Why do we get so many folks asking if they are too old to begin training?

The simple answer is that they're too lazy to search previous Q&A. If they did, they wouldn't ask.

But the detail to your question suggests you're wondering why they're WONDERING, and not so much why they're ASKING. Some of these folks ask in exasperation from visiting schools and seeing nothing but kids flinging themselves around. They don't want to train with kids. Either they're serious about what they want, but can't find it; or they just don't want to hurt them.

In this case, it's not laziness, but rather, the sign of the times: most of the schools I belong to have huge kid populations, with adults making up less than 1% of the classes in a few cases. Why? Unaware adults have this preconceived notion that it's all acrobatics (thank you, Hollywood), or that it's bloody fights to the death (thank you, UFC), or that you've got to have the stamina of a mustang (thank you, Olympic Taekwondo), or that they'd end up being taught by someone old enough to be their grandchild who can't possibly know anything about older people's psyche or physiology (thank you, McDojos). Have you ever seen a website or a poster advertising karate or taekwondo that doesn't feature a grandmaster standing behind a girl gumby? Or maybe a more mature photo of a person, also a gumby, doing a high kick or a split?

One school nearby me caters ONLY to children: adults would need a separate class that they cannot accomodate. They've got kid classes from 3pm until 9pm monday through friday. Yeah: 9pm.

There's a nearby YMCA that teaches an extracurricular taekwondo class. It's a joke! The class begins by everyone moving the pre-k-a$$-sized chairs to the side of the room, then moving their still-wet fingerpainting over to the corner (hoping not to get any Elmer's glue and paint on their doboks).

It is no wonder adults who don't know better are scratching their heads, wondering "did I miss the boat?"

What they need is a boiler plate message that reads something along the lines, "You are not too old to start", or a sign outside that says "No se habla children". Unfortunately, such a thing doesn't exist, so they do the next best thing: skip the research and go right to the asking.

Byron, you hit the nail on the head. In the 1960's you never heard anyone under about 50 ask if they were to old to study the martial arts. Some of the best student I have ever trained or seen started their training in their late 20's. some were even older. One of my past students began his training in his 50's. He became a certified instructor under me in his 60's.

With all the five year olds wearing black belts the kids that are barely mature enough to pay attention and really learn think they missed the boat. There were no children black belts in the U.S.A in the 1960's. That was because children were not allowed to train at all. Commercialism and the desire to make lots of money is responsible for the farce that martial arts is in most martial arts schools. It is not wonder that many people thing that Karate, Taekwondo and some other arts don't work for self-defense. It is up to the old timers that learned the real stuff, before this trash surfaced to show others what the martial arts really are.

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I Agree with you and pugpaws2. I have found that often older students are by far the best students, but most modern people seem to think of karate as a "diversion" for their kids, read glorified daycare.

I wholeheartedly agree that martial art can be for anyone, and have started successful students in their 50s. True, they won't win a UFC belt or title, but they sure can defend if needed, and the whole experience should be a good one, no matter your age. In my opinion, if you never had martial art training before, the very best day to begin is today! No matter your age.

My dogs are very happy right now. I just came back from the store with more food. 8D My dogs do not compete anymore. Yes, Koda just learned how to weave in and out between my legs smoothly without a treat. She also learned how to jump over my leg without a treat. I taught her to jump through a hoop yesterday if that's interesting at all... Nope. No more dogs for awhile. Lol. I think 5 is good for now. My dogs are totally happy and majorly healthy. I did use a leash in the beginning with 4 or the 5 dogs that I currently have. I did not use the on-lead method at first with Max. I just used a regular thick-material collars. I spent about 2 weeks of on-leash training before I was completely confident off-leash. My dogs are not registered. I have competed in a few agility trials. My dogs that are no longer with us 8*( won BiS in a couple...but still not registered.

i think that most people have this illusion that to train in martial ats, you need to start at a young age and continue until you are older. I also know that most teenagers are drifting more toward Mixed Martial Arts rather than study karate or judo or kung fu.

Even at that let's take older than 60, systems such as paqua, tai-chi-chuan, and hsing-I boxing has something to offer. A good internal teacher has a lot to offer in respects of the ageing populace.

These people are new to these sports and life styles, so they want to be sure that it isn't to late for them. Its ok for them to ask, even if it does get a little annoying seeing 10 people ask the same question every day. We should be tolerant to these people asking because they just want to know. Thats what Yahoo Answers is for.

I agree, but a lot of people don't know that.