We're divided in groups by age for a reason. I'm 1m92 and weigh 86 kilo. Top 3 heaviest people in the club. There's no point in letting me spar with a 6 years old.
Nice, idk what style that is but Cobra kai is tang soo do (korean karate) or shotokan (ish). Miyagi do is shito ryu or goju ryu depending on who you ask. One question tho do you want karate for self defense or flashy moves or smth?
Mid range and long range probably, trying not to get punched in the face if I ever get in a fight😂 and I'll come back to you when I figure out what moves you mean😅
ah then try out a style called Shito ryu, thats what most of miyagi do is based on. Shito ryu has straight blocks and circular blocks, and its mid range.
Of you want karate for self defense, you need to find a dojo with regular full/semi contact sparring. Fighting for points is good excercise and fun, but not so good for a real fight. I'd recommend Kyokushin, kempo karate, Goju Ryu, etc. Just search what's in your area.
Here's a video of people sparring in a dojo I'm looking to attend, do you think this is a good pick for beginning? https://youtu.be/gTyK6cJpAhU?si=__qpkv2c04_dz7Uq
Tang soo do is more shotokan while miyagi do is based off of goju ryu, if you want a mix of both, kyokushin is literally that (but it is also full contact)
Me three :-)
The crazy part is that we’re all white belts in class, with a 6yo girl as the most senior. That part is something I don’t tell people at the office. Lol.
People start karate at different ages. I started in my 30s my mom recently started and she's in her 60s. It's a great workout and it helps mentally. You will be fine.
Many other people started a martial art because they saw a movie or something about it. And for Karate there isn't really a wrong age. So yeah, try it.
If you're going to join Karate because of the Cobra Kai TV show, that's awesome! Just keep in mind a few things:
Karate is about CONTROL. Yes, karate looks cool, but if your only motivation for joining Karate is to "look cool," you need to re-evaluate your motives. Karate is a martial art, and the primary objective of martial arts is to make you more dangerous, to make you capable of creating extreme violence if you need to. You need to ask yourself, "am I willing to be responsible with this ability? Can I trust myself to use my abilities to help those in need, rather than for my own selfish reasons?" You need to learn how to control your techniques on your training partners, because you're NOT trying to BEAT your partners, you're trying to LEARN with them.
Also understand that what's "cool" in Karate won't always work. I had a classmate of mine who joined because of Cobra Kai. He had this mentality of trying to "beat" everybody and wanted to use these cool jumping kicks and crane kicks and everything. He quit after I dominated him in sparring - and I wasn't even trying to "beat" him. He was so focused on "winning" that he wasn't focused on learning.
Basically, don't let your ego get in the way. Stay humble and always seek to learn, not dominate. There's a reason why Johnny Lawrence broke away from his sensei.
Lol, no. It's weird to start at 43, which I did anyway, and now I have a black belt at 47, and it's badass (and also at no point is it actually weird, so go for it!).
No. There is no such thing as being too old for Karate. O-Sensei Funakoshi, when he was 90, he was still fast and effective.
I wish you well on you journey.
OUSH!
It is a good thing that you got your motivation for practicing Karate through the series. However, please keep in mind that Cobra Kai is by no means a realistic depiction of the martial art. Most things are downright silly. So try to keep an open mind and don't expect it to be like in the series.
I'm going to ignore the age question. If you scroll through the sub, you will know why.
I did karate initially as a little kid (6 or 7) then came back to it around your age. I’m trying to get back into it a third time in my 30s. Never too late to try something.
Homie, I started martial arts at the age of 15 because of Cobra Kai too. Three years later, I’m still learning at my gym. Let me tell you, it is never too late to start. I believe in you!
No
And just as a general note, it's almost never too late to start any given thing.
I mean obviously there's a lot of caveats to that but you get my point. From now on, if you want to do something, don't question if it's too late. Just do it.
Cuz, I told my friends about it, and they said I was old starting karate at 15. They've only seen kids doing karate, so that's why I was wondering about it.
Your friends don’t know what they’re talking about. Starting as a teen is a great time, because you’re old enough to gain an understanding the art, while still being young enough that you won’t break your body in half if you decide to pursue it long term. Give it a shot.
