“The truth is there’s never a bad age to start training!”
What is the best age to start martial arts?
One reason that a lot of people are hesitant to join a martial art is their age. They either expect a class of little kids screaming and swinging (hopefully padded) weapons at you, or a class full of black belts who are stoic and tough. At least that’s what the movies seem to show right? Kids, teens, and middle-aged adults in a dojo. But when is there ever a mid-20s average Joe who wants to learn karate? Or maybe an older woman in her late 60’s wanting to try something she didn’t think she could ever do?
The truth is there’s never a bad age to start training!
The beautiful thing about martial arts that is unique to other sports, is that it is very individualized; your progress is your own and you are there to be better than you were yesterday. There are no standards that prevent you from succeeding, no goals that are unfeasible for any age to obtain. Of course, an 18-year-old black belt is going to look different than a 50-year-old black belt, but their skills are the same. Their bodies just translate the techniques in slight variances!
The point is, no matter what age you start training, you still started. You got yourself there, and that’s the first, and hardest, step. As long as you keep showing up, you will progress. As long as you don’t quit, you’ll start to notice positive changes in your body.
So, the next time you wonder, or somebody asks you, ‘When is the best age to start martial arts?’, your answer should be, ‘the age you are right now!’ ☺
