# I'm nervous about starting doing Taekwondo.



## xAzuga (Nov 5, 2018)

Hello! I've recently started looking for a new hobby/activity and I started getting interested in Taekwondo and would like to start practicing it but I'm nervous about it. I talked to the gym I would attend and they said i'm more than welcome as a beginner but I suppose they say that to every potential new member. I really want to try it but most of the people (and friends) say that it is really really hard and not made for people that are not flexible and that it would be close to impossible for me to get good at it. I know it's hard but people make it seem impossible to follow if u didn't start as a child. I'm 20 and not flexible at all and that's what's holding me back. I'm nervous going to this class as a total newbie who's the opposite of flexible. Do u have tips for me? Like should I do some exercises at home for a while before going to that gym or maybe stories that will motivate me? I really want to do this.
Thanks!


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Nov 5, 2018)

You'll get flexible once you start going. And no ones going to expect you to do insane kicks right from the start. One of the biggest mistakes people make is waiting to go train until they're in shape-they get stuck in that phase and never actually start training.


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## drop bear (Nov 5, 2018)




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## mrt2 (Nov 5, 2018)

xAzuga said:


> Hello! I've recently started looking for a new hobby/activity and I started getting interested in Taekwondo and would like to start practicing it but I'm nervous about it. I talked to the gym I would attend and they said i'm more than welcome as a beginner but I suppose they say that to every potential new member.* I really want to try it but most of the people (and friends) say that it is really really hard and not made for people that are not flexible and that it would be close to impossible for me to get good at it*. I know it's hard but people make it seem impossible to follow if u didn't start as a child. I'm 20 and not flexible at all and that's what's holding me back. I'm nervous going to this class as a total newbie who's the opposite of flexible. Do u have tips for me? Like should I do some exercises at home for a while before going to that gym or maybe stories that will motivate me? I really want to do this.
> Thanks!


I am 53 and likely, less flexible than you.  And overweight.  I took it up.  Am I good at it?  Don't know.  Better than some, not as good as others.  Much better than people my age who don't train at all. Really.  There are children who practice TKD.  And middle aged people.  Even some senior citizens.  So at age 20, you can start and still have plenty of time to become proficient, even really good.

At age 20, you have plenty of time to get flexible.  And even if you can't execute super high kicks, anyone should be able to kick waist, or chest height, which is also very effective.


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## WaterGal (Nov 5, 2018)

xAzuga said:


> Hello! I've recently started looking for a new hobby/activity and I started getting interested in Taekwondo and would like to start practicing it but I'm nervous about it. I talked to the gym I would attend and they said i'm more than welcome as a beginner but I suppose they say that to every potential new member. I really want to try it but most of the people (and friends) say that it is really really hard and not made for people that are not flexible and that it would be close to impossible for me to get good at it. I know it's hard but people make it seem impossible to follow if u didn't start as a child. I'm 20 and not flexible at all and that's what's holding me back. I'm nervous going to this class as a total newbie who's the opposite of flexible. Do u have tips for me? Like should I do some exercises at home for a while before going to that gym or maybe stories that will motivate me? I really want to do this.
> Thanks!



Just go get started! Most adults aren't very flexible when they start. The teacher should know that, and isn't likely to expect you to be able to do a high kick your first week. You'll probably stretch every day in class, so your flexibility will improve with time.


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## Gnarlie (Nov 5, 2018)

The Taekwondo syllabus is incremental and progressive. Nobody will expect too much from you, except perhaps you. Just do it. I was 22 when I started. The key to long term success is mindfully practising the right things, and making that mindful practice part of your daily routine. It's about what you can do today to improve your performance a year from now, or five years from now. 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk


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## Flying Crane (Nov 5, 2018)

Just get started.  What if you find that you like it?  Oh the horror!


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## JR 137 (Nov 5, 2018)

Forget what your friends told and will tell you. Unless they’re training there, they don’t know.

I’m not a TKD guy, but if it’s a good school, then yeah, it’ll be hard. Not impossible hard, but it should as hard as you can handle. If it’s easy, what’s the point?

Don’t worry about it being too hard. Don’t worry about not being flexible enough. Don’t worry about not being in good enough shape. In fact, don’t worry about anything other than having fun and challenging yourself.

No one was born a black belt. No one walked in without any related nor relevant experience and started kicking above their head and doing it perfectly their first night.

You’re going to have two left feet that are nailed to the floor. Your hands aren’t going to do what your brain is telling them to do. You’re going to think you look like a complete mess. Guess what? We all did too. And the honest ones here will admit that no matter how long we’re at it, we still have nights where we ask ourselves “what the hell have I been doing all this time, because I still suck” every now and then.

