From what age can my child join?
From 6 years old. Children from 6 up to and including 11 train in the kids group.
Ruthless Kids
Children’s classes at Ruthless
Children and energy! Let them burn it off in the Kids MMA training sessions. Together with our experienced coaches we combine technique, fun and the right amount of energy. At Ruthless Kids children learn striking, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and grappling, alternating through the week.
Every weekday and on Saturday morning we teach children the different branches of MMA. In a safe way and through fighting techniques we build their confidence and their respect. Every class ends with a cool down in the form of an interactive game, in which lasting friendships grow between the children along the way. We also give ambitious and talented children the chance to take part in BJJ tournaments a few times a year.
Ruthless Kids schedule
Monday to Friday
[[rooster:kids]]
Saturday
10:00 - 11:00
What do children learn at Ruthless?
A worry we often hear from parents is that martial arts would make children more aggressive. In practice children learn the opposite. In the classes respect, self control and consideration for each other come first.
They practise together with a buddy and learn to make their boundaries clear. If something goes too far, they say so. And just as important: they learn that you stop immediately when the other person indicates a boundary.
Your coaches
At every children’s class two or three coaches are on the mat. On Monday and Wednesday Amir and Djamil teach MMA, on Tuesday and Thursday Leandro, Angelo and Harrold are there for BJJ, and on Friday Amir and Ehsan do the striking.
That way someone is always watching while another explains, and after a few weeks the team knows your child. You will find all Ruthless coaches on About us.
Book a free Ruthless Kids trial class
The first class is free and without obligation. You are welcome to stay and watch, always, not just for the first class. You do not have to: many parents drop their child off and pick them up again, and that is just as good.
Come a quarter of an hour before the start, so your child can change calmly and get used to the gym.
What to expect
You take off your shoes and find a spot on the mat. First you warm up with a game or an exercise that makes you sweat, then the coach teaches you the technique of the day: a punch and a kick, or a hold on the ground. You practise it with a buddy, slowly, and the coach walks round to see that it is going well.
Which sport you get changes through the week: one time striking, another time BJJ or grappling. And every class ends the same way: with a game to cool down.
If something does not work straight away, that is normal. Everyone in the gym has had to do something fifty times before it worked.
How safe is it?
Safety comes before everything in the children’s classes, and that means concrete things rather than fine words. The coach makes the pairs and looks at age and weight while doing so. Children do not choose for themselves and nobody is left over.
If a child does not want to do an exercise, that is fine; they watch or do something else. Sparring never just happens and never because it has to: it only comes when the coach thinks a child is ready, and with the protective gear that goes with it.
What Ruthless Kids costs
For children and youth there is a separate, lower rate than for adults. There is no registration fee. You choose a membership of six months or a year, with a notice period of one month after that.
Cannot your child come every week? There is a 10-class card as well. View all prices
Frequently asked questions about Ruthless Kids
The questions parents ask us most often.
Will martial arts make my child aggressive?
Our experience is the opposite. What children mainly learn here is when to stop: tapping means letting go at once, no discussion. On top of that there is one agreement every child hears in their first class: what you learn on the mat stays on the mat. Not in the school playground, not on your brother or sister. If it does happen, there is a conversation, then a conversation with the parents present, and if it keeps happening there is no place here any more.
How safe are the classes?
The mat is divided into two groups, arranged by age and build, and the coach makes the pairs.
Can I stay and watch as a parent?
We would like you to. The mat is visible from the entrance, and along the side there is a wall a metre high with chairs. You can stay for the whole class, but you do not have to. Many parents bring their child and pick them up again.
What if my child does not want to do an exercise?
Then they do not have to. Your child watches or does something else, and no issue is made of it. Forcing children has the opposite effect: a child who is allowed to sit one out usually joins in of their own accord the next time.
What does my child need for the first class?
Sports clothes, a water bottle and a towel. Shoes come off and everyone walks through the foot bath first, so flip flops are handy. For the trial class you do not need to buy anything: your child borrows protective gear from us. Once your child becomes a member you do buy their own kit, and the coach will tell you what is needed.
Does this help if my child is being bullied?
Often it does, but differently from what parents expect. The effect is usually not in fighting back but in bearing: children who know they can handle themselves radiate that, and that makes them a less easy target.
How often a week can my child train?
There is a class every weekday plus Saturday morning. How often your child comes is up to you.
Which sports does my child get?
Striking, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, grappling and wrestling, alternating through the week. Wrestling is on the schedule on Monday and Friday from 16:00 to 16:45.
Can my child take part in competitions?
For children who want to, there are BJJ tournaments a few times a year. Taking part is never compulsory.
What if my child does not enjoy it after two classes?
The trial class is free and commits you to nothing. Your child comes along once and after that you decide. If you then become a member, you are tied in for six months or a year, with a notice period of one month after that. If you are unsure, come and watch once more first; that is always allowed.
When does my child move up to the youth group?
Around the age of twelve a child moves up to Ruthless Youth, but that is not a hard line: we look just as much at level and build. The coach says when the moment has come.
Other disciplines at Ruthless
- Ruthless Youth: for those who are too old for the kids group.
- For parents: many parents who sit waiting during the class now train themselves.
Want to try a class?
Come and join one of our training sessions, no strings attached, and see for yourself