Kung Fu classes vs. Judo classes in Amsterdam

Judo classes in Amsterdam or Kung Fu classes? Both sports are very popular among (young) children. Both sports really help a child progress and have a strong appeal to children. Many parents therefore choose to enroll their child in judo or Kung Fu. Although there are some nice similarities, there are also some differences between the two martial arts. Here we discuss the similarities and differences between Kung Fu and Judo classes in Amsterdam.

Both sports pay a lot of attention to respect, discipline, self-confidence, and other important skills that children carry with them for the rest of their lives. Elements that KEI sees as very valuable for the child’s development. Both in Judo and Kung Fu, a lot of contact is made. Although the type of contact is not exactly the same, both sports make the child stronger. In addition, there is attention to posture so that children stand firmly on their feet, an element that is also very important outside of sports. Of course, there is the mental aspect. Children thus develop more self-control, self-confidence, and perseverance. Skills that also come in handy at school when a child finds themselves in a difficult situation or gets into conflict with another child.

Which sport suits your child better? For this, it is important to mention a few differences. Judo is a self-defense sport originating in Japan. The judo technique is aimed at getting the opponent on their back through various throws. Kung Fu, on the other hand, originates from China and aims to better know yourself and, through speed, body, and mind, be able to disable the opponent. In addition, there is another important aspect in which the two sports differ. Judo works with weight classes and a separation between boys and girls because weight influences the amount of strength in Judo. In Kung Fu, no distinction is made between weight or gender because even as a physically less strong person, you learn how to win against your stronger opponent.

At KEI Kung Fu, we start from within and the focus is not only on the physical, external element

What is Kung Fu?

Kung Fu is an ancient martial art originating from China. Contrary to popular belief, Kung Fu was not developed by the monks in Shaolin. However, these monks did have a positive influence on it. For the monks, three pillars were always central to their way of life and these three pillars still form the basis at KEI Kung Fu today: balance between mind, body, and spirit.

With the arrival of Chinese people in Europe, and of course through the fame of Bruce Lee and his teacher Yip Man, Kung Fu has become an inseparable part of the Western world. A popular style within Kung Fu is Wing Chun, characterized by short and fast movements. Legend has it that Mrs. Yim Wing Chun developed this style for physically less strong people. The style is suitable for everyone, regardless of age and gender. Learn to know and control your own body to defeat stronger opponents.

Development of life skills at KEI Kung Fu in Amsterdam

Children become more aware of their body and movements around the age of 6. That is why at KEI Kung Fu we recommend starting Kung Fu before this age, from their 4th year. In this way, we influence the child’s unconscious and create certain physical habits that, as a child grows older, become automatisms. We make them unconsciously competent.

It is important that young children (4 to 6 years) enjoy Kung Fu. Therefore, at the monkeys class, we focus on physically strengthening children in a playful way, unlike traditional Kung Fu. For older children (6 to 11 years), the focus is on other elements because children of this age are capable of learning more complex movements. During the lessons, the focus is on the development of discipline, self-confidence, and improving verbal skills, among other things.

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