Effective Self Defense Training for Kids

Mr. Craig Willits, Chief Instructor at Spotsylvania Martial Arts in Fredericksburg VA, discusses what constitutes effective
self defense training for kids, and what parents need to look for in a self defense program.

The reasons parents enroll their children in martial arts training are many. For some parents, self defense is the primary
reason they sign their children up for lessons, while for many others self defense is not the main factor. Regardless of
their reason for enrolling their children, however, nearly all parents have the expectation that their children will develop
some level of self defense capability through their martial arts training.

The problem with modern children's martial arts is that in the typical studio, the younger students do not learn any useful
self defense skills. Unfortunately, these studios will often still claim their martial arts training is good for self defense.
Since the typical consumer little idea of what competent self defense training should consist of, most take the studio's
word at face value. This usually backfires when the child is bullied or otherwise victimized and the parent turns to the
martial arts instructor for advice, only to find they have no better idea of how to respond than the parent does. Therefore,
if you want your child to learn self defense, you need to know what constitutes competent self defense training.

First and foremost, legitimate self-defense training must be threat-based. That is, it must take into account the self
defense scenarios a student is likely to face, and then equip students to respond to those threats. Kids face different
threats that adults do. They are not likely to be mugged in dark parking lots or get caught up in alcohol-fueled bar
brawls, so it makes no sense teaching them self defense for those types of scenarios. Instead, kids' self defense must
address the two most common threat areas children face:

 Bullying. Most kids haven't a clue how to respond to bullying, especially if it gets physical. The fact that nearly
all school systems have a zero-tolerance policy toward fighting complicates things, and limits childrens' self
defense options if they are bullied at school. Well-designed self defense training will take the differences between
bullying in and out of school into account, and provide self defense skills useful in each setting.
 Abduction. Child abductions are extremely dangerous situations regardless of whether or not the child knows
the abductor. Rather than teaching children to fight adults (a dangerous and foolish tactic), competent self
defense training will emphasize avoiding such situations and will teach children simple self defense techniques
they can use to evade or escape capture.

Self defense training for children must be designed to respond to threats in these two areas, or it is not relevant to the
needs of modern children. However, despite the difference in threats, the approach to self defense training should be the
same for both kids and adults. Effective self defense training for any age must have the following four attributes:

1. Full-Context Training. A responsible instructor should not simply teach students to "fight" and call it self
defense. Training should actively cover the full spectrum of responding to violence, including awareness,
avoidance, escape, and verbal self defense, and not be limited to just physical techniques.
2. Legal Aspects and Proper Use of Force. To claim self defense, a person's respons must match the level of
aggression. Kids don't need to know all the legalese, but they can (and must) be taught to use the right self
defense techniques in the right context, and should never use "lethal" techniques on other kids.
3. Useful Techniques. For self defense, the stylized moves and intricate footwork of many traditional martial arts
are ineffective or downright dangerous. Self defense techniques should be simple, direct, and powerful, and
should be trained until they become second nature.
4. "Alive" Training. Students must train against uncooperative partners, and be allowed to hit full contact in
controlled conditions (either on a target or a properly padded and trained instructor). Self defense training must
periodically take place in settings away from the traditional matted floor (e.g., outside). There should be plenty of
role-playing in all areas of verbal and physical self-defense.

If you are looking to enroll your child in martial arts for self defense, look closely at what a prospective studio teaches as
self defense and how they teach it. Does their training meet the three most common threat areas? Does it have the four
attributes of effective self defense training? Does the instructor have experience teaching reality based self defense? If the
answer is no to any of these questions, your child may not be learning any useful self defense skills. A studio where
competent instructors are teaching reality based self defense will answer yes to all three questions, and will be your best
option to equip your children to be safe and secure.

Spotsylvania Martial Arts offers a free trial program in the following areas:

 Tiny Tigers (Martial Arts Pre-Skill Program for Ages 4-6): Physical and Mental Agility, Focus, Awareness, Child Safety
 Traditional Martial Arts for Children (Ages 6-12): Better Grades, Self-Discipline, Respect, Enhanced Focus, Kids' Self Defense
 Traditional Martial Arts for Teens & Adults (Ages 13 and Up): Self-Discipline, Physical Fitness, Goal-Setting, Self Defense

Spotsylvania Martial Arts Training Facility

4100 Lafayette Blvd, Fredericksburg VA 22408
Commerce Center Plaza (across from Spotswood Baptist Church)
Phone: 540-891-9008 Website: spotsybba.com

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Spotsylvania Martial Arts.