Parents against Kickboxing!

[chevelle2291]

Ok I'm 14 and want to get into kickboxing. I've found a gym near me that I want to check out but my parents think it's too violent (yet when my friends play football they think that that isn't wtf???). I need some help talking them into it. Any help????

[baubin2]

Perhaps if you got them to agree to take a look at the school, talk to the teacher, talk to couple senior students, they would come to their senses and agree to a trial period? Then after you came through the trial period unharmed, they would no longer be able to object on the basis of violence or fear of injury.

[mystererae]

You could also try emphasizing the entirely non-violent benefits of kickboxing, such as fitness, discipline, something to do besides lifelessly staring at TV and computer screens...

[TheMightyMcClaw]

You could always try and dupe them by using the old name of "Full Contact Karate."
From what I understand, when typical whitebread Americans hear "Kickboxing" they think of two guys pounding the crap out of eachother and bad Jean Claude Van Dam movies . When they hear "karate" they get some vague notions about discipline and mental focus and Mr. Miyagi snatching flies out of the air with chopsticks. The notion that there could be any overlap between the two never crosses their mind.
Not to stereotype or anything, but I'm going to guess your parents are kind of like that.

But yeah, keep on them... and promise your parents that just because your learning how to kickbox doesn't mean you're going to start hanging around bars looking for fights.

[Goju]

Naa I would leave out "full contact" too, just say your doing karate, most parents call any ma karate and most have no problem with it.

I do mma and all my relatives always ask me "how's karate going?" even though I tell them I don't do that anymore and explain to them what mma is... they still call it karate.

If you don't wanna lie, use the "discipline" ploy. Do the trial period and be honorable, respectful, honest etc the whole week, get all your work done early and help out around the house. Your parents will probably give in because they can see you want it so badly you are doing all this work and being so kind, or they'll buy it completely and start believing that kickboxing has truly made you a much better person (which it could very well do in the longrun).

Just some suggestions.

[akitaka]

My mother had the same notion; she doesn't like "martial arts" that don't respect some sort of diety/ideal, whether it be a god or spiritual gain. In other words, no etheral, no go. "It's all about violence". My only argument is that it's up to the person to determine that; some kickbox for fitness, some for fighting (though they usually quit), and some for the fact that it's an awesome hobby/activity, instead of sitting around the house. Yeah, you get hurt, but it's a real refreshment to the listless world of "jobs and education".

I like Baubin2's idea of speaking with the teacher; if he turns out to be a cool guy how can she say no?

[chevelle2291]

{Not to stereotype or anything, but I'm going to guess your parents are kind of like that.}

Well my parents know that I have always been pretty gifted with any type of combat stuff (fencing,paintball,etc.) and they seem to except that. It's just that they think it will interfere with school (im starting high school) and that it will also interfere with my Shaolin Kempo class.

[akitaka]

Wow. Shaolin Kempo too? I'm guessing you want to cross-train then.

I did Wu-Shu for 4 years and stopped due to sickness; took a kickboxing class 1 month after recovery (that took 4 months) and got addicted to the sparring portion. I'd say KB is best learning to apply what you've learned; if you work hard enough at Kempo your fitness shouldn't be an issue. Cost is another thing, though.

If the KB classes are 1-2 hours it's really not a big time issue, I think.

[old timer]

Well mum & dad, in this ever increasing violent society that we live in, every body needs some form of self preservation and I think that this is the one for me, failing that I could always hang around with my drug taking friends every night instead of learning MA's, getting fit and learning respect and discipline. Try that and see how that works.

[furn]

My parent think the shame way ''Too much violent'' ''you will get kill'' ''only bastard do MA'' you see the style...

But the way they think only double my willpower of doing MA, i think that you should not let you parent decide what you can and can't do...specialy if it a MA...because you're right....they think that football is not ''violent'' and it a sport that is not dangerous...yeah right.

Anyway i would say to you to follow what other people before say, like say it karate and not Kickboxing...with the stereotypical thinking that should work.

Good luck and don't give up!

[TNT Tommy]

I started boxing at age 11 because I was always getting into fights as a little kid. Through boxing and kickboxing I learned discipline, got exercise, and gained self confidence. If your parents are against this, tell them the benefits.

