Kid’s Classes: Juniors – Ages 7 to 12

Our approach to martial art training is a very positive one for our Junior level students. Children can benefit in many ways from a traditional program such as ours, as our focus is on total personal development through the vehicle of effective martial arts. The Hwa Rang Do Minneapolis Academy, headed by Chief Instructor Dylan Sirny, has helped hundreds of parents in their efforts Martial Art Axe Kickin educating children by creating class environments which build core values critical to their success in school and in life. Our instructors understand that unlocking the potential of your child is not a one size fits all approach and that each student presents a unique set of strengths and areas to improve on. Our curriculum teaches values especially important during your child’s formative years; these include respect, integrity, accountability, camaraderie, focus, and confidence.

Also, the techniques and skills found in our martial art are un-matched and filled with many exciting topics. Children will learn all aspects of martial art training from punches and kicking, to self-defense, to throws and grappling, as well as weapon and acrobatic training. Students will develop all of these skills as they progress through the belt ranks leading them through a total and complete martial art education.

Beginner Class meets 5:10 – 6:10pm Tuesday & Thursday
Advanced Class meets 5:10 – 6:10pm Monday & Wednesday
&
Acrobatic Class Available Fridays 5:15 – 6:00pm

CLICK HERE for information on the Little Tiger Program (4-6 year olds)

Important Note: Other Martial Art Schools and Us!
Not all schools are alike! You should know, that the majority of martial art programs found in today’s world have a strong focus on either the sport/competitive side or the simple fighting aspects of martial art training –
WE ARE NEITHER!!! These two approaches are limited in their scope, and come with some heavy baggage. Tournament focused schools tend to limit their curriculum to prepare for the next event, so students practice mainly forms and sparring – topics such as self-defense, grappling, weapons, acrobatics are usually not available. You should also prepare yourself to pay large tournament and travel fees on a pretty regular basis, as participation in many tournament events throughout the year is a required part of membership in their schools. While martial art tournaments can be a very positive and beneficial experience for kids, if they are not run properly and the winning of trophies and medals are the only focus throughout the year – the martial art experience will become very ego driven and even detrimental to the overall experience the majority of kids could have otherwise if not in such a competitive environment most of the time.

The other common side of other martial art schools today is a focus primarily on techniques. This is spreading more and more within other programs due to the rise of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and the extreme/ultimate fighting. The concern for only what works in real fights pushes their training, class activities, and school environment. Now, if young guys want to bash their brains in, develop thug mentalities, have a WWE lifestyle, become stronger bullies, practice and train for street fighting scenarios, well. . . . . I suppose it is their life and only hope that they just do this amongst themselves and away from other people. However, this is not the spirit of traditional martial art training, and certainly no place for children. Anywhere that has a focus of “what works best on the street,” and only cares about their techniques while mixing and matching different martial arts, styles, and techniques places a priority on fighting plain and simple. While we believe martial art training should absolutely be effective for self-defense, one should use the minimum amount of force necessary to control the situation after all possible attempts to resolve the situation peacefully have been taken. And for children this involves training in the dynamics of peer pressure, emotional control, respect, confidence, and leadership all of which are integral aspects to our kids program here.

It is our philosophy that children (as well as adults), need to understand and develop the latent potentials of their mind and body, as well as develop an emotional balance that comes with a greater sense of self-harmony as one gains real and deserving confidence in oneself through facing and overcoming personal challenges. For us, a traditional martial art program, we care about the “art” of what we do. The “martial” is obviously important as far as skills and techniques go, but the journey of real discovery that occurs as one attempts to grasp the artistic side of one’s place in the world is what makes doing a martial art meaningful.

Children Meditation

Get Educated!
Make sure to check out the details found on this website about our art and school as we truly offer a comprehensive approach to martial art training that leads to many, many lasting benefits for the children that participate inside and outside of our training area. If you have any questions that you cannot find on our site just contact us and we will get back to you promptly about the matter.

However, there are many different kinds of martial art schools available, and we recommend for everyone to please make sure you educate yourself about these choices before enrolling in some other school. As stated above, it is very important to know that all schools are NOT alike. While obviously budget and location are important concerns for making your decision, understanding your values and priorities especially in regards to your children’s development should always come first, and our school has a deep respect and understanding for this. The learning and development that can take place within a quality program with dedicated instructors can be hugely beneficial for your child, and we are always striving to fulfill this mission.

Martial Art Front KickAgain, the experiences that your children will have are going to be as varied as the choices in schools available, and the importance of matching your goals for your children with a program that can actually meet those goals should come first in your considerations. If you are looking for your child to compete for trophies every other weekend – our program is not for you. Also, if you are looking for an environment that creates bullies with large egos – our program is not for you. However, if you are looking for a quality school that uses effective martial art techniques for a vehicle of personal development all within a fun, positive, supportive, nurturing, disciplined, and respectful environment –our program IS for you!

You are welcome to visit our school and classes at any time. Your child is also welcome to participate in a free trial class, and you are welcome to chat and visit with our instructors and parents. We hope you will come see what we do first hand as we are confident you and your family will appreciate our approach to martial art training and see the many benefits that will occur – we see them everyday!