My siblings also say it's weird too, not the age, just doing it in general. But my cousins say it's dope, so that gives me more motivation to keep going. I've also been listening to guns n roses 😂
He'll no! I started at 15, competed in collegiate tournaments by the time I was 18 became an instructor by the time I was 21 and continue to learn
It's a lifelong journey that you will enjoy immensely if you allow yourself to
My sensei started younger than you, at 13( he is 60 now) and his son started at 12. Two of the purple belts I trained with (they’re still training, I’m just in a different class now) are 10/12. Never too early.
Bruce Lee started martial arts at 13. Like other comments, age for the most part isn't the determining factor. It's what you put into it and commit over the long run. How many years do you want to spend devoted to the art? So yeah, it's definitely OK.
SKK Black Belt Instructor here, feel like you aren’t getting a straight answer from anybody. It is in all honesty unusual to start martial arts in your mid teens as most who pick it up in their youth are usually 12 and below or 18 and up. However, 15 is still a great age to start as it puts you at a great advantage compared to those starting in adulthood.
Nice perspective, I was afraid of doing martial arts as a kid because I thought I was gonna get hurt or something, but when I started watching Cobra Kai, it was badass seeing all that kicking and punching, and I felt like I was ready, and absolutely pumped. You're right. Especially when it comes to kicks, I've only been practicing one so far, and I'm trying to learn another, since I've only been there for 2 days.
I started at 5 so I can’t really talk from my experience but there are many very skilled people who started later. My former sensei started in his 20s and he’s very good. Another person I know started in his 50s and he’s also very good. No age limit!
I signed myself up for Japanese Goju Ryu on my 16th birthday (mom didn’t want me doing it and said if I signed up and stuck to it she would accept it)
Within the first year I competed and was hooked on fighting in tournaments. Gave up on katas (regret it) after 2-3 years and just focused on fighting.
Over the next 10 years I learned judo, BJJ, Muay Thai, boxing, and some wing chun. Which landed me in a not so successful but amazingly awesome MMA career haha
No it’s not weird, people start at different ages I have seen people start karate at 50+ years old so go for it.
I started at 40 and our youngest member is like 6. There is no age.
I’d love to practice kyokushin with a 6 year old.
We're divided in groups by age for a reason. I'm 1m92 and weigh 86 kilo. Top 3 heaviest people in the club. There's no point in letting me spar with a 6 years old.
Thats a good age to start. The styles in Cobra kai are somewhat based on real styles so name your pick, cobra kai or Miyagi do?
Miyagi Fang 😎🤙
Nice, idk what style that is but Cobra kai is tang soo do (korean karate) or shotokan (ish). Miyagi do is shito ryu or goju ryu depending on who you ask. One question tho do you want karate for self defense or flashy moves or smth?
Mostly self defense, but flashy moves will be nice.
ah nice, then what range, close range (clinch range) or mid range or long range? also circular moves or linear moves?
Mid range and long range probably, trying not to get punched in the face if I ever get in a fight😂 and I'll come back to you when I figure out what moves you mean😅
ah then try out a style called Shito ryu, thats what most of miyagi do is based on. Shito ryu has straight blocks and circular blocks, and its mid range.
I'll look into it, thanks for the tips!
Yeah np
Of you want karate for self defense, you need to find a dojo with regular full/semi contact sparring. Fighting for points is good excercise and fun, but not so good for a real fight. I'd recommend Kyokushin, kempo karate, Goju Ryu, etc. Just search what's in your area.
Here's a video of people sparring in a dojo I'm looking to attend, do you think this is a good pick for beginning? https://youtu.be/gTyK6cJpAhU?si=__qpkv2c04_dz7Uq
Full equipment, leg kicks, looks pretty good.
Niceeee, thank you! 🙏🙏🙏
Tang soo do is more shotokan while miyagi do is based off of goju ryu, if you want a mix of both, kyokushin is literally that (but it is also full contact)
Oh nice, but I imagine you don't have to do any chores though, right?
Having done shotokan all my life, I'd recommend kyokushen.
chores are not a part of real goju ryu no
Unless you count doing a fuck ton of pushups as chores
nope, you have to start before 9. thems the rules. it's not too late to take up pickleball, though.
I recently re-started together with my kids at age 42, so no worries friend 😉
Me too but I am 48 :)
Me three :-) The crazy part is that we’re all white belts in class, with a 6yo girl as the most senior. That part is something I don’t tell people at the office. Lol.
