I'm 25 and have been training in TKD for 10 years. I'm a second degree black belt and noticed the changes in students I've trained with over the years. Many leave to new adventures in life . The adult black belt class I attend has mostly teenagers (13-17). I'm feeling awkward because I'm the oldest student in class. Does anyone else have an opinion to add.
Adult Taekwondo
- Thread starter danielle
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Grab a cane. Or a walker. Maybe a wheelchair.
MA tends to attract kids. Lots of kids. Kids who grow up, move on, discover other interests. And a few people who stick with it for life. That's just how it is.
MA tends to attract kids. Lots of kids. Kids who grow up, move on, discover other interests. And a few people who stick with it for life. That's just how it is.
eh, it happens. Most schools dont have enough students to bother splitting. Adults usually work with Adults at some point anyways, even if they have to help the kids first.
Its difficult for many adults to train. Many schools don't lose Adult students because the student wasnt happy, but just because theyve lost the drive, or its too hard to find the time, etc. Martial Arts are a huge commitment, expecially when you already have other obligations.
If someone wants to be there, they will be.
Many times, the 16-20 years are the ones to look out for. Brimming with youth and testosterone and pride! Honestly, it could be worse. More adults will come. Some will stay, some will leave. It happens in all Training halls and gyms and theres nothing anyone can do about it
Its difficult for many adults to train. Many schools don't lose Adult students because the student wasnt happy, but just because theyve lost the drive, or its too hard to find the time, etc. Martial Arts are a huge commitment, expecially when you already have other obligations.
If someone wants to be there, they will be.
Many times, the 16-20 years are the ones to look out for. Brimming with youth and testosterone and pride! Honestly, it could be worse. More adults will come. Some will stay, some will leave. It happens in all Training halls and gyms and theres nothing anyone can do about it
Manny
Senior Master
I'm 47 and been inside TKD for about 30 years, the adult class consit two moms a 40 years blue belt and the rest is teenagers, and yes I feel awkward because I'm the oldest in class, so go figure you are only 25!
Been a black belt is not an easy task, not everyone make it and most of the shodans quit tkd one or two years afther their bb test, there are many few who stick with TKD these days, for example I had wonderfull competitors fellows but they quit TKD many years ago, I was an average student but with fire inside me and a very true love for TKD and MA and even I was off tkd for nearly 12 years I get back to it. There are some times I just want to trow the towell and do something else or just rest and have fun with my family but alwasy return to dojang for TKD.
Keep going, you are in such a wonderfull age to scalate in the dan ladder and learning good stuff, over the years you will be a cleaver TKDoing.
Manny
Age 54 here (having returned to taekwondo after a decades-long break). I'm always trying to get more adults to take class at the school I attend. Our adult/teen class is mostly teens. During some months, I'll be lucky and have 4-5 adults taking class with us, but more lately it's just been me or maybe me and one other adult in a gaggle of teens. I don't mind the embarrassment though, largely because I'm doing this with my 7 year old son (but when he and I take class together of course, we attend the All Belts class, not the Adults/Teen class - then I'm often the only adult).
For me the most embarrassing parts weren't class, they were the color-belt tests/ceremonies with my son. Often it would be me and maybe one other adult in a sea of 40 children taking the test or attending the ceremony. You can't help but stand out when you're a short stubby old man sitting on the floor in a sea of children, testing for (way back then) 5th gup. That having been said, so many parents have come up to me after and said, "I think it's so cool that you're doing this with your child. I could never do that of course, I'm too (whatever excuse: old, non-athletic, easily embarrassed, non-limber, whatever...feh, excuses!) but I think it's so cool that you do." So I don't focus on the embarrassment part, I focus on the fact that people view me...the adult...as a role model. Even a lot of the children will confess to me that they wish their parents would take class with them. So many of the little chatterboxes want to just talk to me all the time too; I don't know, I think it makes the children feel like they're doing something cooler because they see it's something a grownup would do too, so they want to connect with me more?
