Submission Techniques and Age?

First answer is great.

I think it varies with students as well, honestly there is no need to teach a 10 year old chokes, or joint locks. Aside from not entirely understanding them, kids are more impulsive and emotional. The last thing you need is for a frustrated kid to apply a lot of pressure because the other one isn't tapping.

I can't see putting full fledged joint locks on would be healthy for kids either.

For me it is more a matter of maturity, emotional control, as well as physical control. When kids are doing a lot of growing they lack the body control all the time, there is a certain amount of awkwardness that comes because of growth spurts.

In the case of grappling, we are talking fractions of inch between someone tapping, or someone getting something broken.

There is less risk with chokes, but chokes in all honesty are a horrifying experience. You want kids with a little maturity to be able to handle that.

In Judo, 13 you can start doing chokes, and 16 you can start doing jointlocks.

I train chokes at 12, and joint locks as 15, because I want them to have a year of experience of dealing with them before some other kid goes out there throwing it on them.

BJJ uses a similar rule, but the beauty of this is you develop WAY Better grapplers.

Because the early ages are all about positional control, and real wrestling and takedowns. It takes the focus off going for particular submissions and helps them learn how to scramble, how to understand leverage.

This is something that often gets missing when adults start BJJ or Judo, and they begin learning submissions right away. Their focus almost becomes entirely that.

That is the reason why you see some BJJ/JUdo guys in MMA have a hard time with Wrestlers. Because they started late and are so focused on submissions and some throws, that they never really learn the mat control and wrestling that you hone down to a science as a kid.

I find grappling is much better for kids because it is natural to them, and there is less of a chance of getting hurt. There is some high impact stuff, but there is a big difference between being a 60 or 80lbs kid being throw, and being a 200lbs adult.

It also doesn't hone a "hitting" sort of thing, where they kid works on and takes out frustrations with hitting. I actually do teach striking to my Judo students, but at a much later age, when they are far past the age where they may use their fists to vent frustration.

The main thing is with the age restrictions on some techniques is simply the maturity, emotional and physical control needed to truly prevent injury for participants. When you are talking fractions of an inch, and seconds away from unconsciousness, you need to make sure that a kid can really have the control and the sensitivity to not hurt their partner.

I find this actually makes much better grapplers later on, being able to be a good wrestler is vastly important in grappling. YOu can tell the guys who have grappled their whole life and the guys who learned it as adults and had the full curriculum out the gate. They lack scrambling, wrestling, and true mat control. They concentrate on submissions instead of gaining the best position. They get outwrestled and come out on the losing end of scrambles and have to play defense most of the time.

I'd prefer my guy control position from the start, remain in position and then think submissions, because that is the order that they were taught, that is the sequence in their head.

Just my experience.

This is mostly a case of liability. It is very difficult for a martial arts school to get insurance and when you do it is very expensive.

Children a lot of time do not have the control and judgment on how much pressure to put on before something breaks. Some people who are more flexible can take more pressure than others. All this takes a certain maturity. In our sue happy society I would be afraid to let kids go at it full contact.

I'm with Liondance!

Putting a joint lock on a person will not be detrimental

BUT...

Putting too much pressure on the joint or overextending the joint is.

Children can not be relied upon to use proper restraint, prudence (no horseplay) and control.

In the historical testomony of the Bible a blood sacrifice was once wanted for the atonement of sin. When Jesus died at the move that was once our blood sacrifice for mankind. He died as soon as for all. His affliction and sacrifice was once all performed so we would not need to. People who endure affliction for an atonement o evil deeds don't seem to be reaching something so far as forgiveness best unneeded affliction.