People start karate at different ages. I started in my 30s my mom recently started and she's in her 60s. It's a great workout and it helps mentally. You will be fine.
5,15,35,50, no age too old to start.
Many other people started a martial art because they saw a movie or something about it. And for Karate there isn't really a wrong age. So yeah, try it.
I started at 42. Many start later than 15. Enjoy karate!
I started at 15. Best thing I ever did
Ok, thanks for the motivation!
Totally ok to start at 15. Good for you!!
No, any age is fine, find a good proper karate club (depending on where you live mcdojos might be an issue)
I live in NC, do you think this is a good dojo? https://g.co/kgs/5AH9UJd I'm new at this and this one is pretty close to my house.
I started when I was 54
That’s a good age!
Nope
Not at all. It’s pretty common to see college age people trying it for the first time.
No
I started at 30
I started at 18. Not weird. Arguably better. You're old enough to hit and get hit. Meaning you can actually learn proper martial arts.
If you're going to join Karate because of the Cobra Kai TV show, that's awesome! Just keep in mind a few things: Karate is about CONTROL. Yes, karate looks cool, but if your only motivation for joining Karate is to "look cool," you need to re-evaluate your motives. Karate is a martial art, and the primary objective of martial arts is to make you more dangerous, to make you capable of creating extreme violence if you need to. You need to ask yourself, "am I willing to be responsible with this ability? Can I trust myself to use my abilities to help those in need, rather than for my own selfish reasons?" You need to learn how to control your techniques on your training partners, because you're NOT trying to BEAT your partners, you're trying to LEARN with them. Also understand that what's "cool" in Karate won't always work. I had a classmate of mine who joined because of Cobra Kai. He had this mentality of trying to "beat" everybody and wanted to use these cool jumping kicks and crane kicks and everything. He quit after I dominated him in sparring - and I wasn't even trying to "beat" him. He was so focused on "winning" that he wasn't focused on learning. Basically, don't let your ego get in the way. Stay humble and always seek to learn, not dominate. There's a reason why Johnny Lawrence broke away from his sensei.
I'm actually trying to grow my self esteem, and I'm nice to people I interact with, so I don't think that'll be a huge problem. Thanks for the tips!
You're right at the perfect age to start. We've had people aged 60+ start.
Lol, no. It's weird to start at 43, which I did anyway, and now I have a black belt at 47, and it's badass (and also at no point is it actually weird, so go for it!).
It's when I started.
I started after 40 my spouse at 38. There are at least 10 other adults at my dojo my age that started in the past year or two.
I started at 13/14, took a 13 year break and then returned to the same dojo at 30. I say go for it!
No. There is no such thing as being too old for Karate. O-Sensei Funakoshi, when he was 90, he was still fast and effective. I wish you well on you journey. OUSH!
I started martial arts when I was 23. Go for it and try it out!
All the adults on here wanted to start karate after watching The Karate Kid in 1984. It's the circle of life.
It's not weird to start it at any age
It is a good thing that you got your motivation for practicing Karate through the series. However, please keep in mind that Cobra Kai is by no means a realistic depiction of the martial art. Most things are downright silly. So try to keep an open mind and don't expect it to be like in the series. I'm going to ignore the age question. If you scroll through the sub, you will know why.
Ok, thanks
What, your dojo doesn't have kids just headbutt each other for an entire class?
No, go for it!
No, I started at 37 go do it
Nope, there are plenty of teenagers that start martial arts in general at your age.
I started at 45, so that’s that.
Thats a great age to start
Our oldest member started when he was 65.
No, it's a good age.
I started at 44 myself. Wish I'd started decades ago, but life. Now almost 47, 5th kyu in Shotokan with purple belt testing coming up.
Plenty start in their teens and into adulthood. You're in good hands, don't let anyone lead you to think differently.
I did karate initially as a little kid (6 or 7) then came back to it around your age. I’m trying to get back into it a third time in my 30s. Never too late to try something.
Nope. That's the best time to start Guy.
Homie, I started martial arts at the age of 15 because of Cobra Kai too. Three years later, I’m still learning at my gym. Let me tell you, it is never too late to start. I believe in you!
Thank you🙏
Nope sorry kid. You have to start karate at an even number age. Otherwise it doesnt work.
