Kids

What a parent actually needs: how a kids' class works, the separate belt system, what the studies on bullying really say, and how to behave at the edge of the mat.

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  BJJ for kids: what age to start, how it works, what to look for

  Jiu-jitsu is one of the combat sports best suited to children, for one specific reason: there is no striking. Here is how a course actually works.

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  Kids' belts: twelve ranks, four colours, and what happens at 16

  A child isn't a "grey belt": they're grey-white, grey, or grey-black. That's twelve ranks before sixteen — and the move to the adult system is the most delicate moment of the whole journey.

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  BJJ and bullying: what the studies actually say

  "Put him in jiu-jitsu and they'll stop." It's the single line that sells the most kids' classes. Part of what it promises has been measured, part hasn't — and the difference is worth knowing before you sign up.

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  Parents at the edge of the mat: what helps, what doesn't, and when to step in

  Nobody tells you how to sit at the edge of a mat. Yet it's the part of the class that depends entirely on you — and the only one where you can do harm without noticing.

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