Teaching Lockdown to kids

So next week I am going to be teaching lockdown to kids ages 4-7 and then another class ages 8-12. For both classes I will be teaching traditional half guard to lockdown to jaws of life to the Omaha whip to the whip up to perfect double under hooks. From there I plan on having the 4-7 year olds do the old school sweep, and having the 8-12 year olds work the electric chair sweep/submission.

What do you guys think about this, and please let me know if you have any advise or ideas on teaching any of these techniques to kids this young. Thanks!

I think the lockdown and related sweeps etc, may be too much for a 4,5, and possibly some 6 year olds if they're green. Mainly because the focus should be on basics and fundamentals IMO. I started teaching my son lockdown at 6, he's 7 now (almost 8) and he's putting it all together nicely. He's also been training since 4.5. Every kid is different but I'd just think a focus on basic positions and control is more important to the youngsters. Any kid 7 or 8 and older should be good to go.

Not so sure about teaching Electric Chair. The opponent can damage his knee if he tries to escape it incorrectly.

I think the foundation for everyone who grapples should be the Closed Guard, Mount and Side Control. All the fun stuff should come after the basics have been mastered. I understand that this is common in jiu jitsu, but I don't like the idea of someone knowing the Electric Chair, which I'm guessing was invented around 2000, before they know something like the kimura from the Closed Guard which I thinking has been around for like 100 years as a judo move.

I agree, the electric chair may be too much for kids. They are naturally more limber so finishing it may prove to be difficult causing some to force the submission incorrectly causing damage.

I help Josh teach our kids class and we have 7-9 year olds. We have taught basics like armbars from mount/guard, lockdown escapes, rear naked chokes and the triangle from meathook. The last one was after the kids had basics in their game so it wasn't hard but we also broke it down in to each small movement, made them rep it a few times each, then adding on to it until the finish.

Kids will surprise you when you teach them too many things, or more advanced stuff. Dont be afriad to show them too much.

Try it out, but focus on basic concepts (pressure, getting on top, etc)

At least thats my humble opinion! :)

Our kids drill the lockdown and whip-up to oldschool on a regular basis. We are trying to make lockdown part of their DNA.

I think it's great if they understand. For the OG Nibiru warriors, my son is the 10th Planet baby (if you remember the pics). I started teaching him before he could walk. He's 5 now and has excellent jiu jitsu... For a 5 year old of course.

http://youtu.be/nL39yEDbvWE
Here is my son, caught practicing in his room. I never taught him 10th planet terminology because I didnt want him telling his friends about rape chokes or douchbags lol

Here he is at 1 with the same grappling dummy. http://youtu.be/5k-VstD_di0

Kids are like sponges. Don't force them to do it. Make it fun. Teach them respect and humbleness. Batman is a great partner for my son because when he sees batman defeat the joker on tv he feels he can do the same lol.

Depending on how long the class is I suggest "try" to get to double underhooks. IF they get further down the path that's awesome. If you only have a week with them I would focus on making sure they have proper lockdown to whipup by the end of your week. If it's a seminar type thing where you won't see them again show them a couple sweeps. You will want to make sure the lockdown is being done perfectly bc if not they will abandon it bc they will think it doesn't work. Basically take it as slow as you gotta.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Berimbolo and De La Riva are a must...

I have been teaching the kids classes for the past two years. You are severely underestimating the attention span of children. They cannot be bored for a second or you will lose them completely. In my opinion one hour of technique is too much. The best way to run a class is develop games that mimic the movements you want them to make. If you are going to attempt to have them sit in one spot and focus you will be lucky if its for 15 minutes. You have to be fun and firm. It has taken me forever to create tricks to keep their attention. Mechanically some kids are way ahead of others and this usually has nothing to do with age. Take it class by class and spread the techniques out. For example, first week, just learning what half guard means, traditional and lock down. Spend 15 minutes on the lockdown, then you need to switch to fun and games for the remainder. But there are ways to make them mimic the moves within activities. Keep it simple-stupid. Next class will be, what do underhooks mean, why are they important, what does it look like, then play the hugging game. They face eachother and the first one to hug the other with both arms under the armpits wins. If you do not mask the techniques within games they will get bored and misbehave. Remember, it has little to do with the perfection of techniques and more to do with them looking up to you like a superhero. Research games, camp games, gym class games, memory games etc... then figure out how to turn those games into BJJ versions of them. Little steps at a time. Grips (Gable, S, Ball and Chain etc.), How to hold onto the back, posing in different guards (open, closed, rubber, butterfly etc.) learning how to get their knees to their ears while on their backs so they can get used to inverting for granbys, Teaching them the difference between 50% and 100%, how to be good drilling partners (don't resist, stay focused etc.), how to bridge, how to sprawl, get them used to armbarring you, taking you down with ankle picks, squeezing your neck when they are on your back and learning to let go when you tap. All of these are introductory ways to prepare the kids for the daunting experience of having them want to learn how to properly whip someone up from half guard. I have been teaching some of my students for years now and they are still not ready to do sweeps with more that 3 steps to them. Hope this helps, don't be hesitant to play instead of instruct. If they feel like you are in control of guiding them through game after game they will pay attention. But if you ask them to sit and watch you as you teach them a detail, they will challenge your patience at every chance. Good luck!

My perspective on this should be taken with the understanding that I am only just now becoming familiar with BJJ. What I would like to offer though is a lot of experience in helping young kids develop critical skills as both my kids are wrestlers and I have had to help them a great deal. I would also add what I have seen other schools do and fail to do, and what I feel some of them neglect.

1. A serious advantage to the way wrestling is taught is that drills are intermixed with free wrestling. Teach the kid, drill with the kids, and then set them free to try it for a bit (under supervision). Then move on to something else. Kids retain better when they feel right away what they are learning is useful. During the free rolling part freeze the action from time to time. Tell one kid what he/she should be working on, and then ALSO tell the other kid what they should be trying to do. I have seen a lot of coaches only coach the kids on top for example to try and help them finish while not teaching the kids on the bottom how to get out.

2. Verbal explanations and demonstrations work for more mature kids and teenagers, but I have found that lengthy explanations are a great way to get them to tune out and no longer be interested. Shortly after this the goofing off starts and at that point you have lost them. What you are going to find is kids will sit and pretend to listen to your explanation and pretend to pay attention to your demonstration and then as soon as it's time to drill they are raising their hands asking you to come over there showing them physically. And THAT is because kids learn better that way. Verbally explain once, demonstrate once. Then be ready to follow up with each and every one of them. Don't just tell them what to do, sometimes you will have to physically move them through the motions. Positioning them as they go.

3. Break things down into steps. Really long sequences are not going to happen right away. But you can teach them all the parts of a chain one link at a time.

4. Get them rolling as soon as you can. Even if it's little brief contests. If you are nervous about them rolling with submissions then don't teach them any until they are mature enough. But you might be surprised at how much they can be taught to respect what they are learning. My 9 year old daughter knows the rear naked choke. (And has known since she was 6.) She has never used it on anyone in anger, she has used it once to defend herself, and in training. She understands the gravity of what she was taught. And the responsibility that comes with it.

A lot of child programs don't let kids roll. They put them through routines and lots of drills. I have a LOT more success with my severely ADD son when he gets to free wrestle in between drills because he gets to see the results right away.