Child practicing on her own

[u/Same-Yesterday-6342]

My daughter (11yo) just started Shotokan. She really wanted to do Karate, and so far is enjoying the classes. She asked me about practicing on her own, and I am wondering if this is a good idea for her to do or not? Like, could she watch a video on the kata she is learning and practice from it, or would she potentially be practicing bad habits without a Sensei there to correct her? What about practicing overhead blocks and punches? The only experience I have in martial arts is my brother pulling all his wrestling moves on me as kids, so I don't think I can be much help in correcting form, ect. We can currently only get to the dojo 2x a week due to distance and cost to travel, but she feels inspired to improve and learn.

EDIT: Wow, this sub is incredibly responsive and supportive! I just want to thank you all for your advice and support. I will ask her Sensei if he has videos he recommends and encourage her desire to work on her own to get better.

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[u/SteelGemini]

This early into things, I don't think it's necessary to seek outside content, but it is important to practice what she's learned in class with some regularity on her own. It will show during future classes and anything that needs correction can be addressed then.

[u/Fancy_Sun_1585 → u/SteelGemini]

If she needs help remembering the kata, that’s probably why OP is asking about online videos

[u/Resident_Anteater]

I've been helping in kids classes since really early on in my journey so I'll weigh in here.

Practice outside of class is good and we encourage it in our Dojo. Even if she only remembers 60% of what she learned in a class, she will be reinforcing her knowledge by practicing that 60% outside of class.

We can always tell who doesn't practice at home because we have to teach them the same thing every week. They forget what we covered each class and have to relearn skills week after week while the kids who do practice and put the extra work in are moving on to other skills or kata or sometimes even grading ahead of their peers.

It doesn't have to be alot either, do some pushups, practice what she worked on in the last class and practice one kata she already knows so she doesn't forget older syllabus while learning new stuff. It can be as short as 15 minutes a day but it will help her so much.

[u/Adam89G → u/Resident_Anteater]

Even as a grown up when I started I saw push ups as something I could work on alone and decided I'd do my own to get stronger between sessions. It's easier to focus on the meat of a session if you don't dread the punishment.

[u/Fancy_Sun_1585]

Ask her instructor if they have videos, but most of the kata videos on YT will be fine and any small differences she picks up (no two schools/organizations do the same kata identically.) will be easy things for her instructors to fix during class.

[u/jackspinnaker]

Absolutely we MUST practice on our own to train well. Have her ask her sensei what some good things to practice on her own would be. Also, consider training yourself! It is never too late to start training in the martial arts and I am sure they have adult classes at her dojo

[u/Fancy_Sun_1585 → u/jackspinnaker]

Not everyone needs to. 

[u/OyataTe]

If you don't practice between classes you never will get any better. Karate, musical instrument, et cetera.

[u/816in702]

If she enjoys it, don't stop. Watching Kata videos is great, she can even look at high level competition vids to see what Kata looks like down the road.

Do you have a pool noodle or towel? Wrap it around your forearm and she can practice her rising block. Hold a cushion in front of your body to let her practice punches. Ask her to teach you what she knows...she will focus on correct form so you can understand it.

[u/MrKarlStrom]

Honestly I do practice a lot on my own and it is a good way to just get the basic down

I too am in Shotokan

[u/Pizzashitblowback]

That is great initiative! Honestly any solo practice at that age is good. Sets a good precedent

[u/cjh10881]

100% have her practice. It's ok if she practices something wrong. The instructors will fix it. The fact that she wants to practice it at home should be encouraged. Even learning the gross motor skills is great.

They'll fix the details. Practice with her. This will pave the way for you being an involved dad.

Who knows maybe you'll join too?

[u/cpt_fwiffo]

Practicing on your own even if you have nobody around to correct you is WAY better than not practicing at all. It's totally fine to grind the broader strokes on your own and have a sensei correct the details later. Getting the basic shape of the kata into muscle memory outside of class will allow you to actually pay attention to the finer points of the instruction rather than just desperately trying to remember which direction you're supposed to be facing.

[u/Wilbie9000]

The answer to both of your questions is yes.

Yes, she should be practicing on her own.

Yes, she’s occasionally going to get something wrong that needs to be corrected.

One of the most important lessons of Karate training is that a mistake is just another chance to learn and improve.

[u/bassuser06]

Have her practice the basics more. Drill down the Kihon first.

Kata on youtube is okay as a guide. Especially for memorizing the kata first but remind her to keep an open mind especially when her sensei makes some corrections on her execution. These are usually small nuances. The important thing still is her kihon. Good kihon makes a good kata.

[u/LilSis279]

I've learned many katas using videos. Basically, you can use them to get the sequences down and such, and then in class, the Sensei will refine it. Keep in mind, I've been training in my style for 9 years, I am a Shodan and rarely miss a class. We are still refining the katas every day, it does not end.

