What, in your opinion is the age or age range (not too big though) where someone training in martial arts is at their peak. A lot of factors come into play, especially when they started training, but I’m looking for the average practitioner.
Personally, I feel the longer you practice the wiser you get. With age, however, you lose strength and flexibility. Youth are strong, but often inexperienced. For these reasons I think the optimal age overall is around 30. But what do I know? I’m only 17. What are your thoughts on this? Any opinions are welcome. Thanks,
“It is better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt”
I read somewhere, can’t remember where, that the best ages to start training is 17-22. This was a credible source btw. But those also arn’t the only ages to start.
[This message was edited by Ozihn on 10-29-01 at 07:33 PM.]
the earlier you start the better..i know somebody who has been taking karate since he was 4…from what i’ve seen he is pretty good speed wise, but i dont know if it would be effective in a real fight(probably better than nothing)…i know he is pretty confident in it, i beleive the peak age would be between 22-35(if you stay healthy)
but remember, grandmasters who can defeat MANY people can sometimes be 60-80…
never underestimate your opponent…
in fact, i’d say nover over estimate your opponent…
you must ADAPT…
“Kung fu is like water, why water? because it is the softest substance, you can’t hurt it, and it adapts to its surroundings”(not sure if that was EXACT words-Bruce Lee
Of course if you’re younger you’re probably stronger and more flexible, but T.T. Liang sent one of my teacher’s friends flying across a room with a slight fa-jing when he was 90.
“Duifang jing zhi meng ji, wo fang tui zhi ce fang xi zhi.”
Why do you lose strength and flexibility when you get older like 40-65? Where do we hear that from, besides the TV?
I took a class on the aging (it was experimental class, a lot of the information was brand new at the time or newer than the 70s in '95). Correct me if I’m wrong (and I’m confident somebody will), but scientifically speaking, you may slow down some of your physical growth BUT you can still gain muscle mass just as well as when you were 30 as when you are 40-69. At 70-75ish is when you start to have trouble building mass, and if you don’t treat your body right…you will have problems. A study done in South America(once again I apologize, I don’t have my notes any longer) found a tribe that ran better as they got older. At the tribe was exposed to modern TV and such their abilities and beliefs that the older you get the better runner you will be faded. Another example, a friend of my runs 5Ks and such. He was OK at 18-25, but at 27 he has gotten really good. If he keeps at it, why can’t he improve?
I complain I’m getting old, but I don’t do as much as I did when I was younger. I’m I really not as strong or have I just not trained as hard as I used to. I can say without a doubt, I don’t train as hard.
It is TV that always reinforces that the older you get the more physically inept you become. Old geezers, old foggies are our perceptions of old people according to the media. The question is why does it have to be that way if your body really doesn’t have a big change until 70s+? Your belief?
Just some food for thought.
“Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.”
If you don’t know what you are doing, smile confidnetly…
I think physically you are at your optimum durring your 30’s. A person will lose strength and the body will become weaker with age . This is when the mind becomes strongest when the techniques you could muscle through in your 30’s become effortless and smooth in your 70’s.
As with anything, the ideal time to start is as a child. I started at 8, and I wish I got into it a little sooner. However, you cannot fully appreciate or understand certain aspects of martial arts until you get to adulthood, unless you’re some sort of prodigy.
i believe its best to start around 12 younger than that you would get bored of it and could continue , oler than that and you will have spent too long on the foundations and you will be 30 by the time you get there…
imho
12 - 20 you begin
20 - 30 you can work on things like body buildign also and start realising your power wether internal or external .
at 30 ++ you peak … after that if you aint doing high level martial arts you can kick yourself…
On another note a classic line from chen xiaowang was , you can start training your children from the age of around 1 year you can start rubbing their arms and legs to stimulate chi flow and strengthen the body ,
:eek:
what do bin laden and general custer have in common???
They’re both wondering where the fu(k all of those tomahawks are coming from. - donated by mojo
“On another note a classic line from chen xiaowang was, you can start training your children from the age of around 1 year you can start rubbing their arms and legs to stimulate chi flow and strengthen the body ,”
Your late 20’s into your mid thirties/early fourties for fighters. When your experience comes together with peak physical condition and sufficient mental maturity
50 to mid 60s for martial artists. When your are emotionally mature, still strong and supple but not so worried about your strength as much as the perfection of your technique.
I’ve started at 11 and I wish I had at a younger age. For external styles, I’d say 5-6 is ideal: the child is old enough to apply itself (if the class is structured in a fun way), that’s why also normal school starts at that age. But you are young enough to maintain a high level of suppleness which otherwise is already lost by the time you hit your teens. The teens are for training technique and maintaining suppleness throughout your growth, the 20s are to add intent and power, both physical (muscles) and mental. Unfortunately by the time you really start perfecting technique and internal approach, the 30s and 40s, your physical side starts letting you down. Whilst strenght and endurance can continue to improve in the 30s, it is a fact that suppleness and recovery do not. I remember in my late teens being able to do the splits and all sorts of acrobatics with wirtually no warm up. Now at 29 I feel all stiff compared to then until I’ve spent at least 10-15 minutes limbering up. And if I go really hard for a prolonged period my joints start to feel it.
So, to make a long story short, assuming you continue training high levels through your life, without major injuries, I think:
1 - best to start at 5-6 y.o.
2 - peak physical performance in the 20s
3 - peak strenght and technique in the 30s
4 - slight decline in all external aspects in the 40s, with a sharper decline in the 50s and even more 60s 70s. Internal continuing to improve through the 40s, and don’t see why it shouldn’t at least hold steady after.
But remember, whilst ageing is inevitable, it’s not important what age is “best”, but to be your best for whatever age you are. Right now I hope I’m at my best for me at 29…and when (hopefully) I’ll be 79 I hope I will be at my best as me at 79.