It’s a process. A very fun and enjoyable process. Don’t get hung up on keeping up with everyone else. Just try your best to be a little bit better at the end of class than you were before class started.

There’s a cheesey quote out there that I hate using, but it’s definitely appropriate here - a black belt is a white belt who never quit. Or something like that. We all started from the same place, even the ones who don’t wear belts - we all started out knowing practically nothing and being able to do practically nothing.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Nov 5, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> Forget what your friends told and will tell you. Unless they’re training there, they don’t know.
> 
> I’m not a TKD guy, but if it’s a good school, then yeah, it’ll be hard. Not impossible hard, but it should as hard as you can handle. If it’s easy, what’s the point?
> 
> ...


I think DB's favorite quote is relevant here-sucking is the first step to being sort of good at something.


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## dvcochran (Nov 5, 2018)

xAzuga said:


> Hello! I've recently started looking for a new hobby/activity and I started getting interested in Taekwondo and would like to start practicing it but I'm nervous about it. I talked to the gym I would attend and they said i'm more than welcome as a beginner but I suppose they say that to every potential new member. I really want to try it but most of the people (and friends) say that it is really really hard and not made for people that are not flexible and that it would be close to impossible for me to get good at it. I know it's hard but people make it seem impossible to follow if u didn't start as a child. I'm 20 and not flexible at all and that's what's holding me back. I'm nervous going to this class as a total newbie who's the opposite of flexible. Do u have tips for me? Like should I do some exercises at home for a while before going to that gym or maybe stories that will motivate me? I really want to do this.
> Thanks!


I wouldn't put too much into your what your friends say about the workout unless they go to the classes and have some real experience about them. "Tough" is very subjective so give the class and yourself a chance. It will be much easier if you go into it with an open mind, no preconceived ideas or opinions. You are at a great age to start an style MA. Your initial flexibility is what it is. It would be the same matter regardless of what style you started. It will get better with effort and time, so you have to get started. There is no other way to start the class other than being a newbie so don't put a label on yourself. 
Sure, exercises at home are good so after you take a few classes you will better know what to do at home. Talk to the instructor about your concerns. If it is a school/class worth its salt that should make starting easier.


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## Headhunter (Nov 6, 2018)

Don't listen to idiots with no training. No you won't be flexible to start with but you will be if you keep training.

Not starting martial arts when your not in good shape is just the same as not going to school because you're not smart enough


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## jobo (Nov 6, 2018)

xAzuga said:


> Hello! I've recently started looking for a new hobby/activity and I started getting interested in Taekwondo and would like to start practicing it but I'm nervous about it. I talked to the gym I would attend and they said i'm more than welcome as a beginner but I suppose they say that to every potential new member. I really want to try it but most of the people (and friends) say that it is really really hard and not made for people that are not flexible and that it would be close to impossible for me to get good at it. I know it's hard but people make it seem impossible to follow if u didn't start as a child. I'm 20 and not flexible at all and that's what's holding me back. I'm nervous going to this class as a total newbie who's the opposite of flexible. Do u have tips for me? Like should I do some exercises at home for a while before going to that gym or maybe stories that will motivate me? I really want to do this.
> Thanks!


it's one of the facts of life, that your "friends " can try and discourage you from bettering yourself, mostly coz you getting better makes them feel worse, 

that said you should do some flexibility training before you go, practise putting your foot in you mouth, when you can do that your ready for ma


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## Yokozuna514 (Nov 6, 2018)

If you believe what your friends say, you will never do anything that you 'really want to do'.  If you go in with the mind that this is something you really want to do, you may surprise yourself and show your friends what you CAN do.  

Training should not be easy.  If it was easy, you would not be able to push yourself and grow.  This is the beauty of starting to train in a martial art.  We all begin with the idea that training will allow us to 'kick ***', 'defend ourselves', 'protect our loved ones'.....etc. but there comes a point when you realize that training not only strengthens your body and mind, it also gives you the confidence to no longer care WHAT your friends say because they aren't the ones doing all that work.  You are !  

Does it matter that you cannot do the splits ?  No, you will have a better chance to do the splits if you train then they will ever have sitting on the couch.  All you have to do is step through the door and work at it.


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## Danny T (Nov 6, 2018)

Biggest tip...just go and do what you are able to do.
Consistent effort over time will get results. Just go, do your best, have fun.


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## _Simon_ (Nov 7, 2018)

G'day bud and welcome to the forum 

Yep, these guys spoke some gold.

And I recently trialled out TKD for a month, all sorts of people there, and I'll tell ya some were just not overly flexible. But they still trained. and loved it there .

