Another for taekwondo. At that young age they gave "life lessons" at the end of the exercise. It's just to get them active and gain some confidence. Our is a monthly fee and it you picked a certain plan or higher you didn't have to pay for belt testing, equipment, etc. I agree though, find out what the price is and what it entails.

PP here. Northeast TKD also has a "Tiny Tigers" program that would be good for your 4 year old OP.

Anonymous wrote:Tae Kwon do was amazing for our family

us too! My shy, socially anxious 10 year old has blossomed with Tae Kwon Do. She is very athletic but hated team sports. Tae Kwon Do has a lot more kicking than karate which is great for a very physically active kid, use of the whole body. She takes class at Northeast Tae Kwon Do in Brookland. Her teacher, Master Haygood, is amazing. the class is a perfect blend of lessons, respect, discpline and fun games.

Karate is hands and kicking. Take kwin do is majority kicking.
Both are great self defense. My kid has been taking karate for 8 years.

Tour 3-4 places 2 karate and 2 are kwin do and see which one you like the best.

Personally we chose to stick w karate so my son could learn the punches.

Read the contract carefully and ask questions. Martial arts centers are notorious for predatory business practices. Be careful about getting locked into a long term contract, especially for a child that young who might want to quit after a few lessons. Also ask about the hidden fees, as a PP mentioned. Belt testing, uniforms, sparring equipment-- it all adds up.

Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, and BJJ are all grappling style. They tend to be more hand-to-hand combat-oriented, which is partially why you see a a disproportionate number from these disciplines in MMA.

The other martial arts are more forms oriented, and usually involve less sparring.

I join with everyone else that, at that age, the martial art you want your kid in is something that's conveniently located, not to pricey, that your kid seems to enjoy.

My now 10yo has been doing jiu jitsu for 4 years now and really likes it. Injuries can happen in any sport so don’t let her Dad deter you if you want to try it. I think k it’s the most useful as far as protecting herself. It is the most physics as far as sparring with a partner and being close with someone else so if your kid doesn’t like that it might not be a good one.

I don't know much about striking martial arts.

One advantage of Brazilian Jiu jitsu and judo are hands-on with grappling and sparring using your full strength, from nearly the very beginning (varies by club of course). They say Krav Maga is like this but I can't say from personal experience.

Judo is a lot less popular now - it was super popular 50-70 years ago -and more "sport"-optimized with not a lot of groundwork- mostly standing throws. BJJ is much more grappling, with many more things allowed than in Judo (potentially leading to injuries). Many people cross over and train in those, maybe MMA, and wrestling like in HS.

Aikido is more formalized and not hands-on full force.

Tae Kwon do was amazing for our family

Anonymous wrote:For kids, the real difference is the instructors. Do they have a lot of experience with kids, are they patient, tolerant, consistent, not punitive but also enforcing rules?

This 100%. The actual martial art doesn't matter at this age. Also ask about testing fees, how often they test, uniform fees, etc. You'll wind up spending more than just the monthly membership fee.

Anonymous wrote:It’s pay to play with these fly by night shops

These places aren't Cobra Kai. Sounds like you're missing the point.

It’s pay to play with these fly by night shops

At that age, it's all the same, find one that fits your schedule and caters to kids. Jiu jitsu is for older kids, if a place is offering classes to 4 year olds, it's probably a generic exercise class (which is fine at that age).

Don't worry if it seems very easy to earn belts or stickers. It's set up to encourage younger kids gain confidence.

For kids, the real difference is the instructors. Do they have a lot of experience with kids, are they patient, tolerant, consistent, not punitive but also enforcing rules?

The other thread on nerdy kids makes me wonder if I should start DS, age 4, in one of these martial arts classes.
What is the difference between karate and TKD or other martial arts options?
I know we definitely don't want to do jiu jitsu, my dad got a terrible shoulder injury in a class when he was younger and he's never stopped talking about how dangerous the sport is.