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I’ve always felt that I should have done much more as a child. Sort of who nows where I would have been now if only I had the character, the patience and the perseverance that I try so hard to build now when I was little.
I saw on Aiki thoughts the test of Hanna at the age of five and felt a little envy. I was so stubborn as a child and so reluctant to invest too much effort into anything that I still have hard time today in everything that demands me not to quit through hard times.
I know that the what if thinking won’t get me anywhere but I guess that I just have to work harder now to overcome those places I escaped before.
I just wonder at what age have you started practicing?
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I personally started when I was about 16 or 17, having never heard of martial arts or karate or Bruce Lee or anything. You can see some of that story here:
http://www.mokurendojo.com/2007/01/care-and-feeding-of-pat.html
But I have gotten my kids into judo and aikido between the ages of 3 and 6.
I think it would take a very special kid to begin at the age of five, stick with it, and have a healthy practice.
I know 5 is really rare but I thought of the advantages of starting at 10 or 12.
Anyway I guess anyone does the best he can when he can
I personally started when I was around 12. Things look completely different at that age and the long term benefits of martial arts training are no where near consideration.
When teaching children now, I just hope to keep them interested as best as possible while still infusing discipline and not using constant rewards as a crutch. This way, they have a chance of growing up in the martial arts and realizing its true benefits.
Almost every kid takes breaks for sports and activities, the trick is getting them to step foot in the dojo again!
As a teenager, Kung Fu, the TV series hit the airwaves in the 70’s, and I was hooked. I started training in JiDoKwan TaeKwanDo under Won Chik Park, in Detroit. Then I discovered beer and girls …
Through out my 20’s and 30’s, on and off I had intense periods of study in Yoshinkai Aikido, under Kushida Sensei, mostly at the old Detroit dojo on Davison. In my mid 20’s I also learned the Cheng Man Ching short Yang form of Taiji. I didn’t learn push hands though. Then the multiheaded hydra of adult responsibilites entered my life …
In my 40’s, I’ve invested a lot of time and energy in learning the practice of Zhan Zhuang, or “stake standing.”
When my youngest got her driver’s license, I had some time on my hands. Late summer/early fall of 2007, I wanted to get back to a regular martial arts class. I would have loved to go back to aikido, but at 50, I did’t think I’d be able to train the way I remember during my “glory days.” I thought it might have been better to leave my memories intact. I’d be happy to continue to train with CMC Taiji, but convenience is a factor, and no one seemed to be practicing it on this side of town.
It turned out that there was a very well established Wu style Taiji in my area. I have began training with them.
Wow Rick you are proving to me that age is less of a concern as it is the right stage in life that allows you to focus that is more important
I unfortunately started at the age of 27, which is usually too old to start. With a combination of hard work for years and me being athletic I manage to overcome the delay.
Now I have a young daughter, and I can’t stop thinking when should she start.
Some say at 4, when she can ride a bike, other say she mentally not ready.
I would *love* to hear your thoughts.
BTW - This is becoming a very interesting blog.
Keep going.
I guess each age opens another possibility. I can’t believe that at the age of four she’ll have the discipline to practice but if it a course that she arrive to once or twice a week she might learn to love it.
The mental stability comes later gradually, there is no reason hy children that age can enjoy ballet and not martial arts.
Are there courses for children that age near your home?
What WE want may not always be the best thing. Remember The Four Noble Truths.
Expose your little girl to a LOT of different activities and find out what she likes and has a knack for. What they like may also change over time.
Yep there are courses for young kids near by.
I tend to agree with you guys about not pushing too hard, so not to spoil it for her. I Just don’t want her to miss the train.
Today, I regret it very much that I didn’t start 20 years earlier. Some things are absorbed differently when learned on early stages.
I think Rick is right, and exposing her to many types of activities is the right thing to do.
Thanks for tips.
I started taekwondo at 22 then quit. After that I bounced in and out of various arts. Finally at 40 I got my black belt.
I really wish I’d have had the discipline and opportunity to try martial arts in my teens. But I grew up in a small Nebraska farm town and there was little opportunity.
Though I do wonder if I would have had the discipline given my apparent juvenile deliquency.
~BCP
“Though I do wonder if I would have had the discipline given my apparent junvenile deliquency.”
If you had trained then with your present adult discipline, your life would have been irrevocably different. Perhaps even a different spouse and kids.
The butterfly effect :-D