Don't worry about not feeling ready for it. I think we can wait far too long, years and years not being "ready", but I don't think we can ever truly be ready for anything. It just paralyses us, being ready is what training is for. They're the practice grounds exactly for that. Give it a go, you've got nothing to lose. And instructors understand that beginners are exactly that: beginners. They'll not expect crazy head-high kicks from the get-go!

Have fun, you'll have a ball, let us know how you go


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## _Simon_ (Nov 7, 2018)

Headhunter said:


> Not starting martial arts when your not in good shape is just the same as not going to school because you're not smart enough



Haha, reminds me of a dialogue I once read:

Person A: "Thank you for this. Been contemplating on training again but I'm so unfit, don't know where to start and it's frustrating."

Sensei: "That's like saying you're too thirsty to drink. Just train. Once you set things in motion, it's easy to change direction later. Momentum has power. There is boldness and beauty in starting. In the legendary words of Nike: Just Do It [emoji109]"


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## Metal (Nov 8, 2018)

I have heard "I'm not flexible enough" way too often when it comes to starting Taekwondo. What you'll realize once you start is that there's hardly any flexibility needed for the techniques you'll be doing in the beginning. Nobody will (or better to say: should) expect you to kick at head level on day 1.

I've seen my share of instructors who were holding the kicking mitts for beginners way too high, too. But that's a sign of a bad instructor, not a sign of a student who won't have the future capability to kick high.

Aged 20 you're at an age where a lot people quit. So if you're starting now you will be way better in 10 years than those who quit at 20 and return at 30. ;-)


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## serietah (Nov 12, 2018)

Just do it! I’m 35 and my mom is 59. We got our black belts this weekend. I’m still far from being able to do splits, but I’m a lotttt more flexible than when I started training. No one expects a white belt beginner to be able to do amazing things. 

Just go do it without thinking too much about it! Have fun!!!


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## xAzuga (Nov 14, 2018)

Hi guys thanks for all the answers and support! I took 3 lessons since I posted this and you were all right. It's really tough but also really exciting and the feeling after a training is really special The trainer is really helpful towards beginners and i'm not the only white belt there. . Thanks for helping me towards this beautiful martial art. Tips for a beginner like me are always welcome and appreciated.


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## dvcochran (Nov 14, 2018)

xAzuga said:


> Hi guys thanks for all the answers and support! I took 3 lessons since I posted this and you were all right. It's really tough but also really exciting and the feeling after a training is really special The trainer is really helpful towards beginners and i'm not the only white belt there. . Thanks for helping me towards this beautiful martial art. Tips for a beginner like me are always welcome and appreciated.



Fantastic! I is great to hear there are other white belts around your age. This really makes the journey more memorable, having people of the same level to work with and lean on. Helps you more quickly understand the idea of Tae Kwon Do family.


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## JR 137 (Nov 14, 2018)

dvcochran said:


> Fantastic! I is great to hear there are other white belts around your age. This really makes the journey more memorable, having people of the same level to work with and lean on. Helps you more quickly understand the idea of Tae Kwon Do family.


Hopefully they’re his age and he’s not Kramer dominating the dojo.


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## JR 137 (Nov 14, 2018)

xAzuga said:


> Hi guys thanks for all the answers and support! I took 3 lessons since I posted this and you were all right. It's really tough but also really exciting and the feeling after a training is really special The trainer is really helpful towards beginners and i'm not the only white belt there. . Thanks for helping me towards this beautiful martial art. Tips for a beginner like me are always welcome and appreciated.


Keep at it. It only gets more difficult, yet more fun and rewarding somehow.

Actually, it gets harder in different ways. For some reason, I always thought white belt was the hardest rank. EVERYTHING is new. After white belt, you’ve got a frame of reference to compare new material to.


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## _Simon_ (Nov 14, 2018)

xAzuga said:


> Hi guys thanks for all the answers and support! I took 3 lessons since I posted this and you were all right. It's really tough but also really exciting and the feeling after a training is really special The trainer is really helpful towards beginners and i'm not the only white belt there. . Thanks for helping me towards this beautiful martial art. Tips for a beginner like me are always welcome and appreciated.



That's so awesome to hear. Keep at it and enjoy yourself!!! And feel free to post your experiences here too


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## _Simon_ (Nov 14, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> Actually, it gets harder in different ways. For some reason, I always thought white belt was the hardest rank. EVERYTHING is new. After white belt, you’ve got a frame of reference to compare new material to.



Yep, that's sounds right to me too


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## skribs (Nov 15, 2018)

JR 137 said:


> Hopefully they’re his age and he’s not Kramer dominating the dojo.



