Why Muay Thai is good for kids

If you’re reading this article then the chances are that you’re thinking about starting your kid in Muay Thai. Generally, this is a good idea but it’s not without its issues which will be discussed later. In short, Muay Thai has a lot of benefits that can help improve your children, both physically and mentally.

However, it’s also a pretty physical martial art that can be brutal at times. Because of this, we shall be looking at the good and bad parts of Muay Thai and whether your kid should start training or not.

When can kids start Muay Thai?

In terms of laws, there’s no set age that kids can start training Muay Thai. In fact, this really depends from country to country. In Thailand, kids will train as early as four years old, whereas in the west it’s closer to eight years or so. Ultimately, it’s up to you as a parent to decide – and also down to the gym. Some gyms may not take in children under 5 as they deem it unsuitable, whereas others may be more relaxed or strict with these rules. In other words, every place is different and it’s situational. For most countries there, there is not anything that prohibits kids from starting Muay Thai earlier in life.

As for your own decision, it depends on what you believe is best for your own child. For example, if your child isn’t interested in Muay Thai at all, then you shouldn’t force them into training. You could try again a few years later but you shouldn’t force them into something they dislike.

If your child is eager to learn then really, there’s no age that’s too low from 5 onwards. The point of this is that if your child is too young then they may not really learn much or take anything in. Arguably, there is a sweet spot. If your child starts too old then they may regret it or not be as good. This is why most people start their kids training aged between 5-10 years old.

Do kids spar in Muay Thai?

In Muay Thai, young kids will spar. However, in most places it will be done in a supervised, safe way. This style of children’s sparring isn’t exclusive to Muay Thai either and can be seen in kids MMA, Karate and other striking styles.

Basically, you shouldn’t expect to see kids going all out when sparring Muay Thai, at least not in the west. In Thailand, this can be different. Culturally, Muay Thai is very different in Thailand and has different norms. So, you can actually see kids sparring pretty hard in Thailand. However, this is different to most other countries whereby it’s done in a soft, playful way – compared to a competitive brawl.

Can kids get hurt training Muay Thai?

This means that unless you visit Thailand, your kid sparring Muay Thai should be completely fine. Kids Muay Thai is usually trained with protective headgear too, which makes it even safer. Of course, it’s probably best to check it yourself and see what it involves.

If you’re even more concerned then it is possible to teach your kid Muay Thai without sparring and most gyms will offer this. On a separate note, this does come with its own pitfalls as they won’t learn as quickly. Nonetheless, if safety is your main priority then you may want to consider this approach.

Benefits for kids training Muay Thai

As with any martial art, there are clear benefits for your children to start training. Here are some of the main reasons.

Muay Thai develops confidence

We’ve all heard of the cliché of the bullied child who becomes more confident through martial arts. Although a stereotype, this cliché is actually based on reality. By improving the physical side of martial arts, your child should also become more confident within their own self.

This means they may become more assertive, talk more and speak up about problems and injustices. Although martial arts do help with your body, many parents put their kids into training to improve their mind set.

Muay Thai creates healthy lifestyle habits

One of the problems with obesity in adulthood is that its roots are sewn in childhood. Here, people are socialized from early on and can pick up unhealthy habits. Even if your child doesn’t train Muay Thai as an adult, the fact that they trained as a child could leave a valuable impression.

This could lead to a lifelong enjoyment of other sports or martial arts in the future and may make them more open minded to trying out new physical activities. Of course, it will also add other physical perks such as a baseline for athleticism, flexibility and strength which they may not get playing video games.

Muay Thai teaches the value of losing

Naturally, humans don’t enjoy losing. If we can, we will always try to win but this isn’t always possible. Sadly, if you don’t learn the value of losing early on in life then this can haunt you later on and create a negative, sore loser.

For example, if your child loses a spar then they may throw a tantrum and cry. This is actually quite normal. However, even if this happens then your child may learn that losing sometimes happens. Instead of getting mad, it may inspire your child to learn and improve to do better in future. These core values can be applied to all areas of life outside the gym.

Muay Thai offers self defense techniques

Without stating the obvious, Muay Thai is brilliant for self defense. If your child does happen to train Muay Thai into their adulthood then they won’t have to worry about self defense. This applies to men and women.

In short, Muay Thai is known for being incredibly effective when it comes to self defense. It’s no secret that its hard hitting kicks and elbows can easily nullify multiple attackers. So, if you’re worried about your child growing up in a dangerous world then Muay Thai can be the answer where hand-to-hand combat is concerned.

Summary

As seen, teaching your child Muay Thai is certainly doable. Just make sure you’re ok with the coach and what is being taught before making a big financial commitment. At the same time, you should also remember that if your kid doesn’t like training then it’s ok to quit. The last thing you want to be is a pushy parent who forces their child to train against their will.

As for the safety aspect of things, this should be ok – so long as your child isn’t training Muay Thai in Thailand. In this sense, they won’t do vigorous sparring like adults and it will be done in a safety conscious manner.

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