# Stretching info for a late starter



## petemcr (Nov 25, 2014)

Hey guys,

I'd imagine this has probably been covered before but I just wanted to ask,

I'm joining a Thai Boxing gym today, I'm going to be hurting as I've been doing some weight training but I'm going to give it a shot anyways, but I am starting thai boxing a little late on in life, I'm not just coming in to my 30's and I'm wondering if I'm going to have issues with kicks/stretching

Hopefully as I've skated most my life I should still be a little limber, but anyone know what kind of problems I'll face, am I going to be too old to be doing it now and will I be able to high kick

cheers


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## Dirty Dog (Nov 25, 2014)

Well... I have children older than you. The youngster being kicked in the head in my avatar is 6' tall. I am 6' 1". I have a 6' 6" student and I can kick him in the head too. I can (and have, in a demo) put our 72 year old Kwan Jang Nim in a rear bear hug and been kicked in the nose for it.
High kicks are a relatively small part of any martial art, despite what you see on TV and in the movies.
Maybe you should wander over to the Meet & Greet forum and introduce yourself.


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## petemcr (Nov 25, 2014)

Dirty Dog said:


> Well... I have children older than you. The youngster being kicked in the head in my avatar is 6' tall. I am 6' 1". I have a 6' 6" student and I can kick him in the head too. I can (and have, in a demo) put our 72 year old Kwan Jang Nim in a rear bear hug and been kicked in the nose for it.
> High kicks are a relatively small part of any martial art, despite what you see on TV and in the movies.
> Maybe you should wander over to the Meet & Greet forum and introduce yourself.



Thanks dude, I'd really only mentioned it because yea, they are shown often in films and look good , but also seen them discussed a fair bit as well, that's why I'd really asked, good call on the saying hello part though, I'll go say my hello's now


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## Transk53 (Nov 25, 2014)

petemcr said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I'd imagine this has probably been covered before but I just wanted to ask,
> 
> ...



Well have fun with it and post back how the first lesson went


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## Flatfish (Nov 26, 2014)

I started Tae kwon do with my kids at age 43. Have been stiff as a board all my life.  I still have a long way to go but dynamic stretching and just practicing the art, I have made decent progress since starting 10 months ago. Since you mentioned weight training, heavy squats have helped my hip flexibility a lot.


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## Dirty Dog (Nov 26, 2014)

One of our students started with his grandson. I think he's right at 60, and has had one knee replaced. When he started, he could kick to about his belt. On a good day. 6 or 8 months later, he's able to get a front kick to his shoulder.
Don't look for miracles. But train hard and you will see improvement.


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## Transk53 (Nov 26, 2014)

Somewhat being mind over matter then, but also coupled with hard work.


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## drop bear (Nov 26, 2014)

You are not the first guy who started at thirty. Or couldn't throw kicks before he walked into the gym.

it is new. You are supposed to be crap. It is supposed to be frustrating. That is the point of doing something new.


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