I've done freestyle kickboxing on and off at different clubs for the past decade. I've also done training in Krav Maga and CQC. So my experience is mainly in striking styles. In another striking club that I was with, they did a small bit of mma. So I was introduced to grappling and takedowns. I really do like Martial Arts, but at 28 and working a full time career, I feel that I might be getting too old for striking styles. As most professional fighters would have already reached high levels of standard and be close to retirement at my age. I've heard that Judo is something that you can continue with much later on in life. I've heard stories of people even starting at middle-age with Judo and BJJ and then reaching black-belt levels and continuing on into old age with amateur and professional competitions. I bought a Judo GI online, and going to start taking classes soon. Can anyone share their insight?
28 is middle aged!?!?!? Oh my days...if you think you're middle aged at 28 wait until you're nearly 40! I feel like a different person compared to how I felt at 28. Anyway...all martial arts will need some adaption as you age. You won't heal as quickly, aches will stay with you a little longer and life will get in the way. I don't think there's anything intrinsically different about doing grappling or striking as you age. Personally I ached and had to recover after a BJJ session way more than I ever have doing TKD or Karate (aside from hard contact gradings). But then I am a weed.
The average MA retirement age is 36. You have 8 more years to go which should be enough for you to get yourself a black belt in Judo if you start right now.
That would be talking more about combat sports rather than martial arts. Problem is, Judo as it is practised nowadays in most Dojos, is a combat sports, focusing on competition, which is obviously more appropiate for younger people. As a martial art, Judo can be practised at any age. Here's the proof: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFXbuszijCM"]Kyuzo Mifune Demonstrating Judo - YouTube[/ame] But at least I've been unable to find this kind of Judo nowadays. That said, you may be lucky enough and run into a Judo Dojo that still mantains it's essence as a traditional martial art rather than just a sport. If not, I would suggest you to look for a more traditional style of martial arts, like Kung Fu, Kempo, Aikido, Karate (though many Karate Dojo's also focus only on competition and leave aside the traditional art), japanese Jujutsu, etc...
I don't know much about judo, but I know my sensei (I can't recall her exact age, I this it's 52) is still more than capable of throwing me. I practice karate, many throws are taught in both arts, that being said, 28 is a little young to call it quits for striking, but hey, to each his own I suppose.
There is nothing wrong with "combat sport". - Muhammad Ali retired at 39. - My teacher also retired at 39. There are still plenty of time for a 28 years old young man to compete in the ring or on the mat.
this doesn't appear to be a problem for most as far as continuing to train ? the average age of most of the members in both my old Judo clubs was 30 and up, that might be more a sign of Judos slight decline here but there where guys in there 60s who we're genuinely dangerous.
Of course there's nothing wrong with combat sports! But, as every sport, they have a retirement age. That's one of the difference between a combat sport and a traditional martial arts; these don't have such a thing as a "retirement age". That's why most people who start in a combat sport, when they are too old to compete in the ring or in the mat, either forget completly about martial arts or search for a traditional style which they can keep practising even after getting old. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEmRVudozKA&feature=player_embedded"]74 age - YouTube[/ame] Does this mean that combat sports are worse than traditional martial arts? Of course not! But they are a DIFFERENT kind of discipline, with DIFFERENT GOALS in mind. Different does not mean better nor worse. It just means... that, different .
That's why I said that I hadn't found such a school. In the Judo school I practised, most of the members were under 20. It was a school focused only on competition. But this doesn't mean that all schools are like that. I'm just talking about MY experience.
my point was the focus was still 95 percent on randori, didn't stop people having to train at a certain age.
I retired my "combat sport" in 1984 when I was 37. I still love to wrestle 15 rounds daily if I can get a chance (wrestling partner is hard to find). The "solo" MA training for "health only" just doesn't excite me.
Not to go off topic but who on MAP is still training in the same MA they were 10,15 or 20 years ago? Also, if you think Judo is injury free... Just as a simple comparison - injuries in the Olympics - TKD and Boxing vs Judo and Wrestling. My guess is the latter (but only watched the Judo and a day of TKD).
But that's because one thing is going to a tournament where you have to fight 10 different people in a few hours, and something completly different is doing 5-10 minutes of randori in class. YouKnowWho, I'm sorry you had to leave your combat sport. I've just started doing martial arts a few years ago, but I have lots of friends in my class that have been doing the same style for their whole life. I practise Karate and Aikido, and I know 60 yo peole who still train after 40 or 50 years. And I would NOT like to meet them in a fight. Of course, they say that you have to adapt, you have to focus more on the technique to compensate for your physical loss, but still I find them happy with what they're doing.
Certainly nothing wrong with training in Judo at any age. The middle aged practitioner should just be aware that there's more of a potential for injuries to the joints and this would be more prevalent in a competitive environment where throws are not always clean.
I hurt both my shoulders shortly upon starting judo by getting slammed into the mat, shoulder first, with a drop seoi nage. The first time I went to the hospital and got Xrays since my collar bone was sticking up about 3 inches, the second time wasn't so bad but I realized I was really getting hurt doing judo and perhaps it wasn't for me in the long term. Both times this was done by a brown belt who moved much quicker than I could, not giving me enough time to fall correctly. Because of the way the throw was done, I went straight into the ground. I've been hurt 2 times in the 10 years I trained and competed in taekwondo. Broken foot and strained groin. I was never hurt competing in wrestling. Not to take away from judo. I really enjoyed it. But just because old people do it doesn't mean they haven't had their share of injuries too.
We have a 69 year old blue belt at my dojo. He's still doing fine, even does randori, and is probably the single most helpful non-blackbelt around. Age doesn't matter.
I didn't leave. I just don't compete in tournament any more. Even Muhammad Ali losed before he retired. My teacher retired when he had tie (1:1) with his opponent when he was 39 years old. It's better to cash in all your chips when you are still on the winning side. If you keep compete in tournament, you will loss soon or later. The moment that you enjoy the competation, it's like drug that you will get hooked on for the rest of your life. The "combat sport" will always be with you until the day that you die.
seriously? you're 28 and worried about doing martial arts and/or when to "retire"? i started hapkido when i was 33. i'm doing bjj/wrestling now at 42, and even boxing on the side. i competed in bjj for the first time last february. sure it was against other white belt 40-year olds, but still it was competition. obviously, things are different over 40. but age is no reason to not do martial arts. i've even got two kids (3 and 1 1/2). so buck up, if i can do it, you can.
28 is still young. Judo is a great style to learn. Awesome workout and proven effective in a pressure tested environment. That being said, find a place where they make sure you learn your breakfalls first. I've seen a few dojos where they just throw brand new white belts in without much introduction. Never ends well.
