Am I too old to start Karate?

Am I too old to start Karate

Grandmaster Morio Higaonna Sensei (10th Dan) still training in his 70s

Answer: I have been teaching Karate for 40 years and in that time have taught beginners from 5 years to 65 years (Jim P who was a member of the first ever Gym/Health Club in Perth, suffered several strokes but said Karate kept him alive). Presently we only take students from 10 years and up, as we are holding adults classes. I find many people have done some Martial Arts in younger years and are quite surprised how quickly it all comes back to them.

With advanced age, everyone may find one or another technique harder or impossible to perform. Let this not deter you.  Karate is a martial art, and as such it is self-defense system, not a display of superhuman ability and athleticism.  There is no shame in not being able to pull off a triple spinning flip kick. Chances are that in a real situation a simple front kick would have been the better option anyway.

All the benefits of Karate in terms of self defense skills and improved health still apply, regardless at which age you start.  With increased maturity you will also be in a better situation to judge what exactly you want to gain from Karate training, and will be able to focus on that in our classes – this way you’ll gain maximum enjoyment and benefit from Karate training, regardless of your age.