My thinking is that as a 25 year old taking classes with mostly teens, you're sending a message to the teens -- and even the children -- in your school that it's not uncool to keep doing taekwondo as an adult. They don't have to quit when they turn 17, they can keep going into adulthood. Or looking at it another way, leaders almost always stand out...and standing out is almost always embarrassing. That's one reason why most people shy away from being leaders: they don't like being the person who stands up first, or speaks up first...that and the fact that leadership is usually more work too.
Personally, I think it's a badge of honor that you're there by yourself as an adult. That having been said...I sure do like it when more adults show up to my class! (And as an aside, I wish I would have kept going in taekwondo long ago, rather than taking a break. Originally I was diverted by a Ph.D., but still, looking back...could I have not found time for both? I wonder.)
For me the most embarrassing parts weren't class, they were the color-belt tests/ceremonies with my son. Often it would be me and maybe one other adult in a sea of 40 children taking the test or attending the ceremony. You can't help but stand out when you're a short stubby old man sitting on the floor in a sea of children, testing for (way back then) 5th gup. That having been said, so many parents have come up to me after and said, "I think it's so cool that you're doing this with your child. I could never do that of course, I'm too (whatever excuse: old, non-athletic, easily embarrassed, non-limber, whatever...feh, excuses!) but I think it's so cool that you do." So I don't focus on the embarrassment part, I focus on the fact that people view me...the adult...as a role model. Even a lot of the children will confess to me that they wish their parents would take class with them. So many of the little chatterboxes want to just talk to me all the time too; I don't know, I think it makes the children feel like they're doing something cooler because they see it's something a grownup would do too, so they want to connect with me more?
My thinking is that as a 25 year old taking classes with mostly teens, you're sending a message to the teens -- and even the children -- in your school that it's not uncool to keep doing taekwondo as an adult. They don't have to quit when they turn 17, they can keep going into adulthood. Or looking at it another way, leaders almost always stand out...and standing out is almost always embarrassing. That's one reason why most people shy away from being leaders: they don't like being the person who stands up first, or speaks up first...that and the fact that leadership is usually more work too.
Personally, I think it's a badge of honor that you're there by yourself as an adult. That having been said...I sure do like it when more adults show up to my class! (And as an aside, I wish I would have kept going in taekwondo long ago, rather than taking a break. Originally I was diverted by a Ph.D., but still, looking back...could I have not found time for both? I wonder.)
You ever consider taking another art? You don't have to completely side line your tkd, keep working it and make appearances at your club but try something else too. I've been training FMA for nearly ten years and in that time I've visited many other systems and it's really helped me as a martial artist. I've done 2 years of bjj, nearly 3 years of another form of Eskrima, 6 months at a Kali school, and thus past year starting boxing, all the while I've kept training in my base art. I'd recommend looking into Arnis/Kali/Eskrima it seems to be a natural progression for a lot of martial artists and it is predominately trained by adults. Usually you can find a small informal local club that rents space or trains out of a garage or park. I couldn't imagine where I'd be if id limited myself to only one art for the past ten years. But I've moved a couple of times so has forced me to switch it up.
Flatfish
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Similar to what Jim said above, I am often the only adult in the regular curriculum classes but I go with my kids and couldn't care less what anyone else thinks. The sparring class is mostly teens but some adults as well. I don't mind the teens at all, I am happy to be kicking at something above ankle height.
When we start training there a lot of folks to look up. Instructors, black belts, higher ranks (maybe even a few MA celebrities who make movies that inspire us). Then, over time, black belts move on, maybe we move away or our instructor does, or or celebrity stops making films because his/her body wore out. The old movies aren't quite the same because, now that you've trained awhile, it's tarnished some of the "mystique" those movies had. It's all just not the same. But there is a green belt who likes the way you carry yourself in class, taught her that trick to make her side kick better, and wants to be like you.
