The question I often hear is: “Am I too old to start Karate?“Another concern that people have is that they are not flexible enough to be able to participate in a karate class.
What distinguishes karate as a discipline from most other sports is its consideration of a person’s current level. A good instructor will be challenged to hone each student’s current fitness level and challenge them at the same time without getting injured. The idea is to go up the level of that person every time he participates in a class.
The fact that you think you have to be in good shape before starting a class is wrong, but common. One reason to commit to a karate program is to get in shape while learning how to defend yourself. Karate classes develop strength, flexibility, endurance and cardio in a functional way. Cross training like weight training and jogging can definitely help, but it’s not required. You can get functionally fit by doing the normal exercises that karate provides.
I know an elderly lady (over 60) who told me a story that she fell on a sheet of ice one winter. She tripped over a cable and fell hard. She admitted that if it wasn’t for her karate training (even on her level) she wouldn’t be able to get up from that nasty fall.
Another example is the story of a 39-year-old man who was in a nasty bicycle accident with an oncoming car. The car hit him so hard that there was a big impression (bump) on the front bumper of him. Although the ambulance had to escort him to the hospital, he was not seriously injured. He admits that this is due to his karate training allowing him to build that “body armor” necessary to withstand most of the impact.
People underestimate the importance of flexibility. The older we get, the more we will depend on our flexibility to do simple things like get up from a chair, walk up a flight of stairs, and walk upright without pain.
Make sure your goals are realistic and ask yourself if you are doing it to improve your quality of life or if you are doing it for sport and competition. If you are of a certain age, say over 35 and just starting out, then competition shouldn’t be your main focus. Your goal is to progressively build a flexible and strong body and mind that will allow you to age successfully and enjoy life without pain.
I am forty years old and have been practicing karate (both traditional and competitive) for over 25 years. What I love is the fact that it is an individual discipline that focuses on continuous self-improvement. I also like the fact that there is a partnership and camaraderie that motivates you to do better and better.
No, you’re not too old to start karate training. Now stop thinking about it and do it!
happy training,
