Let me start with a confession: when my kids were younger, I used to assume “self-defense” was something they’d naturally pick up on the playground—like the way they learned to ride bikes after a few falls. But life has a way of teaching you hard truths. One day, while walking home from school, my daughter was followed just a little too closely by someone who made her feel unsafe. Nothing happened, thank God, but that moment hit me like a cold splash of water. I realized that hoping my kids would “figure it out” wasn’t a plan—it was negligence disguised as optimism.
That’s when I began digging into what real self-defense training looked like for children. And in Orlando, the name that kept surfacing with credibility and depth was Shaan Saar. Unlike the cookie-cutter “karate-for-kids” programs that are more about trophies than tools, their approach is grounded in evidence, trauma-informed teaching, and—this is critical—insights from criminal behavior analysis and human trafficking investigations. You won’t see that blend just anywhere.
Why Kids Need More Than Just “Martial Arts for Fun”
Most kids’ programs in Orlando are built around the idea of structure and discipline. And look, there’s nothing wrong with that. Discipline matters. But when the rubber meets the road—when your child feels a hand on their wrist in a parking lot—it’s not discipline they’ll need, it’s instinct.
Here’s where Shaan Saar changes the script. They teach Krav Maga, the Israeli-born system that’s less about looking good in a gi and more about survival under stress. The drills are designed to trigger responses under adrenaline—the very state a child would be in during a real confrontation.
Think of it like investing: you don’t prepare for bull markets; you prepare for crashes. You don’t build a portfolio that only works when everything’s rosy; you build one that holds up when things go sideways. That’s what these kids are learning—skills that don’t collapse under pressure.
Trauma-Informed Training: Protecting Without Breaking
I’ve seen some self-defense programs where instructors bark at kids like drill sergeants. Sure, it toughens them up, but at what cost? Some children shut down under that kind of intensity. And if you’ve got a child who’s already experienced bullying—or worse, trauma—that approach can backfire badly.
At Shaan Saar, they’ve flipped the model. Their teaching is trauma-informed, meaning they understand the psychology of fear, stress, and recovery. Kids are coached in ways that empower rather than retraumatize. It’s not just about teaching a wrist escape; it’s about teaching a child that their body, their voice, and their choices matter.
To me, this is like a good financial planner. Anyone can tell you to “save more.” But the ones who change lives are the ones who understand why you overspend, or why you panic in a downturn, and help you build resilience from there. Shaan Saar is doing that work for kids—meeting them where they are, not where some textbook says they should be.
The Overlooked Piece: Criminal Behavior Analysis
Here’s a dirty little secret: most self-defense classes focus only on the physical. Punch, kick, escape. Fine. But criminals don’t operate in a vacuum—they groom, they test, they escalate. If your child can recognize the early stages of predatory behavior, they’re already five steps ahead.
Shaan Saar brings in insights from criminal behavior analysis and even human trafficking investigations. That may sound heavy, but think of it like teaching a young investor to spot a scam. You don’t need them to understand the entire global economy, but you do want them to recognize when someone’s trying to take advantage.
And let’s be blunt: Orlando is not immune to trafficking risks. Pretending otherwise does our kids no favors. This program equips them with both the awareness and the practical tools to resist.
Building Confidence Without the Ego Trap
I’ve been around enough martial arts schools to see the same story: a child earns a colored belt, struts with pride, but the confidence is fragile. It’s ego in a uniform. Take the belt away, and what’s left?
At Shaan Saar, the confidence isn’t about external validation—it’s about repetition, sweat, and small victories stacked over time. I once watched a class where a small, shy boy kept failing at a basic escape drill. Instead of shaming him, the instructor patiently coached him until he succeeded. The look on that kid’s face wasn’t about a belt—it was about a belief that he could.
That’s the kind of confidence that sticks. The same way I tell young investors: you don’t build confidence by reading stock charts, you build it by making your first small trade, surviving the ups and downs, and realizing you didn’t break.
Physical Literacy Meets Real-World Scenarios
Too many kids’ programs focus on choreography—like a dance recital with punches. The problem? Real altercations aren’t choreographed. They’re messy, fast, and chaotic.
Shaan Saar blends Krav Maga with No Gi Jujitsu, which means kids aren’t just memorizing—they’re problem-solving. It’s physical literacy applied to unpredictable situations. Can they get up if they’re pushed to the ground? Can they escape if someone grabs their hoodie from behind? These aren’t drills from a movie—they’re pulled from real-world scenarios.
To me, it’s like stress-testing a financial plan. Anyone can make a spreadsheet look good when markets go up 8% a year. The question is: what happens if inflation spikes, or you lose your job? That’s the difference between theory and practice.
A Safe Space That Feels Like Family
There’s another piece parents often overlook: the environment. Kids will learn more in a place where they feel safe, respected, and part of something bigger than themselves.
When I visited Shaan Saar, the vibe wasn’t about competition—it was about community. Kids weren’t trying to one-up each other; they were encouraging each other. And parents weren’t just dropping off; they were engaged, learning, sometimes even joining the adult programs themselves.
That’s powerful. Because safety isn’t just an individual skill—it’s a culture. It’s the same reason I tell readers to surround themselves with other long-term thinkers. Alone, you’re vulnerable. Together, you’re fortified.
The Bigger Picture: Preparing Kids for Life
At the end of the day, self-defense isn’t about teaching a child to fight—it’s about teaching them to live with awareness, resilience, and agency. It’s about giving them the tools to navigate a world that, frankly, can be unpredictable and unfair.
That’s why programs like Shaan Saar’s resonate so deeply with me. They’re not selling belts or certificates. They’re equipping kids for the messy, beautiful, challenging reality of life.
And you know what? That’s the same reason I believe in teaching financial literacy early. You’re not preparing them for one “big test”—you’re preparing them for a lifetime of small, critical decisions.
As I sat in that Orlando gym, watching kids learn to use their voices, their bodies, and their minds as tools of protection, I thought about how much easier my parenting journey would’ve been if I’d started sooner. Better late than never.
Closing Thought
If you’re in Orlando and wondering whether kids self defense classes are worth it, don’t just think about it as “another extracurricular.” Think of it as an investment—one that pays dividends in safety, confidence, and peace of mind.
And in a world where the headlines on Great News Live often remind us of the dangers lurking close to home, I can’t think of a better hedge than the kind of holistic, evidence-based training offered at Shaan Saar.
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