It might seem violent to them but if you join kickboxing, you will be able to defend yourself when the need arises.

Good Luck
TNT Tommy

[Davey Bones]

I'd agree with Baubin. The only realistic option is to take them to the school and let them see what happens for themselves. They know you have discipline and whatnot from the Kenpo, so let them see how that carries itself into the MT/KB gym.

[shotokanwarrior]

Threaten to kill yourself. Nah, just messing.

You could just feed them the 'holistic' rubbish, saying you want to do it because it will teach you discipline and make you a better person. Like everyone else said.

[DafyddReed]

I'd ask the main teacher to talk to your parents
your right more the local football club prolly has same amount of inguries (Im not kidding some of my friends are into football and are always breaking bones)

[chevelle2291]

Threaten to kill yourself. Nah, just messing.

Not a bad idea, lol jk

Thanks for all the help guys I think you all made great points! I don't know what I am gonna do about kickboxing though! I mean, I can pull off a lot of the self-defense techniques taught at SK but I would like to do a LOT more sparring but apparently Master Dodaro doesn't believe in that (i know, crazy!).

But, I am starting HS next year and I don't know how much HW I'm gonna get so I may end up just taking Kickboxing instead of Shaolin, that way I can actually learn to defend myself, ya know?

[Bograt]

Show your parents this message.

I have been teaching karate & kickboxing for a few years. I have a number of young lads in my club who appart from training in the karate & kickboxing but also in Football! and all these students have had more time out of class due to footballing injuries than due to the MA's in fact I am not aware of them ever being away from the club due to a MA injury.

I personally think that shows that in comparrison football is a lot more dangerous than the MA's.

[jabcrosshook]

Chevelle lives in illinois. I think the football that was meant was "American Football" - not soccer :p

[kickboxingidiot]

Chevelle
Your tranfer to kickboxing from shaolin will be the best move you will get.
Especially sicne kickboxing is mainly about hitting soldi objects(pads) and sparring

Good luck pal.

bograt is right about the football(soccer???) thing. Footy is more dangerous than kickboxing or even muay thai (coming from master toddys mouth! or was it skens?)

[jabcrosshook]

bograt is right about the football(soccer???) thing. Footy is more dangerous than kickboxing or even muay thai (coming from master toddys mouth! or was it skens?)

I'll agree with the statement football (as in american football) is more dangerous, although they do wear heaps of armour :bang:. I really can't see how soccer is more dangerous than kickboxing. Not just me trying to be all hetro-macho saying "I'm a bad man" but I generally can't accept soccer as being more dangerous.

[kenpoguy]

Ok I'm 14 and want to get into kickboxing. I've found a gym near me that I want to check out but my parents think it's too violent (yet when my friends play football they think that that isn't wtf???). I need some help talking them into it. Any help????



You sound like a version of myself when i was your age. When I was around 14 i had the same problem, and my parents had the view that it was ok for me to play football, but not do anything else. Gradually I talked to them and convinced them how much i needed it, and they were still extremely heavily weighed against it. Finally, they agreed to let me do martial arts. It was through martial arts that I was able to kickbox,box, and expierment with various other arts. As people have already suggested, I highly reccomend calling up your local studio of gym, and setting up a meeting. Once your parents talk with them, they hopefully should hope better. Although respect them at all times, and its nothing to let transpire into an argument.

[kenpoguy]

Believe it or not, soccer was considered more dangerous than even boxing, which is said to be worse than kickboxing. More head trauma resulted from head butting the balls then from being actually hit repeatdly in the head. I will see if i can find the link to that study again. Now there are, various types of kickboxing, may i add. Firstly, there are forms where you wear gear and dont. I suggest wearing the gear at first, as it really is a pain(literally) when you dont and could cause some pretty bad injuires. After you get more advanced, and your coaches agree to it, then thats up to them and you if you want to conitune to wear it or not. With kickboxing, American kickboxing, anyway, you can expect to experience bloody noses, sprained wrist, broken hands, broken legs, broken feet, or any combintation of these listed, plus many more. And above all, exhaustion is a key factor, endurance is a must have, that is built up. Although, there is also the non-competitive factor which you may choose to follow.

