Martia arts at 18

[Bruce WillPete7]

Is it possible to be a great martial artists at such a late age? I know i may be looking at this from a negative view but i look at young kids who start out at 5-6 at MA (from Shaolin to XMA) and i get a little discouraged. I hear that almost everything is greater when you learn it as a kid and sorta adapted to that saying.

Dont worry im not going to stop in my training in hopes of being "great" (not for fame or fortune) but more along the lines of self greatness. Just looking for other peoples opinions.

[Adonis]

Its all in the mind. If you ever watch UFC (Ultimate Fighting Champion ships) there is a guy named randy courture who was heavy weight champion lost it and then regained it later on, then lost it agian. Dropped down to Light heavy weight and won the belt. Lost it and regained it again to only lose it. He is 40+ years old now and did things at his age that most people in MMA would consider ifor a guy at his age to be retired from the sport or consider then washed up but he still achieved greatness.

Alot of it is in the mind. If you want to go for shaolin (wushu Is what I think you mean) or XMA go for it. You just got to apply your self and when times are hard and you feel like you want to quit. which you will, but don't do it. Ajust your training keep striving for perfection and you will reach your goals as far as what you want to do for XMA or shaolin stuff.

your 18 years old right? It's a young age and you can still do alot of stuff just got to apply your self and train for it.

[fallen_milkman]

Eighteen is young. I am 20, and I too sometimes feel that is a long freaking time on this Earth, but think about it. We're about 1/4 of the way done with living by normal life span. That gives us 3/4 of the way to learn and grow with martial arts or whatever else we want to pursue.

You have plenty of time to learn any art you wish.

[parkerlineage]

I wouldn't sweat it, if I were you. I'm one of those that started when I was six, but I've seen a lot of very skilled martial artists that started when they were much older. Heck, one of the best people in my class started at mid-late 50s, and two were in their 40s.

It's never too late.

Okay, maybe if you're in a rest home, it's too late.

Peace;

parkerlineage

[Martial_Artist]

Go for it. You only limit yourself when you think that way. True, there are advantages to starting in infancy, but none that you seemed to be concerned with. Your personal greatness is your personal challenge. What age you start at is almost irrelevant.

[zerohour]

In my opinion, you're probably better off starting at 18 than at a very young age (like 5 or 6). At 18, you most likely have the self discipline and motivation to get the most out of martial arts training. A lot of younger kids that start training where I train tend to lose interest, or quit because they don't like pushups, or they fail a grading, etc... An adult will realise that they have to put in the hard work to see results, and every pushup is a step towards a stronger and healthier body. I took up martial arts when i was about 11, and didn't stay with it for long. I started again at a different dojo last year at 22 years of age, and it's been a whole different story.

Also, Karate25's example of UFC fighter Randy Couture is an excellent one. I read an interview of Randy Couture, and if I remember correctly, when he started training for UFC he only had wrestling experience - no striking whatsoever. Plus, he had never taken a hit. So see what there is in your area, and stick with the dojo you like best - the training environment is as important as the style, in my opinion.

[jedimc]

I started young (learning karate) but left a few months later because I had a hard time getting to yellow belt and learning the terminology I only started again when I was about 15 (doing karate but now I do Aikido) now im 17.

[G95champ]

Im 27 now. I started training in 1993 so I guess I was 15 then. I made my black belt in 96 I was 18 I guess at the time. When I was about 21 I could do more than I can now because of a torn hamstring that has limited my flexability but I am a MUCH better martial artist today than I was then. As far as that goes I can look at where I am right now and where I was this time last year and tell a huge differance in my progression.

This entire line of thought goes hand in hand with my thoughts on kid black belts. (I don't like it) There is just so much to understand mentally that IMO required you to be one older but two you have to have exp.

The human body is prob. in its prime between 18 and 32. But like the guys said about the UFC's most of those guys who do really well are mid 30's.

[Muaythaiboxer]

i started really young but ithat really wont matter much, its how much you put into it if you put in nothing you will get nothing that is why is guess i have gotten this far i always put i 100%

[Sam]

it wont make a big difference - think about it..... when ur 50 youll have been training 32 years compared to 45 years - proportionately there not a huge difference.