Hi all, I have always been started in martial arts and did some judo and TKD when I was younger. Lately i have been thinking about karate but wonder if I am too old to get any good. I don't have the aspiration to compete in tournaments or anything like that and I know that karate as other health and spiritual benfits. Having said that i want to become good enough so that I could use it effectively if I had to. So the question is not am I too old for it because i know the answer is NO. It's rather at this age are the refelexes still good enough and can they be developed so that one can utilize the techniques effectively? Any reply is great appreciated
The simple answer is yes. No matter what kind of karate you do, you'll do the simplest of techniques over and over again until they're second nature. It's all a matter of time - As long as your body works as it should do there shouldn't be any problems as long as you're willing to put the hours in.
Welcome to MAP. Yes is the simple answer to your question. I started back training at around 40 years old after a layoff due to family commitments. In that time my skill level has greatly increased, as have my reflexes. Will you ever be able to use it effectively, well that is up to you. If you apply yourself and do a little bit of training out side of class, then yes you will. Get to class, it will be one of the best decisions you ever made.
Thank you guys for your quick reply. So the next logical question is, at this age given the fact that I am pretty healthy and somewhat athletic already how many hours would be sufficient to make the improvements I desire? I know it can vary but I am looking for a rough number. The local JKA dojo has two 1.5 hour session during the week and one hour optional class on the weekend. Would that be enough or should I do even more? Cheers.
There's no "magic number" of hours. Just train as much as you can while keeping a healthy lifestyle. Two sessions a week is fine - you'll ache like you wouldn't believe for the first few weeks anyway, so the rest will be welcome.
Start off doing the two weekday classes and if your body feels okay then add the weekend class where you can. Obviously three times a week is better than two, but as someone who works long hours and has a family I know how hard it can be. If you can't make class there is always stuff you can do at home, kata, stretching, practicing your kicks, balance and the likes.
As a beginner it's advisable to train as many hours as possible because everything will feel completely alien to you. When you become more advanced, it's more a matter of personal choice I'd say.
Check out the forums for a wealth of information. If you can't find what you are looking for then ask away. We have experts in a whole variety of fields here on MAP.
I think my question is what techniques are we talking about exactly? Head high kicks? Maybe not.... but sidestep a punch, block to cover and counter... that can all be accomplished at any age. I started practicing once again at 42 after not training in anything for over two decades. You get out of it what you put into it.
Hell, I can hardly do high kicks now (seriously. Sometimes I even get a little pain in my hips...), and I'm a spritely 24!
It answers the question without the flim flam of explaining he's probably going to have to lower his sights on becoming Batfink's sidekick any time soon together with the expected height of his own kicks. I was being nice - less is more
But there was no insinuation of that in the OP's post. The OP asked some serious questions and got a string of serious answers. Yes/No adds nothing as it doesn't answer the important questions.
Our resident stretching expert Van Zandt would tell you that you could still achive the spits inside of a years training. I will concede however that in later life finding the will and time to stretch is harder than at 20 years old. Now I have started Tai Chi I do plan to increase my own flexibility over the next few years. As for the OP's kicks, aim high, why not. It is like anything in life. You can have it if you want it.
So one other thing, is it possible to become flexible enough if one streched everyday? It is possible to achieve a full split? I ain't trying to do van damme kicks but i belive an over average flexibility is somehwat crucial in practising karate effectively. Cheers.
You'll be more flexible than you ever have been but do it right, read VZ's thread on stretching first
