Think you’re too old to start training in Martial Arts? Think again.
If you think you’ve missed the boat for starting karate lessons, you aren’t alone. Many adults in their 40s, 50s, 60s (and even their 70s and 80s!) share a common curiosity in karate, but feel they’ve passed their window of opportunity. If you find yourself fitting into this demographic, we have good news:
The right age to start karate training is whatever age you are right now. In fact, the point at which a person is best suited to enroll at a karate dojo isn’t a level of fitness or age at all, but rather, of mindset and motivation.
It’s easy to provide yourself with excuses when facing something new. You’re always going to be “too old,” it’s always going to be a “bad time,” and you’re always going to be “too busy.”
Do it anyway. As the saying goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” Every single day is a new opportunity to work on becoming a better version of yourself. Shudo Kan Karate Club can help you achieve that goal.
Exercise, Health & Mental Agility
The most obvious benefit for starting karate at a more mature stage of life is the level of exercise involved. As we age, we have less access, less opportunity, and less drive to meet and maintain our recommended amount of daily exercise.
But that shouldn’t stop you, it should motivate you. There are countless cases of people starting their karate journey in their 40s, 50s, 60s and later, with zero experience under their white belt, who reach black belt status in a handful of years. Many seniors in their 70s and 80s are picking up karate as a powerful hobby, yanking back control of their physical health and quality of life.
Karate, like most proper forms of regular exercise, helps to slow down the aging process. Instead of remaining complacent and spending every evening on the couch, you could be increasing your strength, your balance, your concentration, your bone density, your metabolism, your motor function, and your flexibility. You could be losing weight, lowering your risks for diseases and life-impairing health issues, sleeping better at night, sharpening your reflexes and coordination, while maintaining enough energy to keep up with your children or grandchildren (or great grandchildren!).
It’s no secret that routine exercise is vital to counteract serious health issues often stemming from the sedentary lifestyle middle-aged and senior Americans commonly fall into. Karate offers a well-balanced mix of yoga, cardio, strength training, stretching, pilates, meditation, and more, giving you a chance to fight back and take charge of your own health, all while having fun. Little by little, even the oldest students’ bodies begin to transform, providing them with a higher quality of life.
The karate dojo also solves another obstacle adults stumble into when starting a new exercise program: boredom. Whereas more common forms of exercise can lose people with their mundane routines, karate is exciting, constantly evolving, and invigorating.
In addition to the physical benefits, the minds of adults and seniors benefit enormously from learning and practicing a new skill. Working memory is stimulated, moods are boosted, and cognitive development is improved.
Just like the body, the brain also needs exercise in order to stay healthy.
Independence,
Confidence & Inner Peace
The well-rounded regimen of physical and mental challenges that karate provides can help an aging adult regain or maintain their independence, something people too often take for granted. A sense of independence can be very empowering, even more so when tacked on with a higher self-esteem, greater confidence, and a new assurance that one could defend themselves should the need arise. Fortunately, all of these things are fostered and available to you, right inside your local karate dojo.
Every day, karate students of all ages exceed their own expectations of what their bodies and minds can do for them. More powerful than a hobby (although, it certainly IS fun), karate continuously encourages its practitioners to bring together mind, body, and spirit.
Physical fitness, meditation, and mindfulness all come together at every session, leaving you with a greater sense of self. The only way to ensure you’ll be able to take care of yourself in the future, is to take care of yourself today.
Widened Social Circle & Support
At a phase in life where making meaningful connections happens less and less often, especially after retirement, building new and lasting friendships becomes a rarity.
The karate dojo is full of people just like you: determined to stay healthy. Regularly exposing yourself to such an environment can be therapeutic. They’ll serve as motivation, support, and even accountability as you embark on your journey together. You will be submersed into a room of peers all hoping to be similarly inspired, all while forming friendships to last a lifetime.
What are You Waiting for?
The “right” age to begin your karate training is a personal choice, but any starting point leads to a life-changing experience. Don’t let a better quality of life become inhibited by doubt or fear. Whatever age you are is the perfect age to begin evolving into the best version of yourself.
“I just got my brown belt this week. I’m 59, and got it in two years to the day from which I started. And what a start; I was at an obese weight, depressed, and scared, but I did it anyway. Lots of sweat, a few broken toes, bumps and fat lips later (I loved it all), I’m absolutely astonished how much fun I’ve had, the friends I’ve made, and the lessons learned. I wasn’t too old. I’m younger now than when I started!”
Step One
Contact Shudo Kan Karate Club today for more information. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have, and help you select the class best for you!
Call 217-787-9092
visit www.shudokankaratespringfield.com/contact or www.facebook.com/shudokankarateclub/
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Shudo Kan Karate Club
217-787-9092
1453 N. Bradfordton Road Springfield, IL 62711
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