General information on Aikido is available starting from the home page and information on other Martial Arts is available in the All Martial Arts Section. This section, however, is dedicated to martial arts training from the perspective of the children age 6-12, which is different than the adult perspective. For children age 4-6, we have a specialized program.
Options for Children's Martial Arts in Westchester
As discussed below, the majority of options for children's self defense classes in Westchester comprise Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Jujitsu, Krav Maga, Kung Fu, etc. These options may not be most appropriate for children, as even their most basic techniques are quite damaging and children, in the heat of the moment, may not know when it is appropriate they be applied. (An important exception to this rule of thumb is if the quality of instruction is very high, the teacher can properly impart how to exercise control for these circumstances in a manner that will even hold its effect during emergencies. Such a high level of instruction is quite unusual in Westchester County, but it does exist with the Shaolin Temple Overseas HQ, who provide instruction in Kung Fu for youngsters in Scarsdale. Contact the Shaolin Temple for more details on Kung Fu.) This lack of control results in an increased likelihood of unnecessary injury to children, which can be a very emotionally disturbing incident for the offending child. Professional educators have also grown wary of pre-teenage children with martial arts skills. Aikido avoids this problem by teaching to control rather than harm, and in Judo the techniques are just not that damaging to children. Please note that we do not maintain a preference of one martial arts program over another for adults, but for children the situation is different with arts focusing on striking unless the quality of instruction is on a similar level to the Shaolin Temple instructors. The Scarsdale community is also in the unique position of being the only community in Weschester County with both Aikido and Judo for children,in addition to a high quality Kung Fu program.
As far as kids activities and programs are concerned, martial arts training is uniquely positioned to provide a sense of wholeness as a human being while implanting a profound sense of ethics and proper values. Children learn to help those who wish to harm them from an early age, a truly difficult task, and see where this approach is actually more effective for everyone involved. They also develop the confidence and discipline to see this task through to fruition. Progress is slow and subtle, as the children study and learn through practice that having a constructive attitude towards others is the most effective manner in which to deal with all sorts of conflicts. In academia, we think we learn by reading and studying, and then we have a degree. However, reflexes never develop with this approach in self defense, as only the intellectual mind is involved. By utilizing practice and digesting what is learned over time, the child learns to see the benefits of the principles of the art, and their underlying mental infrastructure may change. Again, progress may be slow and subtle due largely to developmental issues, as we merely create an environment where there are enjoyable activities for kids and allow them to grow at the pace comfortable to their own development, but profound benefits do accrue over time. When children have questions regarding the principles of the art, they learn to see the answers in bits and pieces.
Benefits: - Self Defense - Sword & staff for interested children - Discipline & self confidence - Coordination, centering and balancing - Learn how to fall without injury - Learn self defense without use of damaging strikes that may do unnecessarily harm - Emphasizes the power and effectiveness of intelligent compassion to yield both results and genuine happiness in life
When most people think of self defense classes for children, the local Karate or Tae Kwon dojo is the first reflex. They will learn confidence, discipline, centering and balance and walk away with sufficient skill to handle the bullies they encounter. However, this knee jerk reaction for children may not be best.
These benefits for the other arts may very well be true, but it is equally true of Aikido. The difference lies in a subtle but important distinction in the underlying philosophy. The point of all martial arts training ultimately is to build the character of the individual practitioner. However, there are different paths among different arts. Karate, Tae Kwon Do, many forms of Kung Fu, Ju Jitsu and Krav Maga all begin by teaching how to disable an attacker. The techniques are harsh and dangerous. We all know that the individual instructors emphasize the self defense aspects of these arts, teaching children only to use it if absolutely necessary and never tell other people about their knowledge or skills. That said, how many times has little Jane or Johnny, an excitable 8 year old, failed to heed such warnings and gone off jumping, kicking and doing other cool stuff. When adults aren't around, the children don't always have the control to listen to such sound advice. When a real combat situation occurs, the excitement and lack of control is exacerbated. Children must learn to maintain a peaceful attitude as they learn the damaging techniques, so they will be better controlled when they must decide how much force to use.
Aikido is a very different martial art. The purpose of Aikido, as developed by the founder, was as a form of practice to bring peace to mankind. How is learning to fight a method to bring peace? This is the fundamental point. The founder's realization was that true Budo (the path of the warrior) is love. Real power in self defense is derived from caring for our fellow human beings, not learning how to break their bones or knock them unconscious. This profound truth is taught from the onset in Aikido, thus emphasizing the means to avoid the physical confrontation first. Techniques are not designed to injure or disable the attacker, but to control them so neither you nor the attacker are harmed. To the extent lethal force is genuinely needed for self defense, the practitioner should be able to figure out how to implement such techniques on their own. They are not taught. Concern for the well being of the attacker is emphasized from the beginning, as opposed to other arts where that comes in much later.