[tekkengod]

Fortunately for me, i have both a car and money so if they don't like it i can say SCREW YOU!!!

[Mufty]

Not a bad idea, lol jk

Thanks for all the help guys I think you all made great points! I don't know what I am gonna do about kickboxing though! I mean, I can pull off a lot of the self-defense techniques taught at SK but I would like to do a LOT more sparring but apparently Master Dodaro doesn't believe in that (i know, crazy!).

But, I am starting HS next year and I don't know how much HW I'm gonna get so I may end up just taking Kickboxing instead of Shaolin, that way I can actually learn to defend myself, ya know?

My advice is keep up the Shaolin Kung Fu sounds like you got a good teacher.

'Sparring is like Cheese'

Addictive too much is bad for you.

[jabcrosshook]

Fortunately for me, i have both a car and money so if they don't like it i can say SCREW YOU!!!

Enough money to buy a house when they chuck you out? lol

[Bograt]

Thanks for pointing that out Norm hope you enjoyed your visit to your nans?

But believe me the amount of students at my club who miss training due to a football injury is so unbelievable.

[tekkengod]

Enough money to buy a house when they chuck you out? lol

LOL!!! NOT YET!!! But as long as i'm spending my gas money driving my car using my time and my money to do it, they won't stop me, if it dosen't burned them much, nothing ever becomes a major issue.

[kenpoguy]

lol im also with you tekken :P My parents essentailly after a while had the attitude, that I could do wahtever I wanted so long as I could pay and get there. This, was also of course after they saw alot of it themselves lol.

[tekkengod]

lol im also with you tekken :P My parents essentailly after a while had the attitude, that I could do wahtever I wanted so long as I could pay and get there. This, was also of course after they saw alot of it themselves lol.

I think more parents should have an attitued similar to that, i mean if the kid REALLY wants to do something, ha! good luck stoping them, but most parents don't condone or allow some things (like taking an MA for example of this thread} because it costs them money and time, not so much as it would be them not liking the idea.

[|MT|omar]

my parents were like that too when i first wanted to take up Muay Thai, they came along to some of my 1st classes and saw it wasn't what they expected (blood, gore and violence :p)

1 thing that seemed to work for me was when i said "So you dont want me doing Muay Thai... what if i did Karate or Taekwondo... i'd still be getting punched or kicked" but yeah, i've played sport my whole life so they kinda just had to accept it, although they'd prefer that i stuck with basketball

[jabcrosshook]

Hehe - my parents will take me :) I used to give some sob story about how I would quit and waste everything if they didn't :)

Now, I'll just say "I'll get a bus if you want" and they still take me :p

[SideySid]

I wanted to do Karate ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper, after being influenced by Karate Kid etc. Even back then I understood the whole respect and dicipline aspect of it all, and although not being a violent child my parents would not let me join a class of any sort (as well as judo which I argued could only be used in self defence).

Time passed and I always dreamt that when I was old enough I would. Then when the desire restirred in me I was 20 and just split up with my fiancee, and I wanted to exert my emotions. I took up an MMA class, which opened up the MA world to me which I was always fascinated with.

Then one evening walking back to my car after a night out I was set upon by five attackers after my mobile phone etc. I defended myself and used one as their heads as a starting block to run away, only losing a few posessions on the way.

My mum and dad was then "glad" that I had trained in an MA after that, as I was able to defend myself. Thats when they realised what is was all about.

Yes, there are kids out there that shouldn't be allowed to train IMO, but I would hopefully put faith in the instructors to spot the ones that will only use
what they learn to create trouble...

[chevelle2291]

Hey guys,

I don't think I'll be needing to fing a kickboxing club because apparently a big mixup with my Master not being interested in sparring. I asked him at class yesterday about San Shou schools in Illinois (Shaolin Kickboxing) and he said that he knew it and would be willing to put together a San Shou class if he had a group of students willing to do it. Then, I asked if there would be any sparring and he said no. I then asked what we would be doing and he was like "fighting, of course." LOL. Apparently he isn't interested in sparring because he likes freestyle fighting with only Kempo gloves on, lol. So, I'll get a group of buds from my Shaolin class to do it (I know of at least five interested) and then my San Shou class will start up most likely within a month or so....(Smiley)