User:CrespoHyland430

Mixed Winnipeg Martial Arts could be the fastest growing sport in North America right now. It's on TV, it's on peoples clothes, it's on the video game consoles and the action figures are in the toy section at the department store.

Now if the topic of Children doing MMA arises, it is only natural that lots of people cringe a little, and rightly so. The one thing most people know of this sport could be the top level of professional athletes and the rules used at that level, that is not at all something children ought to be doing.

But the truth is, most people training in MMA are never likely to fight in a professional match. The majority of adults that are entering competitions won't ever compete under those rules. Like other fighting techinques that involve striking there is a wide range of rule sets from amateur up to professional.

What is "safe" for kiddies to do in the martial arts has been well established over a long time. Kiddies doing Martial Arts Winnipeg don't do whatever hasn't been getting done in Karate, Judo and Wrestling classes for decades. Actually they often times do less of the riskier aspects. They do not kick to the head plus they do not get extra points for high impact throws and takedowns.

A lot of the bad reputation MMA gets is a not enough experience with it, especially at amateur levels with what actually happens in class. MMA classes are fun, they are safe, and they're a very intense work out. The past thing any gym owner wants is injuries, and after more then ten years of teaching I've yet to see a child with such a thing close to a significant injury.

Drawn in the same context consider our national sport. Players skate around on ice with blades on their feet slamming one another into one another, the boards, swinging sticks around and getting into bare knuckle fist fights in virtually every game. If all you could knew of hockey was seeing a few professional games, you might easily come away with a very negative perception, and cringe quite hard at the thought of kiddies playing the game. But just about everyone has played the overall game at a amateur level in some form, even if it was just through fitness center class in school. We all know that what happens on t.v. is not the same as what happens in a game played by 8-year olds.

But aren't we just teaching young ones to hurt one another?

Definitely not. We are teaching them the exact opposite, just how to maybe not hurt each other, and how exactly to keep themselves from getting hurt.

Kids trained in MMA are training with friends, under close supervision. Safety and self-control are always top priorities. Deliberately causing injury isn't tolerated in training and competition. Athletes are not only in charge of their own, but additionally their opponents safety. They are required to remain calm and act intelligently constantly. Anger and attempts to hurt others usually do not result in victory in this sport, they lead to defeat. As an alternative athletes must develop the ability to remain calm under some pressure, to be patient also to act intelligently and strategically also to show good sportsmanship in victory and defeat.

As they progress they learn leadership skills, helping younger and less experienced children with techniques and strategy. Young children helping the others beat them in training is a amazing thing to see, and a great show of humility and respect. Yet every son or daughter that trains will do it because they gain experience. They will learn how to value helping new students and younger students succeed is more valuable then "easy wins".

To top it all off Martial Arts demands a very high standard of physical fitness. Every muscle is used, from every position and in every direction possible. The workout is intense and in a time of declining physical fitness being involved in fitness program is essential for healthy living.