| Senator John McCain called it "human cockfighting." | | | | opposite effect. |
| Others have referred to it as a ferocious, no | | | | Rather than encouraging violence, mixed martial |
| holds barred, bare-knuckled street fight. Are these | | | | arts training inspires discipline and respect. As one |
| accurate assessments of mixed martial arts | | | | 8-year-old MMA student recently explained to the |
| (MMA)? And given that many people share these | | | | popular television show 20/20, "We're not in there |
| impressions, should children be encouraged to | | | | to hurt each other. We're all friends here. We're |
| participate in the training? | | | | just in there to have fun and learn." |
| During the past decade, MMA has become | | | | Risk Of Injury |
| explosively popular. The sport has also become a | | | | Critics also argue that there is an increased |
| focal point of controversy. It has polarized society | | | | likelihood of serious injury during MMA training. This |
| into two distinct camps: those who are drawn to | | | | claim requires a closer inspection of the sport. |
| it and those who are horrified by it. Meanwhile, an | | | | Indeed, there is a risk of injury involved. But, it's |
| increasing number of parents have begun enrolling | | | | important to place this risk in the proper context. |
| their kids into mixed martial arts classes, igniting a | | | | According to statistics released by the American |
| growing surge of protests. | | | | Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), basketball, baseball, |
| In this article, we'll explore the issue of whether | | | | cycling, and football resulted in nearly 1 million child |
| children should train in MMA. We'll take a closer | | | | emergency room visits in 1998 alone. Other youth |
| look at how society perceives the sport and the | | | | sports were responsible for hundreds of |
| fallacy of a commonly-held fear about it. I'll explain | | | | thousands more. |
| the risks involved as well as the potential benefits | | | | This is not to suggest that mixed martial arts for |
| young people stand to gain from participating. | | | | kids is without risk. Rather, my point is to clarify |
| Battling A Societal Trend | | | | that all sports involve an element of risk for |
| Critics of the sport argue that it feeds into a | | | | children. Presuming that MMA presents an |
| growing societal lust for violence. Further, they | | | | extreme hazard is inconsistent with existing |
| contend that encouraging young people to | | | | evidence. |
| participate not only introduces them to that | | | | How Young People Benefit |
| violence, but teaches them to revel in it. To be | | | | As noted above, kids tend to develop a stronger |
| sure, mixed martial arts has earned a reputation | | | | sense of discipline and respect as a result of |
| for brutality. However, much of that reputation is | | | | participating in mixed martial arts classes. And |
| due to its earliest incarnation when rules were all | | | | while there will always be individual children who |
| but non-existent. In truth, the sport has changed | | | | stray from the norm, most will never use their |
| dramatically over the last several years. | | | | fighting skills outside the gym. In fact, they're |
| Dispelling A Common Fear | | | | taught to avoid doing so. |
| One of the most prevalent concerns about | | | | Should you enroll your kids in MMA training? It's a |
| involving kids in MMA training is that doing so | | | | matter of preference given your goals and those |
| creates a tendency toward violent behavior. That | | | | of your child. The important thing to realize is that |
| is, kids will become more willing to resolve | | | | much of the fear that surrounds the sport is |
| problems violently. It's worth noting that this is a | | | | baseless. Like all martial arts training, it can help |
| common fear that many parents have about | | | | children develop physically, mentally, and |
| karate, Aikido, and Taekwondo classes. However, | | | | emotionally. |
| evidence has shown that such training has the | | | | |