Some believe children should not be taught a “violent” activity like Filipino Martial Arts. I’ve encountered those who believe FMAs are inappropriate for children because they involve swinging a stick or two. Ahem.

While risks are inherent in swinging sticks, many age-appropriate ways to teach Filipino Martial Arts to the Padawan. 

 What I teach adults is different than what I teach children. While children are learning to read and write, they are also learning physical literacy and how to move their bodies. Hence, I adjust the material to take this into account.

Here are 7 ways I teach Filipino Martial Arts material to children:

(1) Angles of attack: I teach the 12 angles of attack.  There are several details that I work on, including footwork and chambering. One example is in the below video where I discuss the transition between angles 1 and 2. Knowing the 12 angles of attack is a precursor to learning how to feed effectively.

I focus more on them knowing the proper order in which the angles are executed. The footwork and the correct chambering will come. I will often incorporate the 12 angles into the “Simon Says” game at the end of class. I’ll randomly call out an angle. They have to listen and execute the called-out angle correctly.

Soon, I will have them do the non-dominant hand version of this. This is the beginning of my master plan to teach these young ‘uns world domination!

If you are not able to view this video, click here.

(2) Sinawali drills: Most of my 6 and 7-year-old students know single, double, heaven, and reverse sinawali (known as earth sinawali by others).  Several variations of the sinawali drills can be utilized to develop eye-hand coordination and ambidexterity. I’ll have them do the stick and empty-hand version of these drills. They are getting the hang of executing footwork while doing the sinawali drills. The aim is to coordinate the entire body as a cohesive whole. This is a challenge, and it will take time for most kids.

If you are not able to view this video, click here.

(3) Disarms: Kids love the idea of “taking” my stick away. Lately, we have been incorporating disarms in class. This is an excellent chance for them to learn about the manipulation of the cane, leverage, relaxation, proper posture, and correct footwork. That’s a lot for a child to think about and that’s part of building up their physical literacy.

But damn it, they love taking the stick away from Master Brian! May the Force be with them. 

(4) Footwork: As many know, footwork is a critical part of Filipino Martial Arts. I’ve taught them the one-step footwork, two-step footwork, and the X pattern footwork.

The Padawan has found it relatively easy to execute the one-step footwork (illustrated in the below video) and the X pattern footwork.

The two-step footwork has proven to be a challenge to date. They have a general idea, but they have a way to go on its technical aspects. It’s going to take time. But they are putting in the effort, and that’s what matters!

If you are not able to view this video, click here.

(5) Basic Punches and Kicks:  Basic punches such as the jab, straight punch, hook, and uppercut are easy to teach. Ditto for knees and front kicks. Are they technically perfect? No, remember, they are learning physical literacy at this stage. I’ve had to make some minor changes to terminology to avoid confusion for them. For example, they easily remember the “front punch” instead of “lead hand jab.” 

If you are not able to view the video, click here.

(6) Basic stick handling/flipping exercises: The purpose is to increase their stick handling agility and for the stick to become extensions of their arms. Like any of the above, this is done in increments. I originally had them hold the stick on one end, and flip it in the air so that they could catch the other end. Whoops, that was too much. So I scaled back to simply holding the stick’s middle, letting it go and catching it repeatedly. They did well the first time they tried this. The Force is strong with them. 

(7) Games: Yes, I have heard other martial arts instructors decry games. These are kids for crying out loud. Incorporating martial material is a great way for them to learn the material in a fun way and markedly improve their retention. Studies have shown that children benefit greatly from play.

I’m not a fan of unrelenting rote drilling. Make no mistake; there is a place for rote drilling.

If you make 6-year-old children do the 12 angles of attack twenty times, they will get bored. But do the 12 angles of attack in “Simon Says,” and their enthusiasm for that same material exponentially increases. 

Last night, I had the kids play a variation of the “zombie tag” game. Hey, it’s October! If a child was tagged, they had to do jumping jacks. The next time, it might be push-ups, getting into a horse stance or practicing kicks. The possibilities are endless. The key is incorporating something from martial arts.

Over to instructors, what else would you add to the above list? Let’s hear from you!

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