Some self-defence gyms see rising demand from parents enroling children in classes

Some self-defence gyms see rising demand from parents enroling children in classes Beyond physical fitness, parents hope such lessons will help their children build confidence, discipline and resilience. SINGAPORE: For the past six years, 12-year-old Brandon Yap has been learning Krav Maga, a martial art focused on self-defence in real-world situations. His mother, Amanda Yap, enrolled him in the lessons hoping they would help him become fitter and more disciplined, while equipping him with practical skills to protect himself. “We live in a very unpredictable world, you never know when something bad might happen to you,” she told CNA. “From a young age, I want him to be equipped with the skills he needs so if ever one day he meets a bad (situation), at least he's able to protect himself.” She believes these skills will become increasingly important as her son grows older and becomes more independent. “I don't need any skills that are showy. I don't need him to win competitions. I just (want) really practical self-defence skills,” she said. “As he grows older, where he goes and who he hangs out with … is less and less beyond a parent's control. So definitely, I feel that self-defence skills will be important.” Ms Yap is among a growing number of parents in Singapore signing their children up for self-defence lessons, with several gyms reporting rising demand in recent years. MORE PARENTS SIGNING KIDS UP At Kravist, where Brandon trains, enrolment among children aged six to 12 has been growing steadily. The Tai Seng gym now runs 11 classes across its youth division, up from about six when training resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic. Sign-ups are particularly common among children preparing to enter a new school environment, such as six-year-olds moving from kindergarten to primary school, and 12-year-olds transitioning to secondary school. Its founder and head instructor Edwin Peng said many new children trainees tend to be soft-spoken or less outgoing, with parents hoping the classes will help them build confidence and self-esteem. “They're going to meet new friends, new teachers. I guess the parents' approach is to hopefully help them get ready for the big change in environment,” he said. At Kapap Academy, enrolment in children's self-defence lessons across its Bugis and Central Business District locations has more than doubled to 20 trainees from a year ago. The gym also has a waiting list of about 20 students and plans to expand its classes to meet demand. Its CEO and coach Qin Yunquan said parents are increasingly looking for practical self-defence training rather than traditional martial arts. “They don't want something that's just routine or repetitive. They want something … based on real-life situations,” she said. “It's set within a scenario where somebody launches an attack, whether it's a grab (or) a punch, how do they defend themselves? The objective here is: Number one – defend. Number two – escape.” Meanwhile, SixSigma, an all-female Muay Thai club that trains at the National Stadium, has seen children's enrolment rise by as much as 50 per cent over the past year. Its founder and coach Natalie Soh said parents who previously signed their children up mainly for boot camps or holiday programmes are now increasingly opting for regular weekday sessions. She added that the benefits of martial arts goes beyond physical fitness or the ability to protect oneself. “Muay Thai teaches you character. We (teach) you how to pick yourself up when you fall,” she said, adding that the sport also helps children develop resilience and tenacity. TEACHING CHILDREN WHEN NOT TO FIGHT While some parents enrol their children in self-defence training to learn a practical skill or for fitness, some are motivated by concerns over bullying in schools. Mr Peng said Kravist typically sees a surge in enquiries when incidents involving bullying or violence in schools make headlines or circulate on social media. However, coaches emphasise that teaching children when not to use the techniques they learn is just as important as equipping them with the skills to protect themselves. They say lessons should focus on avoiding confrontation, exercising self-control and escaping dangerous situations, rather than winning fights. Mr Peng recalled an encounter with a parent who wanted to enrol his son because the boy frequently got into fights at school but often lost. “If you are sending your child here to learn how to fight and to win the fight, then obviously that's the wrong approach,” he said. “Learning how to deal with confrontation, both physically and non-physically, is very important. It’s our job to educate children that violence is not the answer to everything. If we can, as much as possible, don’t use violence.” At Kravist, students are also taught how to handle bullying without resorting to violence, such as how to respond when someone calls them names. Classes typically begin with about 10 minutes of open discussion, during which students are encouraged to share their views or give short presentations. Mr Peng said this helps children become more comfortable speaking up and standing up for themselves. “The goal is to let them speak louder and braver and build that confidence,” he said. At Kapap Academy, Ms Qin said instilling a sense of responsibility is central to her teaching approach. “The last thing I want is for them to become bullies themselves,” she said. “The core values that I try to propagate in my class are self-control, discipline and being responsible for one's actions. If you abuse these skills, clearly you're not being responsible.” SixSigma's Ms Soh similarly cautioned that children must understand the potential consequences of using the techniques they learn. “With great power comes great responsibility. Because they have learned this skill, and this art is potentially dangerous, they can be confident yet dangerous,” she said. “There is a thin line between injuring someone and defending yourself. So, we need to educate them, especially at a young age.” The gym plans to introduce online sessions for parents and children next year, focusing on how to de-escalate difficult situations and manage their emotions.