I hear it all the time. A parent walks into my school to meet with me, and the first question they ask is…
Will my child get hurt doing martial arts?
It’s a good question to ask , it’s important. Injuries are part of life. They can happen anywhere and certainly in any activity… but that doesn’t mean that parents are lining up to enroll their kids in dangerous activities. 
If you’re worried about your child getting injured in class, here are some things that might reassure you.
We take kids’ safety very seriously!
Our instructors are experienced, skilled, and careful. Kids are taught the importance of stretching and warming up before class. Limbering up their muscles decreases the chances that they’ll sustain an injury. Physical activities sometimes beget injuries, but they’re rarely serious… This is especially true in our kids Jiu Jitsu program where we have been teaching kids for almost 20 years without ever having serious injuries.
We put a lot of emphasis on doing moves properly. In class, our instructors always demonstrate moves for kids before asking them to repeat them. They do it several times, and break down each move by talking about the form and technique needed to perform it properly.
Students spar in class, but they do so in a very controlled way. Training against a resisting opponent is the only way for a child to develop real skill in martial arts. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, we have the huge advantage of not punching and kicking each other but learning how to control an opponent and put them in a position where they are no longer a threat.
The goal of training is to help kids master the moves they’ve learned and apply them defensively, not to allow kids to beat each other up.
If a student sustains an injury in class, our instructors make sure they get immediate treatment. Both owners, myself and my wife Jennifer, were combat medics in the Army. We have a lot of experience handling injuries. I’m also a chiropractor that has evaluated and managed 1000’s of musculoskeletal and other injuries in my practice. We know basic first aid, and our instructors also know when to call for help. We take our responsibility as temporary guardians of your child very seriously.
As a parent, you worry about your child’s safety. What you should know is that we do, too! Kids in our classes are closely supervised, and they’ll never be left to spar on their own without coaches monitoring everyone on the mats.
Are you interested in signing your child up for a class?
Until next time,
Coach Marc Hagebusch
PS: look for a upcoming post where I will talk about the right age for kids to start martial arts.