Arts & Literature2 mins ago
Baby fight club
21 Answers
Did anyone watch this last night? I'm not sure what to make of it!
I'm all for children taking part in sports and learning a discipline such as martial arts as I do think it helps keep them healthy and focused......
....... but there was something about watching the parents and spectators of some of the younger children jeering and screaming for their child to kick harder and watching these children cry going into the ring left me a bit upset!
Some of the children were about 5 years and one family takes their 9/10 year old to Bangkok to fight Thai rules as they can fight with no body guards and can kick in the head!
Just couldn't help thinking it was a bit much!
I'm all for children taking part in sports and learning a discipline such as martial arts as I do think it helps keep them healthy and focused......
....... but there was something about watching the parents and spectators of some of the younger children jeering and screaming for their child to kick harder and watching these children cry going into the ring left me a bit upset!
Some of the children were about 5 years and one family takes their 9/10 year old to Bangkok to fight Thai rules as they can fight with no body guards and can kick in the head!
Just couldn't help thinking it was a bit much!
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I turned it over after 15mins because I was appalled by it and didn�t think my mind could be changed on anything like that. The 5 year olds dad egging her on �go on kick her, lose it� sick. And the boy with the parents who had won belts, I bet he resents them when he�s a teenager. The other little boy that was telling the camera how he smacked some boy in the head at school, yer clever. I was shocked. The parents say they wouldn�t do it if they didn�t want to, but a 5 year old really has no choice in what to do, they cant say nah think I�ll stay at home today, she was crying her eyes out before getting in that ring.
Martial arts is not just competitive fighting, it's discipline.
I think that it is perfectly acceptable for children to learn this art and the discipline it entails. With it comes confidence and�.respect. I would encourage my child to do it if they were interested, but I�m not sure I would really want my child of that age to be involved at a competitive level. I would worry about the short and long term effects on confidence and psychology.
The problem that I found with this in the few minutes that I watched was that the extremely pushy parents considered it to be more of a mass-brawl than any kind of �art� or discipline. Shouting at their kids to hit harder and kick �em some more, really detracts from the essence of the art, especially for impressionable children. And respect goes out of the window with a roundhouse kick. Muay Thai is about technique and focus, many true martial artists spend as much time meditating as they do practicing and working out. I suspect that these parents would ban their children from doing such �poofy� things with preference for some head-punching, nut-kicking practice.
It was sad that many of the children seemed not to be that arsed about partaking, but the arrogance and � quite frankly � selfish and abusive attitude of the parents made the children believe their tears and reluctance to be weakness and shame. And rather than accept defeat, argue about decisions (in the ring) and become a bad loser. Such a role model that father was. What a dick.
I think that it is perfectly acceptable for children to learn this art and the discipline it entails. With it comes confidence and�.respect. I would encourage my child to do it if they were interested, but I�m not sure I would really want my child of that age to be involved at a competitive level. I would worry about the short and long term effects on confidence and psychology.
The problem that I found with this in the few minutes that I watched was that the extremely pushy parents considered it to be more of a mass-brawl than any kind of �art� or discipline. Shouting at their kids to hit harder and kick �em some more, really detracts from the essence of the art, especially for impressionable children. And respect goes out of the window with a roundhouse kick. Muay Thai is about technique and focus, many true martial artists spend as much time meditating as they do practicing and working out. I suspect that these parents would ban their children from doing such �poofy� things with preference for some head-punching, nut-kicking practice.
It was sad that many of the children seemed not to be that arsed about partaking, but the arrogance and � quite frankly � selfish and abusive attitude of the parents made the children believe their tears and reluctance to be weakness and shame. And rather than accept defeat, argue about decisions (in the ring) and become a bad loser. Such a role model that father was. What a dick.
Octavius
Totally agree with martial arts being a discipline and I think that there is no problem with this at all. My son wants to learn Karate, I'm happy for him to when the time is right as I know that there will be the art of Karate and skills to be learned before any combat at a age where it is appropriate!
I thought that these children were being exploited, especially seeing money was being passed around. The programme stated the children do not get paid for it! (Not that it would make it better!)
I didn't watch the programme - the trailer seemed far more about 'Let's point and tut out loud ...' rather than actually examining the ideas behind martial arts for children.
That said - i feel the concept allies itself to American Child Beauty Pagents - parents living their ambitions vicariously through their children.
Obviously partakers and supporters will defend their 'sport' - but so do people who watch dog fighting.
Finding a defence for something does not make it defenceable.
That said - i feel the concept allies itself to American Child Beauty Pagents - parents living their ambitions vicariously through their children.
Obviously partakers and supporters will defend their 'sport' - but so do people who watch dog fighting.
Finding a defence for something does not make it defenceable.
andy-hughes
Not sure what you're trying to say really, but I agree with the child beauty pageant thing! I personally don't like that either!
But the fact is that most other martial arts for children are regulated and no child can enter a ring for combat until 11 yrs. Thai boxing has no regulations hence 5yr old in a ring with no head guard being egged on! Seen similar in that docu about dog fighting!
Not sure what you're trying to say really, but I agree with the child beauty pageant thing! I personally don't like that either!
