Oh, man. When I was in college, I had to take a class to fill a physical fitness requirement. So, after a few beers and some laughs with my friends, I accepted a dare to take ballet. I was like, "Yeah, I'll take that bet. It'll be good for a laugh and the best way to meet hot chicks is to surround yourself with hot chicks!"
Anyway, I took the class. I did pretty good for a nerdy lumbering oaf. Got some phone numbers too. But, overall the women tend to be emotional wrecks. It's not a good place to find stable women.
What a cool thing to try! Good on you. I've found that professional dancers tend to be a tad bit neurotic. Sounds like that was your experience as well.
I'm really not afraid to try anything really. I'm more of a Martial Arts guy. But a little experience in ballet is good for improving movement. Being a nerdy lumbering oaf who isn't exactly built for movement, I need all the experience I can get.
Those neurotic ballerinas could probably use a stint in a Karate Dojo. A couple of fists to their pretty little faces and they'll quickly learn a better attitude. It's almost as if kinetic energy doesn't care about your silly First-World-Problems. Drop and give me 40 pushups princess!
Depends on what you mean by "young". I actually don't recommend it. At a young age, bones are still weak and muscle mass isn't enough to be effective. You really don't want serious injuries to stunt that growth. Wait until puberty.
The BEST thing to do is to raise them not to be afraid of taking a hit. Don't injure them, just make sure they fall on their asses often enough that they know how to handle it and not be paralyzed by the fear of taking a couple of lumps. Pillow fights are good for this. Let them climb, and fall from the apple tree. That kind of stuff. Teach them to protect their head and spine and eyes, but if they break an arm or a leg, it hurts, but it will be OK.
That's really really great advice. That's my plan and how I was raised. Am working really hard at not reacting when they fall or bump their head and just wait until I hear a real cry before I grab and comfort them. I want them to be brave and strong. I also had planned on getting them into martial arts at 4 or 5 but you just changed my mind. Thank you.
If you think about it. There really isn't anything to be gained by taking martial arts at 4 or 5. There's just nothing learning offensive skills will do for someone without weight or structure. Even defensive arts aren't useful. A 5 year old black-belt isn't going to flip a stranger in a park.
Worse yet, a kid that age really doesn't have the judgement to use the skills wisely. So, it's more likely that he's going to be flipping other 5 year olds in the playground. Maybe he's not even being a bully. Maybe he's just rough housing like kids do. But regardless, a 5 year old isn't going to have the proper judgement to know when it's proper to kick someone in the solar-plexus. If that's what the kid knows how to do, he's going to do it even if the situation doesn't call for it.
I mean, think of it this way. A kid finds a stick and what is the first thing he does with it? The nearest sibling gets whacked with it! It doesn't mean the kid is a bad kid. It's just that the kid all of a sudden has more power than he should have and no good judgement. Martial Arts is like permanently giving your 5 year old a stick to walk around with.
Yeah, I'm gonna share this post with my husband. We're probably going to go in a different direction after he reads this. Plus, our kids are unusually large (not fat- just tall and strong). Waiting seems like the prudent choice. Hey, thanks for stopping us from making a big mistake. Seriously, thank you. <3
Wait just a minute. He may be correct about a kid picking up a stick but you're not talking about sticks found in the yard. We are talking more along the lines of T-ball. The parents and couches Teach those little pumpkins that the bat is for the ball. Not for swinging away at any passerby!
I believe you go at this the same way you do other things. Age appropriate. No, a 5 year old doesn't need to learn how to kick someone anywhere. But it wouldn't hurt a thing if they started learning a few steps they can take to get out of a hold. Of paying attention to their surroundings so that if another kid is pitching a fit your kid don't get caught up in the way and get knocked down. Little things like that, along with self discipline and knowledge of when things are appropriate can be started when young. They learn faster and absorb more when they are younger.
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Master_Foo ago
You forgot "The newest fads in eating disorders"
Sally is Anorexic AND Bullimic AND had gastric bypass surgery AND is on speed! That's why she's the Prima of all the little Ballerinas!
18791160? ago
Eating disorders are a HUGE problem with professional ballerinas.