There is a trick to videos. You cannot "mirror" them. We had a student who used videos a lot and learned very well from them...but he learned them all backwards because he didn't grasp the concept that you could not copy the movements like you were standing in front of a mirror.

[u/Maxxover]

Additional self motivated training should always be encouraged. Especially in a person in this age.

[u/nightraven3141592]

When I first started learning Taikyoku Shodan I did the pattern maybe 10 times in class then I went home and start watching it on YouTube to get the pattern right. Once I got the pattern down my sensei/senpai helped me to get the stances and techniques correct.

I didn’t start hitting correctly until I started actually hitting the heavy bag/mitts. Doing jun-zuki (oi-zuki) in the air doesn’t force you to have a good alignment between knuckles/wrist/elbow/shoulder but hitting something solid sure is a unforgiving teacher.

Karate is good in that way that you can self-practice both kihon and kata on your own, only kumite requires a partner, but corrections from a experienced practitioner is recommended to get the techniques right.

In the beginning of learning any new kata you need to get the pattern (embusen) and techniques right, after which at instructor can fine tune your stances and techniques.

[u/atticus-fetch]

Let her practice her instructor will appreciate it.

[u/FantoluxeNFTArt]

FWIW I’m new to karate and not very athletic or coordinated. I practice endlessly on my own in order to progress on things which other people nail in a class or two. It’s very necessary for me. Has been in many aspects of my life. That said, there are times when that solitary study is kind of zen and rewarding.

[u/Adam89G]

As a white belt alone I'd recommend to focus on reinforcing what she knows than trying what she doesnt..

Walking in a front stance without bobbing.

Punching in line.

Stretching.

By all means watch good kata, but each style and Sensei has their own fussy way.

Most young karateka could do with learning to listen and slow down more than learning more things to get wrong IMO. Better to get one thing right, than a range of things that need correcting.

[u/gedanmawashigeri]

She’s right to want to practice on her own. Ask her sensei what videos they recommend on YouTube, etc to use as references. You can help coach her to the best of your ability, if she wants. It is also okay for her to just practice on her own as well without you coaching her. She will find out if she’s doing it right or wrong when she’s back to the dojo; that is part of the journey. The good news is she’s interested and wants to train. I don’t see anything wrong with that.

[u/Gazymodo_]

Check with your Sensei which YouTube channel he recommends.
Some seem really good but are not what your Sensei want you to learn.
Paul Walker and Seamus O’Dowd are helping me a lot

[u/CS_70]

It is very, very good.

You cannot learn karate without practicing at home. The couple hours a week are there to show you stuff you don't know, or to check that you have not learnt mistakes.

In reality, what child learn is the biomechanics, or an approximation of it.

Use youtube, or even better take videos at the lesson with your phone, so that she can remember once at home and look it up.

[u/Cautious_General_177]

As a beginner, just practicing what she remembers from class is fine. As long as she's doing the techniques relatively correctly, it's easy to fix in class. For forms, instead of finding videos online, ask her instructor if you can record her doing the form in class, with someone saying the moves, then she can reference that if she gets stuck (I've done this several times for students when they're having issues remembering a form outside of class)

[u/rsrxciii]

Nothing wrong with practicing basic fundamentals on your own. That's a great habit to build early on. And if its a video from one of the instructors and they're okay with it, I don't see the problem. It's great that she has such a drive to want to improve outside the dojo.

[u/Responsible-Pitch363]

Practicing is essential to improvement. Ask her instructor for good links for videos etc. sometimes styles and teachers differ in interpretation. But I think this is all positive. One of my instructors spent hours of his childhood flipping his hands in crisp palm up/palm down positions because his instructor impressed on him that the termination had to be perfect. He’d do it at the dinner table, waiting in line… it seems mental but karate is about perfecting the details. Repetition builds awareness of body position-a detailed map that leads to better defenses (you have confidence that x is covered and y is open above or below). Let her develop. It’s all good transferable skill that supports self-discipline and self-confidence.

[u/Arokthis]

Any school worth 5¢ has a standardized kihon (basic exercises) list. Stances, punches, blocks, kicks, maybe stretches. That should be on her list of things to do at least once a day.

The best thing you can buy for her right now is a mirror. A cheap bedroom closet mirror (or two) will do nicely.

Videos: Ask the instructors. Either they will let you take one then and there, send you a link to ones they prefer, or give you some guidance on where to go.

[u/LopsidedShower6466]

Lots of great and insightful answers already, but I'm wondering about her asking you about practicing on her own. Because most kids aren't like this, unless something concerns them.

Not enough classmates her age? Someone annoying? Bored with specific aspects of the class? Maybe she's concerned about distance and travel too, but doesn't want to concern you with it?

Maybe overthinking, but I just thought it an odd thing for an 11yo to say.

[u/supersmola]

Let her practice. Also, find some videos of other kids her age doing some kata. That could inspire her.