re: #34 HoosierHoops

When I went to Napa JUCO for 2 years to play ball our coach insisted that we took an Aikido class…He said the Japanese stretching exercises would help a lot.. I ended up with a brown belt before transferring to Sonoma State… I believe that all kids..And esp. Girls should be taught a Marshal Art in grade school just like Math…
I recall getting my ass kicked from this little girl in College that was a black belt.. It was embarrassing… All kids need to be taught self defense

I’m mixed in agreeing with the “all kids” statement. There are a lot of good physical reasons for pushing kids through physical activity during the pubescent years. Not least, it helps their brains realize where the hands and legs moved to overnight (grin). There’s also the self-confidence element, though whether it’s due to mastery of skill or just NOT being clumsy when all your peers are, well, idunno.

The down side is that the same puberty pushes a bunch of hormones and a lot of boys in that age group start displaying. Given physical skill, the displays turn physical.

Add the dominance games (both genders though physical is more frequently a male avenue) and it gives me pause.

(Note: 2d dan TKD, plus lower belts in some others, I’m talking experience here not theory.)