buddah_belly
Yellow Belt
But I'm old and fat. Well not really old...33. I used to do Aikido and Kung Fu but my teacher vanished. The only school in town teaches TKD and Danzan Ryu which I'm also looking into. Am I waiting too late to start?
Thinking of Taking up TKD
- Thread starter buddah_belly
- Start date
You're far from too old. Get out there and train!
Well, 33 is not old. Have you been to the school, yet? It's not too late to start. Go to the school & watch a class. Ask lots of questions of the instructor. If the school is worth your money & time, start out slowly. No need to rush or get hurt.
All the best!
FearlessFreep
Senior Master
I started at 35, 210....
OP
OP
buddah_belly
Yellow Belt
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to watch a class tonight. Anything special I should be asking that I'm not thinking of?
igillman
Purple Belt
I started last year at 36 and having never done martial arts before. I lost 10 Lbs in the first month or two and my knees stopped hurting. I am not sure what questions to ask but I do have some advice for the first month or two.
I spent one week before I started in our basement for 30 minutes every night running around and jumping to try and get somewhat back in shape. I didn't push myself too hard but I did break a sweat.
For the first few weeks I was not afraid to drop out of the aerobic part of the class when it got too much for me. Gradually, over the course of a few weeks, I dropped out of the running,jumping etc... later and later and now I do not drop out at all.
Flexibility is probably going to be an issue for a while. Do not let it stop you. I cannot kick above my shoulder and it has taken me 6 months to get that high.
I think that the most important thing to do is to accept your good points and your bad points and to have fun
I spent one week before I started in our basement for 30 minutes every night running around and jumping to try and get somewhat back in shape. I didn't push myself too hard but I did break a sweat.
For the first few weeks I was not afraid to drop out of the aerobic part of the class when it got too much for me. Gradually, over the course of a few weeks, I dropped out of the running,jumping etc... later and later and now I do not drop out at all.
Flexibility is probably going to be an issue for a while. Do not let it stop you. I cannot kick above my shoulder and it has taken me 6 months to get that high.
I think that the most important thing to do is to accept your good points and your bad points and to have fun
ArmorOfGod
Senior Master
The main things you should ask about is payment issues. Are they charging $100 per month? Do they make you sign a payment contract? Are there hidden fees such as associational dues, belt testing free, promotion fees, extra program fees, etc.
I am not putting down any school that charges that much, but I am putting down schools that keep the prices hidden until the last minute. They need to be up front with you about everything.
There is a local school that is wonderful advertising for me. I have had three families call me with the same story. That other schools gives a week or so of free lessons and the kids have a great time (that school is great with kids). Then after the kids are pumped up and have been in it for a week or two, they tell the parents it is $110 per month per student with yearly contracts. Then they call me and I am charges around $30 per month and I get new students.
If they are too pricey, call your local YMCA's and community centers. Very often there are old and well-established schools "hiding" there. By hiding I mean they wouldn't come up in the Yellow Pages or a websearch. Many of those charge around $50 per month with no fees and no contracts.
Also, keep an eye out for "baby black belts." If you see any 4 or 5 year olds running around with a black belt on, run for the hills.
Make sure an instructor is teaching and not a young student, such as an orange belt. Classes need to be taught by black or maybe brown belts.
Good luck and keep us posted.
AoG
I am not putting down any school that charges that much, but I am putting down schools that keep the prices hidden until the last minute. They need to be up front with you about everything.
There is a local school that is wonderful advertising for me. I have had three families call me with the same story. That other schools gives a week or so of free lessons and the kids have a great time (that school is great with kids). Then after the kids are pumped up and have been in it for a week or two, they tell the parents it is $110 per month per student with yearly contracts. Then they call me and I am charges around $30 per month and I get new students.
If they are too pricey, call your local YMCA's and community centers. Very often there are old and well-established schools "hiding" there. By hiding I mean they wouldn't come up in the Yellow Pages or a websearch. Many of those charge around $50 per month with no fees and no contracts.
Also, keep an eye out for "baby black belts." If you see any 4 or 5 year olds running around with a black belt on, run for the hills.
Make sure an instructor is teaching and not a young student, such as an orange belt. Classes need to be taught by black or maybe brown belts.
Good luck and keep us posted.
AoG
ArmorOfGod
Senior Master
As for which style to pick, don't even bother asking. You should always just pick the one that feels right and makes you happy, regardless of what people say about that martial arts style.
You should heed what people say about an individual instructor, but not so much about the style.
AoG
You should heed what people say about an individual instructor, but not so much about the style.
AoG
igillman
Purple Belt
As well as cost also look into how many times per week you can show up. Our place charges $100 per month but I can come as often as I like. They have classes at 5pm and 6pm every weeknight and 7pm a couple of times a week, they also have Saturday classes. That fits me perfectly because I like to go 3 times a week and I can fit it in around my work schedule. There is another place in town that charges about $35 per month but they only have 1 class per week. My work schedule means that I cannot guarantee to be available on the night they have TKD.
