All parents and grandparents want to help their Little Ninjas train and succeed if they are learning martial arts, but when they see the choices of popular name brands and the myriad of options they don’t know where to start.
You have just found a backstage pass and will get to see what martial arts instructors and gear suppliers won’t tell you. I have spent decades helping parents find the essentials of what their kids will need, at the best prices, and with the highest quality. I have used all of this equipment extensively and way more than the average student will ever use any of it. These are products that will actually be useful and at the best prices.
I have spent HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars on martial arts equipment for professional use as well as personal training. I came up with these items so that you can find the best for your money and not waste it on useless garbage.
If you take the time to help your Little Ninja train you seriously could change their lives and yours in the process.
If you have questions about how to train them in the martial arts check out the many blog posts on this site or drop me an email from my contact page.
All of the gear here is completely optional in my basic online Karate class. If you are here looking for the list of required items for my advanced (by invitation) online Karate class, scroll down and you will see the section below.
Be sure to check out my Little Ninja Online Karate Classes at this link.
Contents
Training Kit for Any Little Ninja
Items here are for those wanting to help their kids or for those self motivated kids we all wish we were years ago.
Items From My Little Ninja Shop
There are a lot of items I offer in my shop now for many styles of martial arts, ages, and skill levels. To narrow down the selection to just what your younger kids might need and what is great for my Little Ninja Online Karate classes, here are some of the things I recommend.
Kicking Ready Heavy Bags
This is an excellent selection of freestanding bags with no need to clear a space and go through the hassle of hanging it from the rafters in your ceiling. The choices at the top of the shop category are PERFECT for younger children and I have used all of them for decades in martial art school locations. There are options listed all the way up to serious adult athlete levels. The base comes unfilled and you can fill it with either water or sand. Lay a roundhouse kick on this link to see the heavy bag selection.
Gloves
Wait to you see your Little Ninja in a pair of these gloves. They make most munchkins want to hit something just by looking at them. I have all sizes and many styles and levels to choose from. Just jab, cross, uppercut, or backfist this link to go right to the selection.
Targets and Shields
Here is where you can have hours of fun with your little ninja. I call these the pancake makers, brain smooshers, and noise makers. Their purpose is for practicing kicking, punching, knees, and elbows with your help. They kick it, you pretend to fall down, and then hit the floor with it or smack them together as they run. Great fun. Smack this link to see a selection of all shapes, sizes, and prices of these tools of fun.
Items Easy to Get From Amazon
These are more general items that I find really helpful for kids when they train. They may have been intended for something else or specifically designed for martial arts. Either way, they make great training aides for future Karate masters.
Great for Blocking and Beginning Kali
Colorful Foam Pool Swim Noodle 5 Pack – These have been infamous in my classes for decades. These are the safest and cheapest way to let kids swing sticks or swords that I have found. Not only are these an extremely inexpensive way for them to train, but these are great tools you can use to help them train as well. Just a pair of scissors and one cut to half them, and you will have one happy Little Ninja Buy it on Amazon.
Assorted Foam Toy Swords – Holy moly, you won’t believe this one. I can’t recommend something like this enough for the Kali sections of my Little Ninja class. They can debut and show off a new sword each week for nearly an entire belt cycle. Just take a look and you will see what I mean. Get your Little Ninja geared up with these swords at this link on Amazon.
2 Deluxe Ninja LED Light Up Swords – Let me just tell you. Every kid that has shown up to my classes with one of these light up swords has been the envy of every other child. These are totally unnecessary, but oh so much fun. If you want a bright eyed, can’t wait till the next Karate class kid, then these are your pick. Chop this link to get your Little Ninja this pair of light up swords from Amazon.
Floor Mats
Prosource Fit Extra Thick Puzzle Foam Interlocking Mats – (Higher quality than the Starter Kit) There are two thicknesses to these premium mats. There is the 3/4″ and the 1″. I would suggest the 3/4″ for a home training space. These are not designed for taking full Judo style falls, but I would hope you are not tossing your kid around to like that on any mat system. They are a great surface even over carpet since the thickness gives locking ability extra strength. Like the thinner version above, they come with end pieces that make for a clean edge where necessary. Buy it on Amazon.
Required Equipment And Gear For The Advanced Kids Online Karate Class
These are required items for the advanced Little Ninjas Online Karate classes. It is a by invitation class required to go past the green belt level. There are five items that your future Karate master will need for the class.
- Heavy Kicking Ready Bag
- Gloves
- Headgear
- Kali sticks (Noodles are fine in the beginning.)
- Grappling / Throwing dummy
These will be not only used in class each week, but also in daily required practice. The links here either go to my Little Ninja Shop or to Amazon.
HEAVY BAGS
1- Free standing Wavemaster XXL This one is for when dads, moms, and the kids all want something to use. It is hefty enough to take a beating, but can be moved out of the way in smaller spaces. The pad is easy to take off as well for ground striking. It is not cheapest, but I used this very one in daily training for international competitions. It is a workhorse.
2 –Versys VS.1 – For a smaller version that teens, moms, and kids can all use, this one is a great option. Some men find it sturdy enough to use, but in my opinion it is a bit light for heavy use. One huge plus is the ability to easily lay it down for ground practice. That being said, for moms, teens, and kids it is a great option.
3 – The other options in my shop will all work great. Just keep in mind two things…
- The bottom half of the list are expensive and frankly unnecessary unless you have a specific need for its features. I have a Bob Versys in the dojo you see in the online classes. I could just as easily used an XXL like I did for years. He is as much a prop as a heavy bag.
- The smaller kid designed versions are perfect for Little Ninjas. The main reason I suggested the ones above is because they won’t need to be upgraded any time soon and other family members can use them. But for sure, the smaller kid designed ones are adjustable and will last great through elementary grade years.
GLOVES
16 oz Boxing Gloves of any type from the boxing and kickboxing gloves and wraps section. (They are big and heavy for many reasons.)
Why 16 oz gloves for such little hands? They are a pound each. It builds muscles and fast twitch reaction speed. When they take them off, they will be punching like lighting. Then there is the sheer amount of cushion to protect those little knuckles.
HEADGEAR
Any headgear in this section will work. Get 2 sizes bigger than you think you need. They hate wearing them if they are too tight. These all have a face mask on them for when you sock them with pool noodles, hit them with pads, or even your own gloves.
The face mask makes training fun and not painful. Fun equals motivation and continued training. That is the end goal.
Pool Noodles
As for noodles you can get them on Amazon at this link. Just cut one in half and you have two swords/sticks.
Later we can look into rattan wood versions when they have mastered the art of not smacking themselves in the shin or head.
Grappling / Throwing Dummy
Then there is the grappling/throwing dummy.
Here is a good priced one on Amazon, but keep in mind, you will have to fill it with old clothes, towels, blankets, etc. It comes unfilled.
