Should a Child learn Jiu Jitsu? A Parent’s Guide
I remember when I was 7 when my parents enrolled me to a martial arts gym. I have no idea at that time what to expect and why are they doing this. Being a kid in a martial arts class or gym has been an amazing experience for me and since Jiu Jitsu has been going in the trend recently, most people ask if enrolling their kids to a Jiu Jitsu class is worth it.
You should consider enrolling your child to Jiu Jitsu Classes because it teaches them self discipline and how they can take care of themselves. This trains them to be confident and independent, which will help shape their own identity. Plus, it keeps kids fit because of exercise.
There are many reasons why you should enroll your kids to Jiu Jitsu classes, but we need to answer some more such as at what age can they stay, why it is a good choice to consider enrolling them to martial arts, how much does Jiu Jitsu classes costs, and tips for parents when their children goes to class. We will discuss them one by one below.
At what Age can a Child start Jiu Jitsu?
A child can start studying Jiu Jitsu as early as age 3. However, Jiu Jitsu experts recommend that a child should start at age 6. This is because there will be a high chance that the child might hate the sport if they are forced to do it at a very early age.
| Youngest Age Children can Start Jiu Jitsu | 3 years old |
| Recommended Age to Start by Jiu Jitsu Experts | 6 years old |
| Recommended Age to Start Competing | 8 years old |
But it does not hurt to try. This is because there are some instances that the child would like to go to classes themselves.
This is because this is the time that they will meet new people and interact with other kids.
For some, it is because they just feel like they are playing.
So the important thing to remember is, it is very worth trying since the child might really like the sport and the people around him or her.
But take note that if the child does not like going to Jiu Jitsu classes, it is better to let them be to avoid them hating the sport.
You can enroll them at a later age which Jiu Jitsu experts recommends which is 6 years old.
The reason for this is that at age 6, they usually start being curious about independence, which is the perfect time to teach them self-discipline and independence which Martial Arts such as Jiu Jitsu teaches.
Why should you Consider Enrolling Your Kids to Martial Arts
You should consider enrolling your kids to martial arts to instill self-discipline as young as possible. This will help them in the long run, and teach them independence. Also, the exercises given in Martial Arts class are a good alternative than letting them have a sedentary lifestyle.
This will shape your child into someone with self-respect, discipline, and perseverance to handle what future has for them.
They might also like the sport and will make them stay away from the sedentary lifestyle such as looking at a tablet or computer all day.
How much does Jiu Jitsu class for kids costs?
The average cost of Jiu Jitsu classes for kids 3 to 5 years old is around $60 – $135 per month. For kids 5 to 16 year old, it would range from $125 to $165 per month. The price difference varies depending on the school you will enroll your child with.
Here is a table summary on the average cost of Jiu Jitsu classes for kids:
| Age Group | Average Monthly Cost |
| 3 to 5 years old | $60 to $135 per month |
| 5 to 16 years old | $125 to $165 per month |
There are many factors that can affect the price of enrollment.
Some of the factors that can affect the price are the facilities available, the availability of instructors, location and much more.
Thus, the prices will vary depending on where you enroll your child.
How Long is a Jiu Jitsu Class for Kids
Kids ages 3 to 7 usually have 30 minutes of Jiu Jitsu classes per session. 8 to 12 years old usually have an hour of classes per session, and 13 to 17 year olds usually have an hour to 3 hours of classes. This still depends on the school they enrolled with and their current skill level.
It will be hard to ignore the usual amount of time kids go to classes. This is because you need to schedule your time to fit their schedule. So here is a table summary on the usual length of Jiu Jitsu Class per age group.
| Age Group | Usual Length of Classes |
| 3-7 years old | 30 Minutes |
| 8-12 years old | 1 Hour |
| 13-17 years old | 1 to 3 Hours |
Take note that some schools don’t follow this rule. There are some schools that allow you to give your child more time in the gym and some less.
This depends on their curriculum.
So it is still better to ask for the curriculum of the class so you can see the specifics in the school you have chosen.
Why Should You Consider Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for your Kids
You should consider Jiu Jitsu for your kids as it is a good sport to help them build discipline. Furthermore, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu have classes where instructors are trained to handle and teach kids. Furthermore, the exercises it involves promote a healthy lifestyle.
There are many benefits Jiu Jitsu classes can give to your kids. As you will see it has numerous health benefits including physicial, mental and emotional. Here are all of them.
- Physical Development – This increases their muscle strength and flexibility so that they will not easily suffer from injuries even outside the classes.
