Kids Jiu Jitsu, Karate or Taekwondo?
By Nathan Hughes, head instructor
Choosing a martial art for your child? Here is how I think about it, as someone who earned a Taekwondo black belt as a kid and now teaches jiu jitsu.
Where I Started
I started Taekwondo at nine and earned my black belt at fourteen. I loved competing, and I traveled with our school's demonstration team. Taekwondo gave me a lot: how to strike and block, discipline and respect, flexibility and focus, and the confidence that comes from learning to control my emotions.
As I got older, training got more expensive. Testing fees and travel fees kept adding up, and there was always quiet pressure to sign up for the next event. When my school closed, I stepped away from martial arts. In 2015, at 25, I walked into my first jiu jitsu class. I had missed combat sports, and I wanted the ground skills Taekwondo never covered.
What Makes Jiu Jitsu Different
Jiu jitsu is a grappling art, so there are no punches or kicks. That means kids can go at full effort against a partner who is really trying, in almost every class, and find out right away what works. It's how a shy kid learns to hold their ground, and how an energetic kid learns control.
Choosing
Any martial art can build confidence, respect and focus in a kid who enjoys it. The best one is the one your child wants to keep going back to. Come watch a kids class and see if it fits.