honest I was a bit spectacle, but hearing this I might have him enrolled soon. I found a place that teaches close to the house, it's a bit small, but I would like to enroll him to get him started, so that he can get an idea of what it is all about. My daughter on the other hand is 4, and she is also wanting to start, but I think she is still to small, I am probably going to have to wait at least until next year.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
17 Jun 11
That's great!
A lot of the white belt stuff is mostly playing around. I think they just want to instill 'following-instructions'.
And then when they can do their 'Basic Forms', then they can get promoted to the next higher belt. In my son's case, they did half-belts. So after a few months of white belt, he did a promotion for half-yellow belt. And he did another to get his full yellow belt.
It's been great for him. I'll bet it'll be great for your son too.
@fabsprecious (1565)
• United States
20 Jun 11
I know it's for sports and fun, my son seems to be interested in it more than he was with baseball, so I am hoping at least this will keep him occupied and most importantly he'll enjoy and have fun.