When I joined the Sparring Club at my school, I was the first adult in the club.  Everyone else was kids.  Now, I'm not a big guy.  I'm 5'6 on a good day.  But I was towering over these kids.  And I didn't have the sparring club t-shirt, so I just looked so out of place.  They're all staring at me like "who are you and what are you doing here?"

Because of my size, there were only 2 kids I was allowed to spar.  Both of them were around 10, and I think it was a month and a half before I scored a point on either of them.  They left me with bruises every class.  I used to joke I was gonna have a bowl of Advil with milk for breakfast the next morning.



JR 137 said:


> Keep at it. It only gets more difficult, yet more fun and rewarding somehow.
> 
> Actually, it gets harder in different ways. For some reason, I always thought white belt was the hardest rank. EVERYTHING is new. After white belt, you’ve got a frame of reference to compare new material to.



I tell people "white belt is the hardest belt.  And it only gets harder from there."


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## Deafdude#5 (Jan 3, 2019)

Good job! Now keep it up. Give yourself a goal to reach for.


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## Plin (Jan 4, 2019)

I just started TKD in October. I was in the newbie class, mixed adults and children, so the instructor could spend more time with us working on fundamentals than in the big adult or kids’ all-level class. Which meant that a lot of the time it was me and some seven-year-olds. 

Now that I have my yellow stripe I start with the grownups next week. It’s exciting but of course a little scary. I think it’s important to keep challenging yourself and pushing the limits of your comfort zone as an adult, to keep from stagnating. 

Congratulations on giving it a try! I hope you’re having as much fun as I am.


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## dvcochran (Jan 4, 2019)

Plin said:


> I just started TKD in October. I was in the newbie class, mixed adults and children, so the instructor could spend more time with us working on fundamentals than in the big adult or kids’ all-level class. Which meant that a lot of the time it was me and some seven-year-olds.
> 
> Now that I have my yellow stripe I start with the grownups next week. It’s exciting but of course a little scary. I think it’s important to keep challenging yourself and pushing the limits of your comfort zone as an adult, to keep from stagnating.
> 
> Congratulations on giving it a try! I hope you’re having as much fun as I am.


That is great! Could not have said it better.


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## KenpoMaster805 (Jan 9, 2019)

Dont get nervous tsekwondo is cool but they only used feet


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## Dirty Dog (Jan 9, 2019)

KenpoMaster805 said:


> Dont get nervous tsekwondo is cool but they only used feet



You're correct in saying TKD is cool. Other than that, you are completely and totally wrong.


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## Plin (Jan 9, 2019)

At our class last night (TKD), we focused almost exclusively on punches and blocks. Almost no kicking at all beyond warmups.


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## dvcochran (Jan 9, 2019)

KenpoMaster805 said:


> Dont get nervous tsekwondo is cool but they only used feet


Uh yea, that is totally incorrect.


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## Bruce7 (Jan 9, 2019)

Plin said:


> At our class last night (TKD), we focused almost exclusively on punches and blocks. Almost no kicking at all beyond warmups.


I like your teacher. I like everything you have told us about your classes.Your thread is one of my favorite threads. If you want ,I would like to hear more about your teacher.


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## Plin (Jan 9, 2019)

Bruce7 said:


> I like your teacher. I like everything you have told us about your classes.Your thread is one of my favorite threads. If you want ,I would like to hear more about your teacher.



I really love this dojang and the people who run it. Today is a bit nuts, but tomorrow or this weekend I'm happy to go into more detail about it all.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Jan 9, 2019)

KenpoMaster805 said:


> Dont get nervous tsekwondo is cool but they only used feet


I dont get why everyone is jumping on this. He's not saying that taekwondo only uses feet. He's saying that tsekwondo only used feet. Entirely different.


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## JR 137 (Jan 10, 2019)

kempodisciple said:


> I dont get why everyone is jumping on this. He's not saying that taekwondo only uses feet. He's saying that tsekwondo only used feet. Entirely different.


Thanks for pointing that out. I was about to hit “dislike” on it. Now that you’ve cleared up the confusion, he’s probably correct.


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## dvcochran (Jan 10, 2019)

skribs said:


> When I joined the Sparring Club at my school, I was the first adult in the club.  Everyone else was kids.  Now, I'm not a big guy.  I'm 5'6 on a good day.  But I was towering over these kids.  And I didn't have the sparring club t-shirt, so I just looked so out of place.  They're all staring at me like "who are you and what are you doing here?"
> 
> Because of my size, there were only 2 kids I was allowed to spar.  Both of them were around 10, and I think it was a month and a half before I scored a point on either of them.  They left me with bruises every class.  I used to joke I was gonna have a bowl of Advil with milk for breakfast the next morning.
> 
> ...


