Tae Kwon Do or White Eagle Ma at Y

My boys were in taekwondo and really benefited from it. In fact, my oldest "baby" (now in his late 30s, married and with three daughters) just received his third-degree black belt. I'm very proud of him because it had been a goal of his for some eighteen years. For this rank, he had to write a thesis, which he did in the form of an informational web site. I'll give you the link in case you want to learn more about taekwondo that way.

www.Taekwondo-Guide.com

I have never heard of white eagle ma. Word of advise. I have a Black Belt in Modern Defense Martial Arts. When doing any of those find out if they lock their joint. If they do, RUN that causes athritis and you will hurt yourself if ever in a fight. You want the kid to follow through meaning if their target is in 2 inches you want to hit to 5 inches. More power! Also thats what you would do in real life not in for a show. Hope that helps

I've trained in Tae Kwon Do and Karate for a total of 10 years. I earned my first degree Black Belt at age 50. My daughter started at age 5 and is now 10 and a black stripe (belt before Black). I am not familiar with the other martial arts you mention.

I would suggest watching a class or two at the schools you are interested in to see how the instructors interact with the children. All schools should allow this. The instructors should expect focus and hard work but allow for a little fun, too. They also should offer a trial class or a week or two of classes for a low price. Be sure to understand what is included in the pricing - how many classes, belt tests, equipment, etc. Talk with other parents there if you can, to find out about their experience.

As a former instructor of children's Tae Kwon Do, I believe children can learn so much from martial arts, even those who have no interest or talent in other sports.

I would take advantage of the "trial periods". My boys have done Meibukan Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Sikaran Arnis. They are both enrolling in Meibukan Karate again in the new year. I don't find that any one martial art is better than the other, it depends on the school and the trainer. I would go to whichever place is most convenient and your children seem happier at. Look for a place where they already have friends enrolled.

I started my son in Tae Kwon Do....and I loved it and so did he, but our studio closed their location close to us and changed the rules on contracts that left a bad taste in my mouth. (They wanted our money, but didn't really care if my son was there or not and there was no personal care about the students...I saw we were a number to them).

I went studio hunting...we went from studio to studio and did trial classes...usually after one class I knew that it wasn't a good fit...or once I reviewed the long term contracts they wanted us to sign (three to five year unbreakable contracts unless we moved). Argh!!

Then I was driving by a strip center and saw a sign Korean Martial Arts...so I stopped in and found out it was a brand new studio. They don't teach Tae Kwon Do...but Mu Sool Won (actually Kuk Sool Won, but our association had a split and changed the name to Mu Sool Won, meaning family martial arts) a sister Korean martial art to TKD.

I couldn't be happier...the owner/main instructor really cares about each student...we are a family center in fact whole families take together...we are all one big family supporting each other in healthy living and learning. I don't study martial arts, but attend the evening Tabata classes that are offered for body conditioning for adults.

Make sure the studio only promotes students on merit and not just you get a new belt every so many weeks because you pay for it...make sure the student shave to learn the skills. (Some studios promote students as long as the parent keep paying).

Go visit each studio...I think the owner and morals/vision of each studio is more important than the "style" of martial art. So shop around and look for a good fit for your boys.

Tae Kwon Do.

My oldest son is a Black belt - took him just over 5 years to achieve it.
youngest is a blue belt.

I have never heard of Eagle Ma.

My kids have been in Karate for a few years. They are currently brown belts. They typically 2-3 times per week, and have an additional sparring class. Some of the people at their level go five days a week, but that doesn't suit our family schedule.

Tae Kwon Do is also a good choice. The TKD class at the Y here is taught by teachers from a great local TKD dojo. The Y class is just one day a week, but if it is a good fit, the person can always transition to the dojo for a more frequent training program.

(I don't know what "action karate" is, and I've never heard of White Eagle MA.)

Regardless of what you choose, make sure the sensei and/or dojo is reputable. Beware of belt factories. You end up with young children thinking they are "black belts" when in reality they have little to no practical skill. If they can't demonstrate the skill, they should not be promoted. When my kids have failed a test, of course they are upset. It motivates them to practice more and try harder. Self discipline is the #1 lesson.

Tae Kwon Do.
I am a black belt in TKD and have looked into the different Y programs. They tend to stop and start and seem to be a bit more expensive.

When you sign up for classes see if they have an inclusive package price that includes classes and testing. Tourmenents are always extra. I paid extra for testing, my black belt test alone cost $175.00

Never heard of Eagle Ma.

My daughter is an Black Belt in Tang Soo Doo and it took her about 6 yrs to achieve it.

Find a good, reputable school... be wary of contracts. Most schools have a trial period for $100 or so, that might be a good option to see if you like the school, students, gurus, etc.

Good luck!