What, if any, is the optimal age for a martial artist? 20, 30, 40, 70?

[MantisKungFu]

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"

[Ozihn]

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. :D

[This message was edited by Ozihn on 10-29-01 at 07:33 PM.]

[Kung Lek]

if your ma training takes you past a hundred years you're doing it right.

If you die young from it, you did it wrong.

you can start anytime though.

peace

Kung Lek

Martial Arts Links (http://members.home.net/kunglek)

[Apprentice]

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

[kwokfist]

external hard styles = 8 - 35.

Internal soft style = 22 -> death

[kwokfist]

by the way Apprentice, your tag is way off. I'll check my bruce lee book later. You got the idea, but the quote way off.

and, if you're over 65 then i don't care if you've been studying for freakin 40 years you're still an old hobbling fogie.

[taijiquan_student]

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."

[Aramus]

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...

[joedoe]

You may be able to build muscle mass but your bone strength drops doesn't it?

Also, I heard somewhere (and I am sure someone will dispute this) that your muscular endurance peak (for men) is around the age of 30 isn't it?

Give me a year or so and I can tell you if my endurance has peaked or not :)

cxxx[]:::::::::::>
You're fu(king up my chi

[Johnny Hot Shot]

You know like the Commercial says?

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.

Does that make any sence to anbody other than me?

"Life's a great Adventure, Mate"
Jacko Jackson

[joedoe]

You are only as old as the woman you feel :D

cxxx[]:::::::::::>
You're fu(king up my chi

[Johnny Hot Shot]

18 for life :D

"Life's a great Adventure, Mate"
Jacko Jackson

[KungFuGuy!]

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.

[Sharky]

18 is a bit old

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[Sharky]

for johnny

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[Kristoffer]

start when u are born then..

~K~
"maybe not in combat..... but think of the chicks man, the chicks!"

[Wongsifu]

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

[NafAnal]

"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 ,"

So that's what Michael Jackson was doing...

[shaolinboxer]

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.

[wall]

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.

Wall

[soy]

35? BULL!!!!

My teachers muay thai insturctor is 54! He looks 30 and is built like a tank! If you eat right, train regularly you could do hard external styles until you die!

As for starting age, I've heard that if you begin training at a prepubescent age you may be able to re-form the way the body is aranged. Which supposedly improves your ability. But what ever age you are is a good age to start. Better now than never.

Of course, if you start earlier you'll have more time to train. But no use dwelling on the past and what you havent accomplished. The future is what matters right?

[Jeff Liboiron]

Any age is ok to start with (as long as you are old enough to walk :) ). Even starting at 70 i believe is ok to strengthen your body, and develop a sharp mind, i mean that's why i study MA and i'm only 19.

However if you expect to become a world champion at 70 years of age, you got another thing commin :)

The object is not to hurt someone else, but to stop them from hurting you

[BAI HE]

BASICS (INCL. 1 STEP APPLICATION)- 12-14

ALL (SLOWLY) 15-INFINITY

[joy chaudhuri]

I dont check this list often. But the art you chose has a lot to do with the long run development and maintenance of your abilities.If you do muy thai you will run into trouble by your late thirties for sure.In some arts the learning curve is long and continuous and your timing and knowldge improves so you dont always have to match muscle with muscle and you get more effective when it counts.Jet Li stuff wont help you. Good kung fu is not for the masses anyway.
Thus for mass drills- the Taiwanese army does TKD-
easier to do and learn and bad for you as you get
into your thirties.
kung lek's designated troll. :D :D :D

[tsunami surfer]

I started MA when i was 36. Im 38 now and I still love it. Dont plan on quiting until i am to injured or dead. Hope i never get injured.

[Grahf1]

Physically, no way are you at your peak in your 30s.

The peak age range for athletic potential is 21-25. This is when you have the energy + strength.

[Former castleva]

In Morihei Ueshiba´s words:-
"Serious training should/could start around the years of 15/16..."
or something like that.
"It is never too late to start MA"
-Sammo Hung- lol.

Medically speaking,you´ll be "growing" in a way until you are 40,then it´s all downhill.

[HuangKaiVun]

As a person ages, certain types of strengths appear.

Kam Yuen, in David Carradine's book, talks of utilizing these abilities as "old man techniques".

For example, one of my students in his mid fifties can lift a completely filled tool briefcase with his PINKY. The hand strength he has developed over the years is frightening, especially during combat.

I have a 50 year old female student that, without training, was able to leg press over 300 pounds. She's 110.

In my opinion, there is no optimal age for kung fu.

One either trains or he doesn't.