OP
OP
buddah_belly
Yellow Belt
Hey everybody...thanks for the input. I have to admit...this is certainly not what I expected it to be. I figured it would be flashy or sport, but this dude pretty much teaches combat/defense stuff. Real fighting which is cool. I'm pretty excited. He also teaches Danzan Ryu Jujitsu with a little BJJ thrown in for fun so even in his TKD class he teaches about how to handle it if a fight goes to the ground. We rolled a little tonight and man I'll be sore tomorrow. It's kinda cool because I'm a little familiar with some of the kicks from my previous kung fu experience. Anyway...I just wanted to say thanks!!
colinmatchett
White Belt
I say go for it! I recently started training in WTF taekwondo with my boys after a 15 year layoff from karate which I studied from '85-'91. I am a fairly big guy (6 foot 1 inch) and 250 lbs. I am also 36 years old but I have been jogging regularly for the past two years and I think that was a good "prep" for getting back into training. Our taekwondo classes are very physical and cardiovascular focused and I have been sore after some classes but it is getting better as the weeks pass.
I almost went back to my old karate club but I wanted to give taekwondo a try to see what I could learn. I am enjoying it immensely. taekwondo is different from karate in many ways but it is also similar in many ways. I like learning about the history of taekwondo and learning the taegeuks has been fun too. It has given me and boys something to do together that is a great activity, both mentally and physically. The other thing I like about the taekwondo experience is the instructors. We have two excellent instructors at our school that are very good with the kids. They have also been very open to me and my karate background and have been extremely helpful as I make the transition to taekwondo.
I would recommend that you go to some classes, and if you get a good feeling from the instructor and the training, then go for it!
Good luck with your training!
I almost went back to my old karate club but I wanted to give taekwondo a try to see what I could learn. I am enjoying it immensely. taekwondo is different from karate in many ways but it is also similar in many ways. I like learning about the history of taekwondo and learning the taegeuks has been fun too. It has given me and boys something to do together that is a great activity, both mentally and physically. The other thing I like about the taekwondo experience is the instructors. We have two excellent instructors at our school that are very good with the kids. They have also been very open to me and my karate background and have been extremely helpful as I make the transition to taekwondo.
I would recommend that you go to some classes, and if you get a good feeling from the instructor and the training, then go for it!
Good luck with your training!
newGuy12
Master of Arts
Well, good for you! Don't let any kind of negative thinking get you down. That is not the TKD way, seriously. I was taught that the TKD student aggressively engages the practice, without thinking about negative things. Eventually, the student engages life the same way.
I don't mean to go in to the practice and pull muscles and so forth. No. No. See, if a student gets too winded, then the next run up and down the floor, they will have to lay back a little, but, endurance comes, of course.
Also, please be aware of this -- some of the most special memories that I have had in my life have been when some student joins that does not seem to take to this practice as easily as others.
For example, there was once a woman join who was of a somewhat advanced age (I was in my twenties at the time, and so cannot tell you exactly what age, but I would reckon in the 50's maybe -- certainly not elderly, but not a kid either).
Now, what I say is true -- she did not have any powerful motions at all. Furthermore, she and I were free sparring during a class. Suddenly, she had a very terrible look on her face, she was very frightened. She then told me, "I'm sorry, but I have been physically assaulted, it makes me afraid to do this,....." and so on, she explained this quickly (NO TALKING DURING THE PRACTICE, YOU KNOW!) -- but she quickly told me this.
I told her after the class -- you don't worry about this fear or anything. If you continue to come back here and practice it will help this. She did come back, and I did see that improvement.
So, this is more advanced, she had many troubles that we do not, but yet, she did not give up. This is the TKD way, I am convinced of it. So much of it has to do with the brain, the way that we live, to keep trying and trying.
I myself am 41 and I am not in NEAR the shape that I was earlier in my life, but I will not be denied this joyful practice if I can do anything about it, and I can -- I can go practice, no problem.
I was taught -- always think positive, confidence. It is difficult for me to do, because I am a very negative thinker, but I can do a better job because of this urging. It is important, that is the TKD way of thinking. I must do it!
DustinJolley
Orange Belt
I've been think of taking up Tae Kwon Do for years too. Interesting, isn't it?
K31
Blue Belt
If you start now you'll avoid the inevitable feeling of "I wish I'd done this back when I made that first post on Martialtalk". I think you will find that you will get more responses to your posts if you tell people a little bit about your goals and ask more specific questions. The post you made in the "Introduce yourself" thread for instance is basically asking for information that whole books have been written about. There are many very, very, knowledgeable people that can answer your questions if you can refine them a bit. Welcome.
An annology that my wife uses to motivate her to enter a masters degree program. How long will it take you finish the program? Five years? That's a long time. How old will you be in 5 years? You're going to be 5 years older, anyway! If you apply yourself to the goal you want, you'll be 5 years older having accomplished what you've wanted to do!
We don't get in better shape, learn the Art we want, & accomplish our goals just by wondering what it' would be like.
We don't get in better shape, learn the Art we want, & accomplish our goals just by wondering what it' would be like.