- Relieves Stress – Even kids have some problem they think they have. Jiu Jitsu classes help them focus and relieve their stress
- Increased Focus – With sessions that discourage screen time, they will become more easily focuses on doing other things such as studying.
- Teaches Sportsmanship – They will start to learn how to interact with other people, accept defeat and congratulate others for their wins.
- Anger Management – One of the things Martial Arts teaches is to control anger. It helps build their character in the future.
- Improve Brain Function – Science has numerously proven that exercises increases brain power.
- Teaches Resilience – Jiu Jitsu teaches that improvement needs effort, and it can help kids learn to not give up on situations and be independent.
- Independency – After few classes, you will most likely leave your child in class to do something else, while you are not around, you are teaching them how to be independent
- Leadership Development Skills – In Jiu Jitsu, they are training children to be leaders. When they become quite a senior, they can start teaching other kids on Jiu Jitsu. This trains them into leaders at a young age.
These are the benefits you can get from Jiu Jitsu and why you should really consider enrolling your child to Jiu Jitsu Classes.
Things to Consider Before Enrollment
You might have thought of that it is perfect that your child should do Jiu Jitsu classes. However, even if they can enroll as early as 3 years old, we have some things to consider here.
There are instances where you don’t want to enroll your kids to classes yet.
Actually, most classes will have some sort of screening to find out if your child is capable in joining their classes.
To save you some time, here are some things schools usually asks before joining.
- Does the child know how to go to the bathroom on their own?
- Can the child speak what they want such as communicating with the instructor?
- Can they now understand rules?
These are simple questions for you to ask yourself before enrollment.
Useful Tips for Parents with a Child Studying Jiu Jitsu
Now that we are in the tips section, we have to discuss each of them so that you can help your children in their learning
1. Do not Force your Children to go to Classes
It is completely normal for children to have a day where they don’t feel like going to school. But if it is always the case and they don’t really like going to classes, better not force them.
This might lead to them hating the sport and won’t do it in the future.
You can wait later and enroll them again but do not force them to go to class every time.
2. If they like the classes and asks for more time, let them be
Consider yourself lucky that your child wants to have more time in the class. This means that they enjoyed it that you don’t need to encourage them to join classes.
If they asked for more time, then give it to them. If they want their classes to go for 3 times a week, it would be great.
This is also the time where you will see them being happy interacting with other kids.
3. There is no way to find out if the child is ready unless you tried the class
Most child will be ready at age 3, some at age 4 or 5. It doesn’t matter as long as they love what they are doing. The only way to find out is to actually enroll them into classes. If they like it then good!
4. There is no need to put any uniforms in the first day
You might be excited to dress them up, take a picture and upload it in social media sites. However, that is not what we want right now.
We want it to be comfortable for the child so that they will agree to come back again next time.
Just a simple shirt sweat or T-shirt will work really well at the start as long as they feel comfortable.
If the child would want or requested to wear a gi (uniform), then do it. But do not force them.
I really like this Gi since not only does it look well, it is light weight, durable and made for kids. Furthermore, they have a 3 years warranty to prove their durability. Here is the Gi that I recommend if you want to get some: Jiu Jitsu Gi for Kids
5. Get Safety Gears as soon as possible
I don’t recommend any uniforms in the first day because it is not necessary but safety gears are a different story.
This is a sport so it is better to be safe than sorry. It won’t hurt to be ready and give them the proper safety gears they need.
I only recommend 3 for starting
- Knee pads – Knees are very prone to injuries so it is recommended
- Cup Guard – Definitely a must for boys
- Ear guard – On spars, there will be so much friction on the ears that it might be necessary
These are recommended in case they are suitable for rolling or spars. If not, then you don’t have to get them.
I’ve linked it to the ones I recommend, however, it will all be based on your decision if you need to get these or not.
6. Do not interfere in the class and follow the instructor
There is a reason why most schools don’t recommend guardian or parents checking on their kids in classes.
This is because some parents might stop the classes if they see some problems. Even the little ones.
Remember that your Jiu Jitsu trainers know more than you and knows how to handle the kids in classes. Better follow them.
In addition, this is where your child can build their independence and will make them a stronger person in the future.
7. Do not pressure your Child with Expectations
While I understand that you just want your child to be better, it is better to let them have fun than force them into getting better.
This is because in Jiu Jitsu, it is a matter of if you quit or not.
What matters is that they don’t quit and enjoy the process. This will also make sure that your child can even reach black belt in the future.
This is because the difference between a white belter and a black belter is the Black belter is a white belter that didn’t quit.
In short, do not put expectations on them. Let them enjoy the sport and have fun.
