Kids and MMA: Review and Commentary on ESPN's Outside the Lines Piece

Mixed Martial Arts instructor Michael Frison (Irvine, Calif.)
Interviewer: What are those values that you really promote? And how do you promote them (for kids classes)?
Frison: Well, we have what we call a “Star Program.” It’s integrated into their belt ranking. So, they do things like, they have to do chores at home. They have to get good grades. They have to read a certain amount of books. If they don’t, they don’t get promoted. And one of the things is, a lot of the kids will do anything for the belt. And, plus just the attitude, every single day we talk about the class. We spend 10 minutes of the class talking about what it is to be a martial artist. And not only what it is to be a martial artist when you’re in here boxing and when you’re competing, but also in your day-to-day life. You know, respect, respect for your elders. You know, just generally how to be a good person.
Interviewer: Do you feel the MMA community should have a responsibility in promoting that kind of education?
Frison: Yeah, I do. I think it’s an easy task to take responsibility.

Professional Mixed Martial Artist Antonio McKee (Lakewood, Calif.)
Interviewer: Do (MMA) gyms teach kids the right values?
McKee: ... when I’m teaching (kids), and the way that I’m working with them, I let them know that hey, this is serious. This ain’t no joke. You can hurt somebody. If you put somebody in a headlock, and you’re squeezing and choking and laughing and kidding around, and you put this kid unconscious, and he has a brain spasm, he has a seizure and dies, now you got a murder case on your hands.

Some Brief Notes from the Sports Medicine Literature

As can be seen, the interviewees felt full MMA was inappropriate at the high school level, and if adolescents were to partake in MMA training and/or competitions, interviewees noted substantial precautions would need to be implemented—precautions far greater than the minor ones shown in the first part of the ESPN OTL documentary.

Another pattern in the interviewees’ quotes was the danger of striking to the head. As Chris Onzuka mentioned, “cumulative damage is the key to anything.” Onzuka is absolutely right. Medical research has shown that repetitive blows to the head over time cause chronic traumatic brain injury. It is a problem far too many adult boxers, footballs players, and hockey players must cope with as they get older. If children are starting to sustain head shots (with or without headgear and gloves), they are simply beginning the degenerative process earlier.

Furthermore, medical research has shown that youth are more likely to sustain a concussion when struck in the head because their neck muscles, brains, and bone structure (including their skulls) are not finished developing. In other words, the younger a child is, the easier it is for him or her to sustain a concussion from a blow to the head.

Moreover, after a child (or adult) has sustained a concussion, it is easier for him or her to sustain a subsequent one, even from a less acute blow, and subsequent concussions will have a greater chance of being more severe. The fallout of concussions are called “second-impact syndrome,” which can include residual concussive effects, such as being depressed, irritable and unable to concentrate (see here).

And it is not just concussions. Injuries to joints via submission holds are particularly precarious for children. Dr. Johnny Benjamin is Chairman of the Department of Orthopedics, Director of the Joint Implant Center and Director of Medical Specialty Procedures Surgery Center in Vero Beach, Florida. According to Dr. Benjamin, both joint and head injuries are especially dangerous for children. Says Dr. Benjamin (click HERE

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?