how old were you when you started in MA

stone_dragone

Senior Master
MT Mentor
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
2,507
Reaction score
40
Location
Sunny San Antonio, TX
I started on the first Tuesday in March, 1994 at the age of 15 and some change.

I wanted to start around age 7 or 8, but it took a while to get my folks to buy into the idea. In retrospect, I wish that I could have started around late 13 or 14, but not much earlier than that.
 

Big Don

Sr. Grandmaster
Joined
Sep 2, 2007
Messages
10,551
Reaction score
189
Location
Sanger CA
Nine the first time, twenty-three the second time and thirty-two the third time.
Third time is the charm.
 

MJS

Administrator
Staff member
Lifetime Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Messages
30,187
Reaction score
430
Location
Cromwell,CT
and do you wish you would of started earlier ?

:knight2:

How old was I? 12.

Do I wish I started earlier? Nope.

Why? Because there is never any guarantee that I'd be any better than I was when I started.

As I've said before, you'll always have your exceptions to the rule, but from what I've seen during my years of teaching, the majority of young kids that start, simply do not have what it takes to take training seriously. I'm there to teach, not babysit, while Mom uses me for 30 min of playtime for her. IMO, 10-12 yrs of age is the right age.
 

Stac3y

Master Black Belt
Joined
Feb 27, 2009
Messages
1,103
Reaction score
40
38. And yes, I wish (every day) that I had started as a child or teen, before I got so creaky.
 

Miles

Senior Master
Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
2,254
Reaction score
56
Location
Metro-Detroit
Started in 04/75 at age 12. Would have like to have started earlier (maybe around age 10) but it's all good!
 

Xinglu

Black Belt
Joined
Aug 5, 2009
Messages
647
Reaction score
20
Location
California
I started at 7, and nope, I'm glad I started when I did - I took a couple years off a few years ago, and man, I wish I never did that.
 

ATC

Senior Master
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
2,664
Reaction score
70
Location
San Jose
Started at 8 back in 74, Karate. Studied until 12 at a dojo. Then studied under my uncle that was a black belt for some time, maybe 2 years or so. Then continued on my own with friends that also studied or took lessons. Got back into it with a dojang instructor in my 20's, TSD at the time. Studied again for 2 years or so. Then met a Kung Fu guy that taught Wing Chun at a rec center, did a year of that until I met another person that did Chin Naw and learnd a bit of that as well. Took a long break until my mid 30's then got back into it with TKD. Been doing TKD for just about 10 years now.

Start at an age that was just about right for me.
 

K831

Black Belt
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Messages
595
Reaction score
28
I started at 8

Not sure how seriously I would have taken it if I had started younger, however at 8, I took it seriously.

Wish I hadn't had such a long break, although it wasn't my choice, it sucks to have started young and then lost that time anyways.
 

Stuey

Orange Belt
Joined
Sep 6, 2009
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
I started at about 9 yrs. I think that was about right, although I started my son at Karate at age 5. His maturity of mind will come when it comes, but a little inspiration is never bad.
Being so young I wish my mother had known more about the arts. I started at a right mcdojo. Some self proclaimed 'european grand master' doing tricks tying his hand to a sword and pulling it off without cutting himself. Getting in young is good, but its got to be into the right thing.
 

terryl965

<center><font size="2"><B>Martial Talk Ultimate<BR
MTS Alumni
Joined
Apr 9, 2004
Messages
41,259
Reaction score
340
Location
Grand Prairie Texas
Well I started at age three, not for any real reason except for the fact my father was an instructor. By the way I wish I would have started earlier like before birth just to have had the extra time in.
icon10.gif
 

ATC

Senior Master
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
2,664
Reaction score
70
Location
San Jose
Well I started at age three, not for any real reason except for the fact my father was an instructor. By the way I wish I would have started earlier like before birth just to have had the extra time in.
icon10.gif
Yeah that 3 years and 9 months of time was just a waste!!!:asian:
 

chrispillertkd

Senior Master
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
2,096
Reaction score
107
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
I started in early 1981 when I was 10. I trained for several months and promoted to 9th gup in Taekwon-Do. Shortly after my promotion I quit. The training at my instructors' school was broken down by rank but nt by age so you had junior members doing the same stuff as adults (except for breaking, of course). The training was pretty tough and at that age I was not thrilled to be doing it.

I went back to the same school in 1986 at age 15 and have been training steadily ever since. I was much better suite to training when I returned being older and more mature. Even though I am no longer in my home town I still train with my instructor whenever possible at his school and through private lessons.

Pax,

Chris
 

Blindside

Grandmaster
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2001
Messages
5,175
Reaction score
849
Location
Kennewick, WA
Started at 12, lasted for a couple years until high school distractions kicked in.

Restarted at 18 my freshman year in college, and found that karate was taking a serious third seat to schoolwork and parties.

Restarted at 24, and as someone said, the third time was the charm.
 
Top