Sometimes when I saw people younger than myself in class, particularly someone who I know started taking martial arts as a child, I would think how lucky they were to have begun training their bodies at such a young age. I would reflect on the fact that if I were younger, I too would be a little faster, stronger and more flexible. 

Yet, recently I am realizing there is a flip side to all of that. I think because I did start at an older age (in my thirties), that I did have something working in my favor. I had the maturity to appreciate the practice at a level that I might not if I had joined at a much younger age. I can listen the philosophy behind the martial arts and I am easily able to see it can help me in my everyday life partially because I can draw upon my own pool of experiences. I have had the great fortune to have enough mistakes under my belt that I can step back and see what areas I need to work on in my life.  Those years reveal patterns in my thinking and actions making it easy to clearly what behavior has served me well and what has not.

I have some people at my place of dojang who are many years senior to me in age and let me tell you, every one of them is an inspiration and an example to the rest of us.  I don’t think there is an age where you are too old for martial arts.  I just think the experience you will have will just be different.  No doubt, due to their more advanced age, there are some unique frustrations and bodily limitations, but just think of the wealth of life experience those people can bring into their practice!

If I am ever in need of some martial arts inspiration, I only need to look to those people at my dojang who are practicing in their fifties, sixties and even seventies. I am both humbled and grateful to be practicing with them.