Age Gap

[EmrldWepn]

In the studio I study, there seems to be an age gap from the teenagers up to the adults. I'm 25 and the next oldest is probably early thirties and the next youngest is 19. I know a couple pairs of the students are mother-son, so you'll naturally have give or take around 20 years difference there. I just thought it was.. not odd, but interesting that I was the only one in their 20's of all the people that study there that Ive seen atleast. Has anyone else noticed a similar age gap in the students where they study?

[Sohan]

We seemed to have a dearth of twenty-somethings until recently. All of our latest white belts are twenty-ish. It comes and goes. Our black belts are all over 40, save for one.

With respect,

Sohan

[niel0092]

I chalk it it to many people in that age group being either in or just out of college. There's usually not a ton of extra cash flow to spend on MA in your 20's. Also alot of those peope could be focussing on careers, starting a family, etc.

Edited May 2, 2006 by niel0092

[Fairfax_Uechi]

In our dojo we have a large group of children under 12. Most of our adults are late 20's or older, and the number of teens to late 20's can be counted on one hand.

[Sohan]

When I swam on the Masters team here I noticed that by far the largest age group was Men 40-44. They have more disposable income and more time to train, not to mention they are going through the midlife issue--major motivation.

Respectfully,

Sohan

[MartialArthur]

The 19 - 30 age group is almost non-existent in my school. Here is what I see: All of the 18 and under students' fees are paid for by mom or dad. All of the adults pay their own way.

I guess there is a gap in time between when someone's MA training is free and when it is worth paying for.

..

[Whitefeather]

It seems, to me at least, that , unless one is devoted heartily, life kinda displaces martial arts when one enters those beloved mid-twenties. I think it is the whole new job-wife-kids-life thing.

David

Edited May 3, 2006 by Whitefeather

[Kieran-Lilith]

We have the kiddies, who are 6-14 (at oldest, I think). Then we have the teens, who are 16-17 (there's only 4-5 of us). Then we have adults, who are anywhere from 20-ish to...actually, I don't know. I think 50-ish.

Hm. I suppose, looking at it that way, we really don't have a huge age gap.

Oh, and MartialArthur, there is a very small population of non-adults who pay their own way. Some of us don't have the luxury of parents who paid for their training...nooo, Mom and Dad made me get a job, of all things...ah well. It's worth it.

[daizyblackbelt]

there does seem to be a certain lack of 20-30 year olds in my dojo as well

oodles and oodles of kids under 18, plently of adults older than 30.

our black belts represent an interesting cross-section though, a fair number of kids between 16-20 (myself included) and plenty that are older. i suppose that EVENTUALLY we'll have some people to fill in that gap

[GOM]

We are in the same boat - bucketload of new kids up to around 16, and not many between 17 - 25.

Although we still do have quite a few 17 - 25, but they have generally been training since they were young.