Slowly, they will get better at the rate they are comfortable with.
8. Grappling is part of the Sport and you should accept it
There will be some grappling with Jiu Jitsu and that is what the martial art is all about. Don’t be surprised to see the instructor letting them roll with each other and use force to put their hands in each other’s mouth.
That is normal. Every children does that and let the instructor handle the class.
9. Be the support they need
There will be times that the child might be upset in losing, training or anything else.
Always remember that kids are opening up their problems not because they want to quit instantly, but they just want you to understand their feelings and give them encouragement.
While you, as parents, are not allowed to interfere in classes, you are the one in charge at home.
And usually children starts sharing things at home.
If that is the case, be the support they need and they will love you for it.
Plus, you are building your child to be independent.
10. It is alright to leave them in class with their instructor
There might be a time where you might have some things to worry about it may be work or anything else.
It is alright to leave them in classes as long as they are with their instructor.
Their instructor is trained to deal with these kind of situations.
Also, as always, will build their independence which you will thank for in the future.
Is it a good idea to enroll you kid to Jiu Jitsu Competitions?
It is not recommended to enroll your kids to Jiu Jitsu Competition at age younger than 8 years old. This is because they haven’t developed any sort of comparison with others and will not know what they are doing. Plus, it gives them unnecessary pressure that might let them hate the sport.
According to Jim Thompson, children develop the itch for competition at the age of 8, this is the time that they will start checking their skills.
Any younger than that then they will have no idea what’s going on. This makes it harder as they are being pressured into something they have no idea about.
Furthermore, if they are just having fun doing classes and not competition, let them be. What really matters is that they love what they are doing and everything else such as competition is unnecessary.
“At eight, nine, ten years old, kids want to know: ‘How am I doing compared to other people? Am I getting better?”
Jim Thompson, the executive director of the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA)
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Welcome to my recommended list of Jiu-Jitsu gear.
In this section, you are going to see my recommended Jiu-Jitsu gears both for beginners and pros.
Grappling Shorts
When getting some grappling shorts, you first need to understand that the thing we are looking for in grappling shorts is the ones that will provide flexibility.
This means that we are not looking at designs but what we are looking for is how comfortable it is and if you can do a full range of motions while wearing the shorts.
If that’s the case, I recommend an IBJJF approved grappling short which has no pockets that can interfere with rolls, and most importantly, allows a full range of motion. This can help you in rolls since you need to have fluid motions to do some maneuvers.
Here is the link for the product: BJJ Shorts
Grappling Spats
Grappling spats are a great alternative to Grappling shorts and are sometimes used in conjunction with Grappling shorts.
The reason for using a Grappling spat is to prevent friction.
Remember that BJJ is focused on rolls, locks, and takedowns. This is prone to friction that can cause injuries such as burns and mat cuts.
In choosing a good pair of grappling spats, you need to take note that it is important that it is also flexible so you can easily do some full-range motions while rolling.
Furthermore, since you will be covering your whole legs with it, it is important for it to absorb some sweat while still being comfortable for the wearer.
If that’s the case, I recommend these Grappling Spats which are very stretchable making them good for fluid motion. Furthermore, it is well made to handle friction which prevents any unwanted injuries.
Lastly, its cloth is breathable which means that it is very comfortable for your skin.
Here is the link for the product: Grappling Spats
Rashguard
Think of a rash guard as the grappling spat for the upper body.
Rashguard helps in preventing friction that can cause injuries such as mat cuts and burns.
When finding one, it is important to find a comfortable rash guard which is breathable. Furthermore, have one that allows a full range of motion.
Thus, I recommend this rash guard which does all of the functions I’ve said: Rashguard
Knee and Elbow Pads
Personally, I am a victim of a knee injury. That’s why I always tell people to use knee and elbow pads when doing some physically intensive activities such as BJJ.
Because of my injuries, I can’t really last long with any sort of long physical activity.
So, while it is often neglected, I believe that Knee and Elbox pads are important.
Good Knee and Elbow pads are supposed to be comfortable while still providing maximum protection to both your elbows and knees.
Thus, I recommend these safety gears:
Ear Protectors
There are lots of cauliflower ear incidents with BJJ practitioners.
Even if this is quite an unpopular safety gear, it is important as we are preventing friction that can come from rolls.
In choosing an ear protector, you do not need to get something that protects you from strikes. Striking is usually not allowed.
So, what’s important is to find something that is very lightweight and protects you from friction.
If that’s the case, then you may opt for this which is really useful and won’t look weird on rolls: Ear Guards
