Any older beginners out there?

[2literal]

I was wondering if there were any older beginners out there? How do you overcome feeling awkward about your age?
All I can think is, everybody else thinking, "hey look at that pathetic old person." Or, I'd have to do some dumbed down style or moves because I'm too old to do what everyone else does. Q

 

[drop bear]

You are not there for them.

Discomfort is an integral part of growth. And martial arts should provide both.

You overcome that discomfort by engaging in the process and becoming stronger.

If you go to a good gym then everyone looks pathetic when they start. That is the point. Everyone there should be better than you.

Otherwise you don't have to do a dumbed down style. You just need to be clever about how you train.

 

[drop bear]

So I am not new. But we get a lot of people interested in masters boxing. Which starts at over 35, I think. So not only are these guys coming in to the gym as older people. They are competing as older people.

I know some of the bigger jujitsu hubs do the same.

There are plenty of avenues for older martial artists to do serious martial arts at a high level.

Eg. Here is Tom Hardy competing at blue belt level BJJ. At 44.

 

[JowGaWolf]

How do you overcome feeling awkward about your age?

Embrace it. People don't think about it the same way. Most young people are inspired when older people do things like MA.

For me. When I see someone older doing martial arts, I think, "I hope I can do that when I get his age"

 

[Buka]

I was wondering if there were any older beginners out there? How do you overcome feeling awkward about your age?
All I can think is, everybody else thinking, "hey look at that pathetic old person." Or, I'd have to do some dumbed down style or moves because I'm too old to do what everyone else does. Q

Your profile says you're thirty two. What do you mean "old"?

 

[Xue Sheng]

I have a leather jacket older than 32

 

[Buka]

I have a leather jacket older than 32

We have bruises older than 32.

 

[Flying Crane]

Yeah, I kinda figured you were at least 50. You are a young fellow. Find a school in which you feel comfortable and get started. You have the time left in your life in which to become very skilled, if you decide to go for it.

 

[Flying Crane]

We have bruises older than 32.

Hmmm… you might actually have a blood clotting disorder there…

 

[Buka]

Hmmm… you might actually have a blood clotting disorder there…

Nah, Tomato Sauce doesn't clot. Unless, you know, you add too much parmesan cheese.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I was wondering if there were any older beginners out there? How do you overcome feeling awkward about your age?

If you are a beginner and get old, since you have not developed any MA skills yet, you don't have anything to maintain.

If you could do a floor split when you were yong, you will try to do that when you are old, you will have to take the pain through your old age. If you have not developed that flexibility, you don't have to do anything when you get old.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

When I see someone older doing martial arts, I think, "I hope I can do that when I get his age"

 

[JowGaWolf]

When did 32 become old age? Lol

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

When did 32 become old age? Lol

When you are 17, a 32 years old girl may be too old for you.

 

[Flying Crane]

When did 32 become old age? Lol

It must have something to do with all the schools catering to kids. The perception becomes that that is the norm, and by the time you reach 20 it is time to retire. Martial arts are for kids, and adults who continue to train are weird/nerds/abnormal/…

Funny thing for me, when I began training I was age 13 in a class of adults. I felt like the oddball for being so young, I perceived it as an adult thing to do. That was 1984. Times have changed.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Martial arts are for kids, and adults who continue to train are weird/nerds/abnormal/…

That's nuts. That's the image that martial arts has? I guess I'll have to be weird then.

I hoping that image is only in your area. Lol

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

It must have something to do with all the schools catering to kids.

32 is too old for this school.

 

[Flying Crane]

That's nuts. That's the image that martial arts has? I guess I'll have to be weird then.

I hoping that image is only in your area. Lol

I honestly think that it does and it comes from all the daycare krotty schools that are filled with kids under the age is 12 and very few or zero adults. I believe the perception is held by a lot of people.

 

[Flying Crane]

32 is too old for this school.

View attachment 28809

Most likely true. Perhaps they have a solid group of adults training at other times, but from what I’ve seen in a lot of schools that focus on the kids, they often do not. Their website may claim otherwise and they may honestly wish to have more adults, but when the place becomes filled with children, the adults perceive that as the aim of the school and either won’t train at all or look like to train elsewhere.

 

[Buka]

If you have a commercial dojo kids classes pay the rent.

And even though nobody asked, I'll tell you something anyway. If you train your kids classes with strict discipline, even if you have to throw out a brat here and there, word will spread like wildfire. And your classes will become huge.

And when I say "strict discipline" I don't mean like a drill Sergeant in the military. Just strict dojo protocol, and at the same time having fun. If kids like being there, they'll eat up the discipline, become good students, do better in school and their parents will become advertising agents for your school.

Even if you have to throw some parents out now and then, too.