Too Young or Too Old?

From time people, parents especially, ask me “when is too young to get into martial arts?” I also often meet people who find martial arts fascinating but feel that they’re too old to get starting. I get that from anything from 50 year olds to teens.

In fact I once felt I was too old to take up martial arts.

I was 24 when I walked inside a kwoon for my first kung-fu class and I already felt it was too late.

I am now 31 and hope to live a long life and expect martial arts to play a role in my life till the very end.

I don’t think there’s any age that is too old or too young for martial arts. Just put your ego aside, give it a try and if it’s something you enoy, then keep doing it.

But remember to listen to your body. If you’re too inexperienced or too stubborn for that, make sure to practise with someone experienced and helpful, you will learn to listen to your body and your ego will most likely fade with time, if you decide to embark on the journey of being a martial artist.

In this video on the kung-fu spear, David Ballantyne who has reached the age of 50, shows how martial arts can help you stay fit at any age and live a life of longevity with martial arts.