Over time, things change. It's what time does to everything. We change too. Sometimes that change is really hard to deal with. But sometimes, we can capitalize on that change to take on a new role. Maybe now is that opportunity for you, danielle ?
Over time, things change. It's what time does to everything. We change too. Sometimes that change is really hard to deal with. But sometimes, we can capitalize on that change to take on a new role. Maybe now is that opportunity for you, danielle ?
Being the oldest in class may seem strange but only if you let it bother you. If you are learning and trying your hardest who really cares if your the oldest. If the youngsters in class start making comments just ignore them and keep doing your best they will soon learn to appreciate your effort.
Yes some of the kicks may be more difficult at your age but learn how to do them as best you can and know how to explain them correctly and have the ability to do them on the ground with the knowledge to say this is when you leave the ground and this is how you should land.
AH Heck just enjoy the journey it is a great experience.
Yes some of the kicks may be more difficult at your age but learn how to do them as best you can and know how to explain them correctly and have the ability to do them on the ground with the knowledge to say this is when you leave the ground and this is how you should land.
AH Heck just enjoy the journey it is a great experience.
To the OP...Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, TKD has become a kids MA. I would would look into another style/system if I were you.
This is completely incorrect. While there are certainly commercial schools that cater to the kiddy crowd, this is a phenomenon not limited to TKD, but one that is common in commercial schools of all flavors.
We don't constantly hear this from people in other MA styles. It seems to be a consistant complaint from adult TKD practioners.
It's a pretty common complaint in Karate too. TKD is the most popular martial art in the world by practitioner, hearing 2 or 3 complaints about a commercial school for every one Karate school is kinda reasonable In that perspective
Have you done much reading on this site?
Have you done much reading on this site?
Here, reddit, and being affiliated with schools from both.
Again, when there's twice as many people training in a art, you're going to hear more people complain. It's just numbers
If spend enough time around gyms occasionally you'll run into gyms who don't have a dedicated kids coach. Seen folks complain about that too because they say it takes time from the adults.
Even sport TKD, where the most general complaints tend to be, has brought in or still has a lot of big names across mutliple venues and no surpise, they're all adults.
I respect your perspective. I'm not a TKD guy, so right or wrong, I can only base my opinion on what I hear from people and read. And I hear and read alot about how TKD is a kids game now. I've also noticed all the little kids in their GI's outside the TKD Dojangs I've driven by. Other styles, not so much, and it's definitely not the case with the styles and systems I am, and have been, training in.
Again, this is another thread among many about this topic. And, I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just not my cup of tea.
I don't see a problem with kids in TKD as long as they are responsible and responsibly trained. They are the future leaders of our art, and I think to truly physically master Taekwondo as an art and become a physical role model, it helps to start as young as possible. The ethical and philosophical can catch up later.
I do prefer adult and children's training to be separate, though. When they are together either the adults or the children are not getting appropriate material.
I do prefer adult and children's training to be separate, though. When they are together either the adults or the children are not getting appropriate material.
I certainly wonder if this issue is more about TKD in the US and how it seems to really market itself to kids. I've been training in Isshin-ryu for 14 years and we emphasize adult self-defense and sparring. Our adult classes are usually about 20 adults between 22 and 60 years old with usually another 5 students between 16 and 22 years old. Also about a fifth of the students are between shodan and yondan so not much problem with BB attrition (we even have several godans who train with us sporadically). We do have kid classes and they seem well attended by kids from 5 - 15 but TKD has always struck me as being more oriented toward kids and usually hardly done by people who are over 30.
I've never seen as many "kid oriented" schools as folks say. In about 5 years of TKD now. I know they're out thefe, and I'll see them on occassion, but everyone Ive sparred at tournament is 16-35. I started at 16 and was the only person under 22 In my age group for 3 years.
In my experience, the folks seeing it as a "kids martial art" either haven't trained or hadomitted exposure i.e. one school.
