sup im 16 and im currently a red belt in TKD(halfway to black at my dojang). But im also 6'1" i spar black belts, smoke the kids in my own level(lots of fun/painful training on my own) and i was wondering will i lose all my skills as i get older. because in other martial arts, mainly internal ones, the practitioners stay healthy and live to be like 100 years old and strong too. cause i dont want to waste my training on something that will go away. but then again i love TKD, lightning fast kicks to the face are just plain fun. not to mention spin/jump/double kicks. not having to grope your opponent or even let one get near you is also a plus.
you're 16, don't bother yourself with such questions. but you should be aware that aging is a normal process, but as i said, don't even think about it. you'll get only better and wiser.
Haha already worrying about that when you're 16? You have the best years in front of you, senior competitions are only 18+ anyway (assuming you're doing WTF).
Like the others say. You're 16, dont worry about it. If you keep training you will get alot better before you start to slow down. I have been doing TKD and other MA's since I was 13, I'm now 45 and what you lose in fitness and flexibility you make up for in experience and 'sneakyness'. My black belts are half my age and they hate sparring with me as they know to expect the unexpected. It's funny as it was the same with me and my instructor. At the end of the day just enjoy yourself Cheers!
why do anything then? everything goes away eventually i have news for you, time is the destroyer of all what you do today to enjoy yourself is never wasted if it makes you feel any better you only lose about 10% of muscle strength over the course of your life due to old age, any other loss is due to lack of use but seriously, your 16...don't worry about this like the other posters suguested. when you hit your 20's and 30's you will think MUCH differently than you do now
TKD is great. I have been training in TKD for just over a year and I am 45. Can I do a spinning hook kick to the head? Yeah but I don't use them in sparring. I spar with 2 3rd Dans and 2 2nd Dans and I can hold my own against them. Our 3rd Dans are 6'2" and 6'1", 147lbs and 215lbs, respectively. If you are worried about diminishing skills as you get older, don't sweat it at your age. Take the time to learn simple, basic S.D. techniques. Techniques that work! I have had the opportunity to learn from many different teachers and been in my fair share of altercations. You want to learn stuff that ends things quickly. Everything dulls with the passage of time but if you stick master basic techniques, you will have many good years of training!
TKD is great. I have been training in TKD for just over a year and I am 45. Can I do a spinning hook kick to the head? Yeah but I don't use them in sparring. I spar with 2 3rd Dans and 2 2nd Dans and I can hold my own against them. Our 3rd Dans are 6'2" and 6'1", 147lbs and 215lbs, respectively. If you are worried about diminishing skills as you get older, don't sweat it at your age. Take the time to learn simple, basic S.D. techniques. Techniques that work! I have had the opportunity to learn from many different teachers and been in my fair share of altercations. You want to learn stuff that ends things quickly. Everything dulls with the passage of time but if you master basic techniques, you will have many good years of training!
I disagree with everyone telling you not to worry about this issue. While I would discourage you from moving away from TKD or a nice hardstyle art, I would encourage you to look into a good soft style art that teaches indepth internal energy and breathing. One thing that Aikido and Hapkido have done for my TKD is teach me how to control my energy output into concentrated bursts, and how to control my breathing so that I don't get winded as easily as others. Definitely go for it if you feel like branching out, but stick with TKD too. Best, Brian
winded? are you talking about his stamina? i don't think that you and original poster talking about the same thing, are you?
maybe later ill try iron shirt qi gong. lol that would be crazy with TKD, anyways im going to take a little muy thai for low kicks and jujitsu for anti-grapples. gotta have balance to be the best
Breathing during sparring in a relaxed controlled manner is about alot more than stamina. So while sparring breathing does have something to do with stamina, it's not the only part to the equation. When I spar, I have learned from other styles how to maintain a relaxed state and controlled breathing except when I am performing a strike. My stamina is not as good as many of the people I spar with. In fact, during running and jumping jacks, and other aerobic activity I fade pretty fast compared to many of them. In sparring, i last much longer, because they are constantly in a tensed up state, and they don't control their breathing as well. that's it, Brian
