How Old is Too Old to Start Martial Arts?
If you’ve ever sat on the sidelines watching your child in martial arts or helped them train at home and harbored a secret desire to start classes yourself, you may be wondering if you’re just too old to learn a new trick. How old is too old to start martial arts? The short answer is that it’s never too late. And the long answer is that at Freestyle Martial Arts in Reno, we have a few standards in place to ensure that older students are in good hands.
You’ll Be in Good Company
Way back in 2010, the Wall Street Journal wrote an article about how an increasing number of older adults were beginning their martial arts training later. And here at Freestyle, we can confirm. We regularly have parents of our Little Dragons turning into students themselves. And for adults in particular, there are big benefits. Studies show that a consistent martial arts training program can help adults increase balance, bone density, and hand strength. People with osteoporosis may also benefit from martial arts, because they could reduce their chances of injuries from accidental falls by learning how to fall more safely.
In our program, you’ll enjoy a diverse student body. We offer classes for small children, youth, and adults, and there’s a wide range of ages and abilities within those groups. That means someone in their 30s, 40s, 50s or older attending class for the first time will find themselves with a group of other beginner men and women in their 20s and up.
A Focus on Safety
Warming up properly is important, and that importance only increases as we age. While our children’s classes tend to warm up with games, adult martial classes focus on effective techniques to warm up the muscles and lubricate the joints before training. In other words, you’ll be eased into activity and given time for ample cool downs after class is over.
The idea of safety extends to what you do in class as well. If you’re in need of adjustments or accommodations for old injuries, a pregnancy, or any age-related issues, those will be provided. All of our students are encouraged to move at their own pace.
Martial arts is particularly well suited to adults because it’s an individual sport in a group setting. The measuring stick for earning tips on your belt and graduating to higher belts is your own effort and commitment. Maybe you’ll never be flexible enough to kick someone in the head or reach full center splits, but that’s okay. The challenge is in safely pushing your own limits, and many older students find they’re more capable than they imagined.