Am I too old to start martial arts?

by | Apr 16, 2018

Learn martial arts at any age

Guest Post by Kerry Kokkinogenis

One of my favorite quotes, from an advanced practitioner of martial arts, is “The white belt is the hardest to earn; mine took 30 years!” Mine took me nearly 40 to earn. Other practitioners start as small children, as older adults, and at every age in between. Every age is a great age to start!

martial arts

As an adult, taking the leap to try something new can be hard. We might look foolish, we might feel not capable. These are feelings we are no longer used to. As much as we know that stepping outside our comfort zone is important, because it is hard, it is still scary. My first martial arts class was all the things we fear. I left feeling embarrassed and shamed? It was years before I tried again.

Taking a first class at Boston Martial Arts Center is comforting and welcoming. I was greeted with a friendly, smiling face. I was told the expectations and given tour of the facility, and then paired with a fellow student for my first few classes. The teachers break down the skills to manageable challenges, and encourage students where they are. Entering into this community of martial artists was easy and gentle. If it hadn’t been for that great beginning, I might have missed out on the last several years of learning and growing.