If this is supposed to be more effective than learning to maim and kill people in self defense, then why isn't this approach used in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, etc? The fact is, different people have different dispositions. Some people begin their training in martial arts with a good deal of insecurity and nothing but a desire to learn self defense quickly. They would look at Aikido, where the emphasis is on controlling rather than harming the attacker, and decide very quickly the art is useless. The fact is, the power of Aikido is very subtle. The art is extremely lethal, but that aspect is not taught as mentioned above. But some people do not look for these subtleties. For quick self defense, just add water, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, etc. appear the better option immediately to people with such a disposition. In those arts, after sufficient confidence is instilled, they begin to train students to build their character as in Aikido. This may take quite a few years for an adult, however. So, in short, Aikido is the direct method in martial arts training whereas other arts use an expedient with the intention of arriving at the same place, ultimately.
What does this mean for children? For adults, an expedient such as that described above is not a problem. However, for children it very well may be. You may wish to think about how much self control your child has in play as well as under stress before embarking on a martial art that employs very damaging methods for children to use on each other in self defense. The fact is, Aikido and Judo are probably better alternatives for children up to the age of 15 or so. As noted in the first section above, very high quality instruction in martial arts such as Kung Fu can bypass this concern. While unusual in Weschester, such a program is available and taught in Scarsdale by the Shaolin Temple Overseas HQ.
Programs are available for ages 4-6 and 6-12. The description below focus on the 6-12 year olds as well as teenagers.
From age 6-9, developmentally, children of this age can learn some of the basic movements of the art. The main focus is to enhance confidence, discipline as well as centering and balance. Rudimentary self defense skills involve evasive movements and solid confident positioning. Basic falling techniques have been helpful to some students when playing outside the dojo, when the inevitable accident causes them to lose their balance.
Children from age 10-13 begin to develop more fully into the art. More advanced falling, more complicated techniques and more effective self defense against multiple attackers begins to creep into their practice. Children of this age also begin to take “advanced classes” which are housed within the certain regular adult classes.
For children age 14-17 who have come through the children’s program from the beginning, they have the option of continuing on there more in a helping capacity. Such practice is beneficial for the development of their character, and is an opportunity for them to share a practice they enjoyed with younger children. Of course, children of this age also participate in the adult program directly, and we may add a special class for this age range as well, depending upon the interest. If they did not come through the program, but wish to begin at this age, the adult program is usually the preference, but all adults and teenagers are welcome to participate in the children's programs.
A separate program is available for children age 4-6
The central program is an integrated class for ages 6-12. The focus is upon evasive movement and multiple attacks, controlling an attacker with simpler techniques using a throw or pin, and practice in falling. In most encounters between children, evasive movement away from an attack along with a warning shove will be sufficient to ward of any violence. The attacking child will have the sense the practitioner is trained and more proficient than themselves, thus giving them the appearance of a poor candidate with which to engage in violence. A more forceful shove or some simple techniques or distracting strikes become obvious and available after the initial evasive movements to be applied against more persistent attackers. The program emphasizes these aspects of self defense for children. As such, basic movements are emphasized repetitively, and realistic techniques for children are taught, often within the context of multiple attacks.
The philosophy of the art is taught in class and through the testing process. Children are given questions and told to investigate the answers with help from their parents, and consider how these principles apply to their own lives. In this sense, children can learn to apply the principles they learn through physical techniques to other conflicts in their lives. The ultimate objective is to provide a sense of genuine peace within oneself, even in the midst of conflict or violence. This approach maximizes the ability of the child to defend themselves while minimizing the risk of unnecessary harm to other children. The benefits of the lessons learned, applied to other areas of life, can provide children with a profound and efficient means to accomplish both greater effectiveness and happiness in all aspects of their lives as they grow older.
Training in sword and staff are introduced on a limited basis to familiarize the children with advanced concepts in timing and posture, as well as the mechanics of the underlying empty handed self defense.
Each class is 45-60 minutes and usually ends with games that are designed to teach certain aspects of the art. There are four classes per week for a fee of $45 per month (if you attend less than 9 classes/month, otherwise the fee is $60). Typically one class per week is sufficient for growth in the art. An advanced class for the older children is designed to help them transition to the adult class.
Scarsdale Aikido 4 Gray Rock Rd Scarsdale, NY 10583 914-648-0492 or Contact Us
Aikido for Kids Westchester: Martial Arts Training in Westchester County NY