Youth Combat Blog

10 Tips when Starting Youth Combat

Wednesday, 08 December 2010 23:06 | Written by Dave Graham |

Make sure all children take the time to learn each other’s names. Building the relationships between the players will increase compassion for their opponents and improve fair play.
Using round “omni-blade” shaped noodle swords instead of bladed weapons can be easier for new youth as you do not need to worry about hitting with the “flat” of the blade.
Instruct a child how to hold and swing weapons by standing behind him and going through the movements together.
Explain the parts of a weapon to each child and show them exactly which parts they may use for striking their opponents.
Try to pair of children of comparable height when assigning sparing partners; this will reduce the number of head hits.
Emphasize controlled force. Explain that their opponent is not a baseball and they are not to attempt to strike a home run.
Focus on sword combat first. Do not introduce other weapons or shields until the children show good competency using swords.
Closely monitor and enforce taking hits. Remind kids of noticeable contact. Call out kids who do not appear to be taking shots. It is important to get good habits established early (or bad habits will take precedence).
Start kids on simple game scenarios like Arena or Fox Across the River which can be played with a single sword.
Debrief children at the end of each session. Host a circle and allow kids to explain what was working and what was not.

Last Updated (Wednesday, 08 December 2010 23:08)