But the fact is that most other martial arts for children are regulated and no child can enter a ring for combat until 11 yrs. Thai boxing has no regulations hence 5yr old in a ring with no head guard being egged on! Seen similar in that docu about dog fighting!
4get, there are different associations with different rules. Some insist on head gear and no kicks/hits to the head, others allow it and no protection to the head.
I have no problem with children learning a disciplined martial art. My 7 yr old daughter wants to start doing karate and Im ok with that, but I wouldnt even consider letting her compete against someone else til she was at least a teenager.
The way those parents were speaking to their small children reminded me of the idiots who egg on the dogs at dog fights!
I have no problem with children learning a disciplined martial art. My 7 yr old daughter wants to start doing karate and Im ok with that, but I wouldnt even consider letting her compete against someone else til she was at least a teenager.
The way those parents were speaking to their small children reminded me of the idiots who egg on the dogs at dog fights!
I think the regulation vary from club to club, there was some debate on The Wright Stuff this mornign and the clubs determin the rules. Parents have to agree on it before fight begins.
Says it all really when parents have to sign a disclamer in case of injury or death!
Psychick
Agree, my son wants to learn Karate like his nephew, but no club will take on until 6 anyway and combat isn't concidered until they can be licenced at 11 yrs. I will probably let him, but only when I know that he understand what it is to learn a martial art.
Says it all really when parents have to sign a disclamer in case of injury or death!
Psychick
Agree, my son wants to learn Karate like his nephew, but no club will take on until 6 anyway and combat isn't concidered until they can be licenced at 11 yrs. I will probably let him, but only when I know that he understand what it is to learn a martial art.
Maybe I'm wrong but I thought the peolple shown last night were not particularly interested in disipline, respect or any other decent aspect of the Matial Arts! Although the rules say no hitting to the face or head it was blantantly being flouted last night!
IMHO putting kids into a cage and allowing them to fight - one wearing protective head gear and one without - with around a thousand adults watching takes some justifying!!
IMHO putting kids into a cage and allowing them to fight - one wearing protective head gear and one without - with around a thousand adults watching takes some justifying!!
-- answer removed --
I think it is more to do with the parents attitude - imagine having one of those kids in your class and having to ask the parents to come in because little (insert ridiculous name) has been involved in a fight. Rather you than me. I think its parents like the ones shown who make this country what it is!!!!!
3ight8ball
Some of the kids were protected, some didn't have head gear and the family who takes their son to Bangkok have no protection on body or head at all!
But I do think that it is the parents attitude has to accout for a lot, such as the mother who said that she enjoyed the first time she hit some other woman in the face! Nice!
Some of the kids were protected, some didn't have head gear and the family who takes their son to Bangkok have no protection on body or head at all!
But I do think that it is the parents attitude has to accout for a lot, such as the mother who said that she enjoyed the first time she hit some other woman in the face! Nice!
I think the whole point of the programme was to be sensationalist, as Andy has said above, merely paraded on our screens so that we can bemoan the senselessness of it all and to berate the selfish, pushy and greedy parents (it was all about money after all apparently).
Did the makers ever challenge the families or question the motives? Or was it merely bear-baiting for the masses to raise their eyebrows at the working class delusion that to put their children through such anguish is the only way to get rich and famous?
Did the makers ever challenge the families or question the motives? Or was it merely bear-baiting for the masses to raise their eyebrows at the working class delusion that to put their children through such anguish is the only way to get rich and famous?
Supposing it was a boxing club in Eaton though and all the little Harry�s and Henry�s were striking young cads left right and centre in front of a guffawing crowd munching on canap�s and sipping their gin?
Many people (we are talking about the great unwashed here) would probably watch that in awe and aspire to plonk their kids into a gym above a pub so that could be just like the gentry and learn the �honour� of boxing like a bounder.
Many people (we are talking about the great unwashed here) would probably watch that in awe and aspire to plonk their kids into a gym above a pub so that could be just like the gentry and learn the �honour� of boxing like a bounder.
Hi andrea
My point was twofold - first of all I would question the motives of programme makers who appear to be aiming for the Jeremy Kyle shallow-end-of the-gene-pool audience which will simply gasp in horror at the cruelty involved in this type of 'sport'.
Secondly, the 'sport' itself. I have taught discipline to all my children by affirming them as decent human beings, not by encouraging them to beat seven shades out of their peer group, and then applauding the 'discipline' needed not to cause life-threatening injuries.
It may be a 'sport', but as I said - so is dog fighting - with which it does seem to have unfortunate paralells - immature adults getting their thrills, not by fighting themsvles, but by getting those they control to do it for them, while they bray and grunt from the sidelines.
My point was twofold - first of all I would question the motives of programme makers who appear to be aiming for the Jeremy Kyle shallow-end-of the-gene-pool audience which will simply gasp in horror at the cruelty involved in this type of 'sport'.
Secondly, the 'sport' itself. I have taught discipline to all my children by affirming them as decent human beings, not by encouraging them to beat seven shades out of their peer group, and then applauding the 'discipline' needed not to cause life-threatening injuries.
It may be a 'sport', but as I said - so is dog fighting - with which it does seem to have unfortunate paralells - immature adults getting their thrills, not by fighting themsvles, but by getting those they control to do it for them, while they bray and grunt from the sidelines.
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