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This table outlines which martial arts techniques are appropriate to teach at each age group, with instructional reasoning, cautions, and exceptions. It is designed for professional reference and community-led evolution.
| Category | Technique | Under 5 | Age 5–6 | Age 7–9 | Age 10–12 | Reason | Notes Against Teaching | Exceptions to Train Early |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick | Push Kick / Teep | No | Yes (light) | Yes | Yes | Requires hip control and recoil. Start lightly from 5–6. | Young children often push instead of snap, compromising form. | Yes – for flexible and well-balanced 5–6 year olds under close guidance. |
| Kick | Roundhouse Kick | No | No (drill only) | Yes | Yes | Needs pivot and timing. Prep only before 7. | Commonly becomes a leg swing without pivot or chamber in young kids. | Yes – for physically advanced kids with strong hip coordination by 6–7. |
| Kick | Side Kick | No | No (prep drills) | Yes | Yes | Linear mechanics are too complex for under 7s. | Youngsters swing instead of thrust; heel contact is often missed. | Yes – if using slow, resisted drills and focusing on chamber only. |
| Kick | Back Kick | No | No | No (intro at 9+) | Yes | Requires spatial awareness and good balance. | Children can’t visually track or align this safely from behind. | Rare – only with mature students showing exceptional control. |
| Kick | Hook Kick | No | No | No (intro at 9+) | Yes | Too much leg control and risk of swinging early on. | Leads to sweeping and off-balance movement when underdeveloped. | Yes – in advanced demo teams with strong control and flexibility. |
| Kick | Axe Kick | No | No | No | No (intro 12+) | Too advanced and coordination-heavy. | Results in stiff or dangerous overextension if attempted too early. | Yes – in controlled demonstration environments or high-level talent pathways. |
| Kick | Jump Kicks | No | No | No | No (13+) | Unsafe and unnecessary before advanced control. | Jumping exaggerates imbalance, encourages showboating over form. | Yes – for demo team students with strong base and balance at 9+. |
| Kick | Stomp Kick | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Downward or forward pushing kick using sole or heel. Ideal for close-range defence and balance development. | Often misused as a stamp or unchambered kick without structure. | Yes – when paired with push mechanics and pad control drills. |
| Punch | Cross | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Adds rotation and weight transfer. | Can lead to shoulder hunch or slapping if rotation isn’t taught. | None – easily adapted by age group. |
| Punch | Hook | No | No (drill 7+) | Yes | Yes | Needs proper alignment and timing. | Young children use arms only without core or shoulder alignment. | Yes – in tightly supervised pad drills with proper targeting. |
| Punch | Uppercut | No | No | No (intro at 9+) | Yes | Hard to coordinate properly; delay until later. | Often scooped and over-extended, risking shoulder injury. | Yes – with bodyweight-only shadow work and clear elbow/knee alignment. |
| Punch | Palm Strike | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Safer than fists and ideal alternative for early striking. | None – safer than fists and ideal for early striking. | None – always encouraged as a first striking method. |
| Punch | Elbow Strike | No | No (light pad only) | Yes | Yes | Powerful strike—control and pad work essential. | Young kids strike wildly or use elbow as a club without structure. | Yes – in elbow pad work with older kids showing control. |
| Punch | Knee Strike | No (taps only) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Good for balance, control and close range. | Without posture control, can result in balance loss or self-injury. | Yes – with pre-kick/posture balance drills in grappling scenarios. |
| Stance | Attention Stance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Discipline-focused and simple. | None – stillness and awareness begin here. | None – foundational stance for all ages. |
| Stance | Horse Stance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Teaches base, strength, and endurance. | Can become a bouncing squat without posture correction. | None – good for static drills early on. |
| Stance | Fighting Stance | No (drill only) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Essential for real-world readiness. | Often taught facing front; hard for young kids to orient sideways. | Yes – in shadow fighting or defence games with simplified stance. |
| Movement | Step Forward/Back | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Basic coordination. | None – stepping builds rhythm and spacing from day one. | None – stepping is always applicable. |
| Movement | Shuffle Step | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Useful for mobility and range adjustment. | Can become a bounce or skip without control cues. | Yes – with floor markers or in tag-style games. |
| Movement | Compass Footwork | No | No (basic 4 dirs at 6) | Yes | Yes | Teaches range and angle control. | Younger children confuse direction; spins instead of structured steps. | Yes – if introduced with visual targets and fun-based structure. |
| Defence | Low Block | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Teaches basic lower body defence. | Kids often forget to rotate arm; block becomes a slap down. | Yes – with body cues and rhythm practice. |
| Defence | Cover (Boxing Guard) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Intuitive self-protection pattern. | Can become a “turtle shell” without active movement. | Yes – especially if integrated into light sparring prep. |
| Clinch & Control | Basic Clinch | No | No | Yes | Yes | Close-range positioning and control begin around 7. | Can result in hugging or wrestling unless supervised closely. | Yes – in roleplay games with posture emphasis. |
| Clinch & Control | Pummelling | No | No | No (intro only) | Yes | Great for flow and positional awareness. | Often becomes a dance rather than a technique; breaks posture. | Yes – with physically strong, advanced children under grappling supervision. |
| Defence | Sprawl | No | No | No (intro 9+) | Yes | Grappling or takedown defence movement. | Leads to uncontrolled flopping or floor crashing when rushed. | Yes – on crash mats in controlled grappling/wrestling drills. |
| Defence | Wall Walk | No | No | No | Yes | Used to recover from ground by posting on the wall. Requires good shoulder mobility and coordination. | Risky without control; often rushed or poorly positioned. | Yes – in grappling-specific settings with wall padding. |
| Defence | Knee Shield | No | No | No | Yes | Effective guard position in ground fighting. Requires hip mobility and leg positioning. | Younger students misuse or collapse the frame under pressure. | Yes – for grappling students aged 10+ with coaching cues. |
| Block | Inside Block | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Deflects straight attacks across centre line. Teaches redirection. | Can be misused as a push instead of a deflection. | Yes – in pad drills with clear angle practice. |
| Block | Outside Block | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Redirects attacks to the outer gate; reinforces shoulder rotation. | May be confused with sweeping or cross blocks. | Yes – with controlled partner exercises. |
| Block | Rising Block | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Defends against downward or overhead strikes. Builds shoulder strength. | Can cause shoulder strain if done with poor form. | Yes – with form-focused drilling and supervision. |
This table is versioned and updated with real-world instructor feedback. Use it to guide developmentally-appropriate instruction, or print it for reference in your club. More techniques will be added regularly as part of the evolving syllabus.