Master_Foo ago
Oh, man. When I was in college, I had to take a class to fill a physical fitness requirement. So, after a few beers and some laughs with my friends, I accepted a dare to take ballet. I was like, "Yeah, I'll take that bet. It'll be good for a laugh and the best way to meet hot chicks is to surround yourself with hot chicks!"
Anyway, I took the class. I did pretty good for a nerdy lumbering oaf. Got some phone numbers too. But, overall the women tend to be emotional wrecks. It's not a good place to find stable women.
18791329? ago
What a cool thing to try! Good on you. I've found that professional dancers tend to be a tad bit neurotic. Sounds like that was your experience as well.
Master_Foo ago
I'm really not afraid to try anything really. I'm more of a Martial Arts guy. But a little experience in ballet is good for improving movement. Being a nerdy lumbering oaf who isn't exactly built for movement, I need all the experience I can get.
Those neurotic ballerinas could probably use a stint in a Karate Dojo. A couple of fists to their pretty little faces and they'll quickly learn a better attitude. It's almost as if kinetic energy doesn't care about your silly First-World-Problems. Drop and give me 40 pushups princess!
18791526? ago
Ha! Hey, I've got a question for you. I'd like to get my b/g twins in a martial art starting pretty young. What would you recommend?
Master_Foo ago
Depends on what you mean by "young". I actually don't recommend it. At a young age, bones are still weak and muscle mass isn't enough to be effective. You really don't want serious injuries to stunt that growth. Wait until puberty.
The BEST thing to do is to raise them not to be afraid of taking a hit. Don't injure them, just make sure they fall on their asses often enough that they know how to handle it and not be paralyzed by the fear of taking a couple of lumps. Pillow fights are good for this. Let them climb, and fall from the apple tree. That kind of stuff. Teach them to protect their head and spine and eyes, but if they break an arm or a leg, it hurts, but it will be OK.
18791812? ago
That's really really great advice. That's my plan and how I was raised. Am working really hard at not reacting when they fall or bump their head and just wait until I hear a real cry before I grab and comfort them. I want them to be brave and strong. I also had planned on getting them into martial arts at 4 or 5 but you just changed my mind. Thank you.
Master_Foo ago
If you think about it. There really isn't anything to be gained by taking martial arts at 4 or 5. There's just nothing learning offensive skills will do for someone without weight or structure. Even defensive arts aren't useful. A 5 year old black-belt isn't going to flip a stranger in a park.
Worse yet, a kid that age really doesn't have the judgement to use the skills wisely. So, it's more likely that he's going to be flipping other 5 year olds in the playground. Maybe he's not even being a bully. Maybe he's just rough housing like kids do. But regardless, a 5 year old isn't going to have the proper judgement to know when it's proper to kick someone in the solar-plexus. If that's what the kid knows how to do, he's going to do it even if the situation doesn't call for it.
I mean, think of it this way. A kid finds a stick and what is the first thing he does with it? The nearest sibling gets whacked with it! It doesn't mean the kid is a bad kid. It's just that the kid all of a sudden has more power than he should have and no good judgement. Martial Arts is like permanently giving your 5 year old a stick to walk around with.
18792007? ago
Yeah, I'm gonna share this post with my husband. We're probably going to go in a different direction after he reads this. Plus, our kids are unusually large (not fat- just tall and strong). Waiting seems like the prudent choice. Hey, thanks for stopping us from making a big mistake. Seriously, thank you. <3
FSHLLtOW ago
Wait just a minute. He may be correct about a kid picking up a stick but you're not talking about sticks found in the yard. We are talking more along the lines of T-ball. The parents and couches Teach those little pumpkins that the bat is for the ball. Not for swinging away at any passerby!
I believe you go at this the same way you do other things. Age appropriate. No, a 5 year old doesn't need to learn how to kick someone anywhere. But it wouldn't hurt a thing if they started learning a few steps they can take to get out of a hold. Of paying attention to their surroundings so that if another kid is pitching a fit your kid don't get caught up in the way and get knocked down. Little things like that, along with self discipline and knowledge of when things are appropriate can be started when young. They learn faster and absorb more when they are younger.