Anyone who does Martial Arts, or knows anyone that does? Please read.

[Ryudo]

Hi,

I'm currently having a dilemma where I could use your guys input. Basically it's like this, I'm 26 years old and I'm sort of overweight, but I've always been interested in Martial Arts.

Lately I find myself wanting to learn MA more again, but I'm afraid of whether someone like me can actually do this.


Do you think it'd be a bad idea to start MA this late? Most expert MA's already start when they're young kids...
Also, wouldn't I just be holding back everyone else in the group if I was to join the group while being in terrible shape, etc?

Could anyone who does MA, or knows anyone that does, please give some input on this matter. I'd greatly appreciate it.

[Noctis Caelum]

I will say this, its better to start when ur younger but that doesnt mean you cant start later in ur life. Example, I started boxing at 16, stopped when i had kids at 23. Im currently boxing again at 27 and i will be turning 28 in april. So no its not too late, go out whoop some ass and have fun doing it.

Edit: To Make this clear i train, lol. Trying to strengthen my back

[CloudStrife7x]

i love martial arts and would love to learn the different styles and plan too even though im overweight and starting late, i say go for it, its never too late to start like Red Hulk said :)

[thegutta]

Is never too late :D

[mojobojo]

Its never too late to do anything. Life is short, do it.

[Emerald Lance]

I learned karate, t'ai chi ch'uan, and xingyiquan informally when I was about 7, and continue to practice qigong as a martial philosophy even today (especially in regards to xingyiquan, which is my preferred style). I'm 22 years old, 6' tall, and 240lbs; I'm very overweight, yet I can still defeat the average man with my xingyiquan. The point isn't about when you start or what shape you're in, the point is that you keep up with your training.

It all boils down to what you want to practice. I practice mostly Chinese internal martial arts. Internal martial arts (Chinese "neijia", Japanese "juho") work through mental concentration (specifically the focusing of you inner energies), while external martial arts (Chinese "waijia", Japanese "goho") are more geared towards physically overpowering opponents through force and speed. Another set of words that is often used is "soft" and "hard" martial arts, respectively; an example of a soft style is tai chi, and a hard style is karate or boxing.

If you're hoping to get into the harder martial arts, you will need to start working out more and developing your body to keep up (tearing muscles and breaking bones in order to toughen them). If you're more interested in the softer styles, then you will need to learn how to properly meditate and concentrate in order to hone your senses and to "feel" the world around you so that you can better focus your qi (or, in more scientific terms, learn how to properly manipulate the potential and kinetic energy in and around your body, especially through your feet).

I'm not saying internal martial arts are easier. Both types are difficult and require dedication to training. External martial arts are physically difficult, but internal martial arts are particularly mentally difficult. You need to lose weight if you plan to dedicate yourself to a harder style, but you need to learn to move with grace if you're leaning towards a softer style. The choice is up to you. But there is absolutely no reason you can't start now. A person can start learning at any point in their life, but it's the dedication that's important; don't take up a martial art if you don't fully intend to go all the way with it, otherwise you'll just be wasting your instructor's time, and (more importantly) your own. The biggest mistake you could make is to try to learn martial arts simply because you think it looks cool.

If I can make a suggestion, try looking into tai chi. It's a popular enough style that you shouldn't have any trouble finding a kwoon (Chinese version of "dojo") just about anywhere, and it has an extremely soft form that (once mastered) can be incorporated into your own personal style easily. Too many people make the mistake of jumping right into karate in the hopes that the lessons will help them work out, and that simply isn't the case; in all martial arts the lessons are there simply to teach technique, and harder martial arts like karate require you to work out in your own time or fall behind. Tai chi, on the other hand, will not usually require a practitioner to stay exceptionally fit (though being in shape never hurts).

So yeah. Make sure it's something that you not only have the time to commit to, but are also willing to put in that time for. My advice would be to start with tai chi first, and then branch out from there later. Good luck!

[shadekor]

you need to go for it !!

[lewyp1]

Never too late, i've seen 40 year olds start kickboxing at the gym I used to go to before I had to quit