Are you saying your Dojang has a separate class/program for only sparring? I would be very interested in learning more about the curriculum. How you practice, what drills you do, etc... Thanks,


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## skribs (Jan 10, 2019)

dvcochran said:


> Are you saying your Dojang has a separate class/program for only sparring? I would be very interested in learning more about the curriculum. How you practice, what drills you do, etc... Thanks,



Because Taekwondo has such a broad list of what it can do, our main classes include a lot of different things.  At the colored belt level, we do techniques (punches and kicks), forms, kick combination drills, sparring, and self defense drills.  Sparring drills are maybe 10% of our week, and actual sparring maybe 5%.  The sparring club is 50% sparring drills and 50% sparring.  

It's basically just a more focused class, rather than a different class, if that makes sense.


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## Plin (Jan 10, 2019)

My dojang also has a sparring class for those who want to add a more focused practice to their week.


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## dvcochran (Jan 10, 2019)

skribs said:


> Because Taekwondo has such a broad list of what it can do, our main classes include a lot of different things.  At the colored belt level, we do techniques (punches and kicks), forms, kick combination drills, sparring, and self defense drills.  Sparring drills are maybe 10% of our week, and actual sparring maybe 5%.  The sparring club is 50% sparring drills and 50% sparring.
> 
> It's basically just a more focused class, rather than a different class, if that makes sense.


Can you provide a typical list of drills?


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## skribs (Jan 10, 2019)

dvcochran said:


> Can you provide a typical list of drills?



No.


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## dvcochran (Jan 10, 2019)

skribs said:


> No.


??? Not asking for anything proprietary, just wondering what drills you do as a comparison.


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## skribs (Jan 10, 2019)

dvcochran said:


> ??? Not asking for anything proprietary, just wondering what drills you do as a comparison.



I don't really know how I can explain it other than that.  Sparring club is drills that focus on the rules of WT sparring - kick or be kicked.  It focuses on the type of footwork and techniques you would use for that game.

This differs from the style of technique used in the forms, and from the self defense drills we use for when someone punches you or grabs you.  We still do the sparring and sparring drills in the regular class, but it's maybe 15-25% of our class time, as opposed to sparring club which is 100%.


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## dvcochran (Jan 10, 2019)

skribs said:


> I don't really know how I can explain it other than that.  Sparring club is drills that focus on the rules of WT sparring - kick or be kicked.  It focuses on the type of footwork and techniques you would use for that game.
> 
> This differs from the style of technique used in the forms, and from the self defense drills we use for when someone punches you or grabs you.  We still do the sparring and sparring drills in the regular class, but it's maybe 15-25% of our class time, as opposed to sparring club which is 100%.


I understand this. What I am asking is what are some of the drills you do? Do you know the names of some of your drills?


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Jan 14, 2019)

kempodisciple said:


> I think DB's favorite quote is relevant here-sucking is the first step to being sort of good at something.


@Druid11 What do you dislike about this quote? No one starts anything by being amazing at it...


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## Druid11 (Jan 14, 2019)

kempodisciple said:


> @Druid11 What do you dislike about this quote? No one starts anything by being amazing at it...



I honestly didn't realize I did...I'm using a device with a touch screen, must have been a slip of the finger (insert joke of your choice here).


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## Ivan (Jan 14, 2019)

xAzuga said:


> Hello! I've recently started looking for a new hobby/activity and I started getting interested in Taekwondo and would like to start practicing it but I'm nervous about it. I talked to the gym I would attend and they said i'm more than welcome as a beginner but I suppose they say that to every potential new member. I really want to try it but most of the people (and friends) say that it is really really hard and not made for people that are not flexible and that it would be close to impossible for me to get good at it. I know it's hard but people make it seem impossible to follow if u didn't start as a child. I'm 20 and not flexible at all and that's what's holding me back. I'm nervous going to this class as a total newbie who's the opposite of flexible. Do u have tips for me? Like should I do some exercises at home for a while before going to that gym or maybe stories that will motivate me? I really want to do this.
> Thanks!


Twenty is quite a fine age to start. I started just 6-12 months ago, I'm sixteen, and honestly flexibility is the last thing to worry about at your age. You can easily gain flexibility enough to do box splits, if you do a routine for 3 months. Although I may have had advantage in experience, it's not that hard for you to get into it, if you're genuinely interested in it! Age is not a factor, there's many renowned teaches across the world that can kick up to their heard at around 70 or 80 years of age. Go for it man, this whole community is behind you!


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