Controlling Kids’ Intensity at Training
When we first opened our doors, our kids' program started small. In the beginning, we only had a few white belt students, which was completely normal for a new gym. After just a few months,, our local community recognised the quality of our kids' coaching, and we began welcoming coloured belt kids who had trained elsewhere. This presented a new challenge: how could we create a safe and effective training environment for both beginner and more experienced kids?
Using the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA), we structured our classes around game-based learning. This allowed our white belt kids to develop key skills—such as maintaining pins and recovering guard—at a rapid pace. As a result, our colored belt students had to work harder to win these games. While they had the advantage of experience, our white belts quickly became competitive training partners.
We’ve now been open for over 12 months and our kids programs have grown. With this, we faced a new challenge. With 12-14 kids on the mats at times, we noticed that beginners/white belts struggled to win games, and the more advanced students weren’t being challenged enough. To address this, we decided to split the class.
Our professor leads the class for colored belt kids, who are mature enough to understand more complex games and concepts.
Ellee, an early childhood and primary school teacher, leads the beginner/white belt group, using simplified language and varied instruction to support their development.
While our classes aren't yet big enough to require separate coloured belt or advanced classes, this structure has worked well, ensuring that all kids receive appropriate challenges. Kids in the beginner group now observe and strive to reach the advanced class, pushing themselves to improve.
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Set the tone of the training session with the "Which BJJ Animal Are You Today?" resource! Designed for flexible use in the gym, it helps kids identify how they're feeling and train safely and effectively with their partners.
