The culture of special skills training in children at an early age is an ever-growing global phenomenon. Parents and teachers want to mould young children and put them on a path of discovery and life skills which hones and determines their quality of life.

The benefits of martial arts have been highlighted numerous times, over ages and many cultures. Ancient knowledge in the form of martial arts techniques have been passed on for generations. The engineering of mixed martial arts with a marriage of various art forms has brought about a keen interest to learn from a very young age. Arming oneself with a varied skill set proves to benefit the individual in the long run. 

The child who is open to various avenues from a young age is often multi-talented and highly motivated. Mixed Martial arts offers your child a well rounded and holistic experience of the world and shows them what to look forward to. Developmental milestones are reached in the coveted natural process that unfolds with the human body.

There is often the question, when can a child, begin any formal training. Be it physical or mental. The fact is that, the child has already started training in his natural environment. The natural environment teaches him of his nature, what to identify with and in time, the baby-like definition of the self. 

Experts reckon that the ideal age to start a MMA practice is between the ages of 13-16, when the adolescent body is growing and learning to identify with the adult body.  To start MMA training, the child must have a background in fitness, strong muscles, motivation and strong immunity. 

However children younger than 13 can start training for martial arts such as Karate, Muay Thai and Ju-Jitsu to start on the journey towards mixed martial arts. Culturally, the age at which a child starts training, differs globally and of course according to the child’s personal progress. Depending on interest, inclination and resilience, your kid can start training even as young as 8 years old.

As a parent you have a few factors to consider,

• The fitness quotient of your child
• How passionate he/she is? 
• Interest and inclination 
• Expectancy and alignment with ambition 

If you can tick all the points off this list, go ahead and start your child off on an introductory training regimen.