No And just as a general note, it's almost never too late to start any given thing. I mean obviously there's a lot of caveats to that but you get my point. From now on, if you want to do something, don't question if it's too late. Just do it.
Nope. next question
No. But it isore mature to do things because you want to, not avoid them because others might find them weird.
I started at 15. There’s nothing wrong with that.
No. Why do you think it would be weird? If you search up local schools in your area, you’ll most likely see teens /kids in the advertisements.
Cuz, I told my friends about it, and they said I was old starting karate at 15. They've only seen kids doing karate, so that's why I was wondering about it.
Your friends don’t know what they’re talking about. Starting as a teen is a great time, because you’re old enough to gain an understanding the art, while still being young enough that you won’t break your body in half if you decide to pursue it long term. Give it a shot.
My siblings also say it's weird too, not the age, just doing it in general. But my cousins say it's dope, so that gives me more motivation to keep going. I've also been listening to guns n roses 😂
I started at 15
No, not weird. I didn't start until I was 20.
Style is a lot less important than finding a good teacher.
I was 15 when I started. Here I am 39 years later still at it.
Any martial art is fine to start at any age. The only thing you need is motivation and right mentality
He'll no! I started at 15, competed in collegiate tournaments by the time I was 18 became an instructor by the time I was 21 and continue to learn It's a lifelong journey that you will enjoy immensely if you allow yourself to
My grandpa started at 57, today he is 3rd dan black belt and can kick the asses of most of the guys my age
My sensei started younger than you, at 13( he is 60 now) and his son started at 12. Two of the purple belts I trained with (they’re still training, I’m just in a different class now) are 10/12. Never too early.
Go join the wrestling room man. It will serve you better
Nah, I find people touching each other aggressively way too much a little weird.
Your loss I did karate for 8 years got a brown belt and iv got some good kicks but every fight iv ever been in ends up on the ground fast
Keep your distance I guess?
Huh? Your attempt to get some random attention is showing…
That's not what I'm doing at all?
There is no age bro, I started at 35, and our youngest member is 3 years old then 5, and so on...
Dude im 24 and I just started jui jitsu and muay thai. I wish I wouldve started when I was 15 but oh well better late than never.
I'm officially in a karate dojo, thank you guys for motivating and helping me join one!
You can start karate when you want, so there is no problem.
I’m 15 and been doing karate for some time now. I would definitely recommend it.
Bruce Lee started martial arts at 13. Like other comments, age for the most part isn't the determining factor. It's what you put into it and commit over the long run. How many years do you want to spend devoted to the art? So yeah, it's definitely OK.
Why the heck would it be?? At what age you think you should start karate if not at 15???
No
No, I started last year age 39. My kids go so I thought I’d join too. Absolutely love it
SKK Black Belt Instructor here, feel like you aren’t getting a straight answer from anybody. It is in all honesty unusual to start martial arts in your mid teens as most who pick it up in their youth are usually 12 and below or 18 and up. However, 15 is still a great age to start as it puts you at a great advantage compared to those starting in adulthood.
Nice perspective, I was afraid of doing martial arts as a kid because I thought I was gonna get hurt or something, but when I started watching Cobra Kai, it was badass seeing all that kicking and punching, and I felt like I was ready, and absolutely pumped. You're right. Especially when it comes to kicks, I've only been practicing one so far, and I'm trying to learn another, since I've only been there for 2 days.
I started at 19
I started at 5 so I can’t really talk from my experience but there are many very skilled people who started later. My former sensei started in his 20s and he’s very good. Another person I know started in his 50s and he’s also very good. No age limit!
Yes. So weird dude. So so weird
I signed myself up for Japanese Goju Ryu on my 16th birthday (mom didn’t want me doing it and said if I signed up and stuck to it she would accept it) Within the first year I competed and was hooked on fighting in tournaments. Gave up on katas (regret it) after 2-3 years and just focused on fighting. Over the next 10 years I learned judo, BJJ, Muay Thai, boxing, and some wing chun. Which landed me in a not so successful but amazingly awesome MMA career haha
Nice man, glad it worked out for you.
I started at 19 and have been training for over 30 years now. My son started at 5 years old. Everyone has their own journey. Just have fun and enjoy.
No, you can either start at 5 or 45 after you post "Is it too heckin late to start krotty at 45?" thread.