Is it too late for a 23 year old to learn Martial Arts?

LOL... I hardly consider 23 to be "an older age". If you were starting at 40 then you might be more prone to self-inflicted injuries, etc.

All I meant is that there are some things that may be "set" now that you have finished growing; such as flexibility, balance etc. which may make some of the moves or techniques harder. These can be overcome, but take a little more work than they would have if you'd learned them while your body was still "elastic" and growing.

 

haha, yeah i'm still a young padawan lolz.
me elastic, ohh good, that's my fear. i am so UNflexible but one guy here advise me to start stretching daily and it could help.

 

everyone's saying now that 23's the prime time to start things..
then that's what i'm gonna do

 

Get started! Now, your old enough and (I'd assume) mature enough that you can view everything for what it is. Your mother and father didn't force you to join, so now it will be something you look forward to doing rather than something you feel obligated to. Had you been forced to join a martial art when you were younger, you might have viewed training as a chore instead of a hobby or lifestyle. I personally wish that I had started a few years back so I can understand where you're coming from. One of the head coaches is a two time champion, has been training for 7 years, yet he's almost a full year younger than I am (I'll be 20 in a few weeks). That's rough. I'm being taught by someone younger than I am that has already accomplished more than I'll be able to any time soon. It kinda sucks. Kinda REALLY sucks. You just have to look at it as a reason to try harder. Now I'm attempting to put in 15+ hours of training each week. Look at the people with more experience than you have and think to yourself, "They're better than I am now, but I'll dedicate myself until I've either caught up to them or exceeded them in skill". When life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Stretch for 15 minutes or so every night. if not every night then several times per week. I was able to come within 8" of doing a side split within a few weeks. Before I had started stretching, i couldn't even think of touching my toes while standing. Now I can place my fingertips on the ground. Stretch a few times a day if you can.

 

Hello Tom and thanks for the tips. How young's your trainor?

 

Your never to old to learn something new........

 

Too right you are I started Tang Soo Do a couple of months short of my 41st birthday. I'll never be as flexible as the 11-year-old girl that does gymnastics as well as martial arts, but I'm not in competition with her...

My teacher is about 10-years older than me (and extremely experienced) but in the early days I got a lot of 1-to-1 work with an 18-year-old black belt. He respected my age, I respected his knowledge and experience, a good result all round.

Rule 1 - get started.
Rule 2 - don't panic!!!
Rule 3 - do not try and learn everything in the first 3 lessons

You sound serious, and for a lot of good reasons, so look to the long term and enjoy your journey. (And tell us how you get on )

 

I have started "back" into the arts @ 44! I was active when I was 18 - 21yrs old! So though I had a foundation, I had lost everything, including time. No time like the present to get going! Good Luck and my you find what you seek! :Angel:

 

I started doing Shaolin Kung Fu when I was 40. So to me, 23 seems like a nice young age to start! (Wish I'd started that young!)

I can't really add more to the good advice that you have already been given. Stretch every day and practise your forms every day.

Good luck, enjoy yourself, and let us know how you get on!

 

Some schools don't even accept students under 18. You have to be around that age to train with any real combative intent. Most of what people do before they turn 18 is just play with martial arts.

You should check to see if there are any Wuzuquan/Ngo Cho Kuen schools in your area. It's an excellent and diverse chinese art that will take you far if you devote yourself to it.

See http://www.cheekimthong.com - it has a "send email" button that you can use to contact the webmaster and ask if there are any schools in your area.

Additionaly, you can send a private message to Declan, who may know of schools in your area. Failing that, just drive/walk around town, check the phonebook and search on google for schools. Don't worry about flexibility. You are a 23 year old lady. You'll do fine with flexibility. Just show up early for class and devote 15-30 minutes to stretching and your flexibility will increase. There is plenty of stretching info on this site.

 

note taken. thanks.

 

Thank you! ^^

 

Definately checkin the link you sent.. and would also be talking to Declan in a while. Tnx for that.

 

I think you know what I meant. It is not like playing a sport, or if they get tired or bored with it they quit. I don't know how MA schools are in the Philippines, I haven't been there in 35 years.

I was trying to stear her away for the B.S. schools that teach crap and call it martial arts. If she is trying to get in touch with her Chinese roots, a "Power Ranger" type McDojo school is not the way to go.

A school full of squealing kids "kia'ing" around the room is a sure sign that you are not in a serious school.

Don't get me wrong, I think MAs are great for kids. I started judo when I was 10. Not all schools that have children in them are McDojos, but lots of kids is usually a pretty good sign.

 

Lots of kids or no kid's cant be helped and isn't a sign of anything. A Dojo can either have a policy of no kid's, or everyone welcome. How many attend cannot be determined, it just depend's on the interest in the area.

I for one think the best Policy for a MA club is to have all the younger kids in a seperate junior class, then the 16+ (or 15 year olds who are pretty much too big to train with the young'uns) join the adult class.

 

I only teach kids in a kids class, and I never foust it off on some one else.

And I don't even teach kids and adults on the same day of the week, the same time of day, the same building, or even in the same town. LOL

My rule of thumb is that if you are in the adult (regular) class you must be old enough to drive yourself to class.

BUT, you and I both know that there are dojo owners out there who are only out for money. They water down their MA in order to retain students. These schools usually have lots of kids, because they advertise for kids. They have kids and cartoon characters in their advertisements. They spend a lot of time going to schools doing demos to small children. They aggressively go after the "kid market". They have a veiwing area for parents to sit and watch. Usually when they see adults walk in the door they don't see a potential student, they see potential "teachers".

They have "up side down" schools. The primary focus should be adults not kids. Kids are a side line to help pay the rent and keep the school open so the real students (adults) will have a place to train. If any of these kiddies stick around to train as adults then great, but the VAST majority do not.

You can't judge a school by the building, but IMO a dojo should have the atmosphere of a cross between a boxing gym and a doctors office, NOT a daycare.

 

23 is still plenty young! go for it!

 

Grandmaster Ip Chun started at 36

 

no way-23 IS YOUNG!!!!, you should learn tai chi, people start that in there 60's and have dramatic benefits.
and if you find it boring or too slow, then be creative with it.
do the moves fast (shaolin monk style)
do them tense
do them like a dance ignoring all the principles
walk through it
do wide moves
do skinny moves
concentrate on elaborate hand gestures
do it without using your arms
jump into each posture
shuffle into each posture
stamp into each posture
do it drunk
dance like a psychopath using (some) tai chi principles
make up your own moves
do whatever you want
and you always still have the original thing within you for proper training.

im not bashing other styles but i dont think they offer the same amount of personalised expression and creativness that tai chi does, thats down to the circular and spiralling nature of the art. so basically you learn to adapt to any angle within the 360 degree sphere around your body. considering karate is more up,down,left,right..

 

Uhhh thats not Taiji man. Thats Bagua.. Sometimes I wonder if you know what you speak of before you say it.