Ground n' Pound for Kids

The vision of Little Johnny straddling Little Jimmy and beating the Cheerios out of him is certainly an image that conjures bullies from the 70's - but is this where MMA Kids Classes are heading?

No. Emphatically NO! MMA at the professional level has transformed itself from the no holds barred brawls of the early 90's into a submission fighting challenge that has weight classes, safety equipment, plenty of rules and good referees to enforce them. The participants have transformed from uncouth street scrappers to sophisticated combatants with a healthy respect for conditioning, diet, safety - and their fellow fighters.

And that's what MMA for kids is all about: Safely and effectively learning the skills of standup kickboxing as well as the takedowns and submission holds of grappling.

Unfortunately, due to the nature of one-on-one contests from Boxing to Pro-wrestling, there is always the "testosterone factor", the name calling and baiting that television producers have latched onto as an integral part of the sport. Grudge Matches are played up, nasty language abounds and the audience is convinced that the fighters are full of hatred and vengeance. It's part of the excitement of the contest - but the reality is often far from the hype. All fighters have a lot of respect for their opponents despite what they may say. Fighting professionally is a career, a potentially lucrative career that can be cut short by injury. Every fighter is concerned with safety - no matter what the rhetoric.

This concern for safety has to start with kids. Good MMA classes are based on safety - the best make it a part of every class. If nothing else, a school unconcerned with safety will shortly lose all of it's students through needless injury - and the reputation for carelessness that follows.

The Pro-Star Mixed Martial Arts system addresses safety concerns by it's very design. The 3 year program starts students with kickboxing and Muay Thai skills with contact between students strictly controlled with Limited Sparring Drills. In Year 2, grappling and ground fighting skills are introduced and again, Limited Grappling Drills are at the core of the curriculum. In Year 3, students are allowed more opportunities for sparring. Both standup skills and grappling skills are employed, but the majority of this sparring utilizes sophisticated combinations that are drilled with students learning both offensive and appropriate defensive techniques.

Padded equipment protects against unwanted contact for both sutdents - a fighter's knuckles need protection as much as his partner's ribs. Proper gloves are required - both MMA style grappling gloves and the more padded Kickboxing style gloves should be utilized depending on the situation. Shin guards and foot protection are also a must as are mouth guards and helmets. Good schools offer rib guards as well, particularly with knee drills.

Mixed Martial Arts is a potentially devastating blend of fighting styles from around the world and has quickly become the top draw for Pay-Per-View audiences, cable viewers and even network television sports fans. And, despite the pre-fight posturing, it's a rare fight that doesn't end in a handshake or hug, with an amazing outpouring of respect for fellow fighters.

Should kids be a part of all of this? With the right school, the right teachers and a healthy dose of safety and respect, my answer is YES!