Most martial arts lovers have seen pictures and footage of a kid almost Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan dramatically learning some new kung fu moves from some masters in a secluded mountainous area hidden in Asia. Although it is probably true, that the earlier you start, the better, but surely there is a certain age below which it would be ridiculous to start. A young child will not understand anything about karate, will not be able to perform the moves, and may get injured in the process. In today’s article, we want to answer the very important question “What is the right age to start karate?”.
Although it cannot be pinpointed precisely, the general consensus on the best age to start karate is 6. At this age, children are still very quick to learn but have already developed some basic skills needed for successful training.
However, most karate instructors will tell you, the best age to start learning is two years ago, and the second best age is now. It’s never too late to start training, but for the majority of this article, we’ll focus on kids. Read on if you’re thinking of enrolling your child (or maybe yourself) for karate classes to find out more!
What is the best age to start karate?
As with any other skill, the best time to start is childhood. This is when our minds are registering at top speed when it comes to any learning function, may it be a language or other cognitive skill or any type of motor activity. This is precisely why it is the age at which children start going to school all over the world, for example. It is believed that the ideal place for children to learn is around 5-7 years of age. The reason for this: By this time, children usually develop a basic sense of morality and how to use this in life (eg not to bite and fight other children), how to stay still and quiet for long periods of time, and how to understand somewhat more complex ideas that It will be explained in karate, etc.
Physiology is also developed enough to start learning some basic movements and slowly but surely increase the intensity as the children grow. Some people argue that the best age to start learning karate is in the late teens and early twenties. The reason, they say, is that karate is an impact-based sport/martial art, and that’s the age when you can start trying these kinds of things with less potential for injury (such as a concussion from an accidental head kick). if you hit, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine It has long been used to treat martial arts injuries by reducing pain and inflammation, increasing range of motion, and improving recovery time.
However, there is a compelling argument to be made on the other side: children are not supposed to learn the same type of karate as adults or even teenagers. There have been studies that have shown how karate training from an early age is really beneficial for young children (more on that later), but even if not in different ways, it is ideal for learning basic techniques, techniques and movements.
Knowledge grows with the child, causing his body to grow in such a way that he is able to perform all the techniques with ease. This concept of gradually increasing intensity but starting early has a high success rate and is almost universally accepted as the optimal way to learn karate.
Although childhood is the best age, what are other good ages to start? Well, as mentioned, any time you feel like starting is absolutely the perfect time to start, no matter what your age. However, there are many times when a training habit can be implemented more easily and so is the fitness part of the story.
The best time to start learning after childhood is in adolescence, when the individual is a teenager. The reason for this is that they are still new and quick to learn with the potential for no developing diseases or joint or muscle problems, and they are able to adapt to it in their own time. The problem with starting karate at the age of 25-35 or 40 is very simple: this age group is usually the most career-oriented and ambitious.
They hardly have time for their kids in today’s world, let alone karate lessons. This is another argument on the part of teenagers who start karate. They don’t have jobs to work and families to take care of, they have a school to go to and that’s basically it. They have more than enough time to attend karate training, which can also be helpful in developing confidence in children so that they can stand up to potential bullies.
In short, the optimal age to start karate is between 5-20. Quite simply, you have the time and energy, so why not? It is possible to start karate (or any martial arts for that matter) later in life, but due to health and professional reasons, most people do not stick to a fixed habit of karate training, which will lead to loss from the hobby.
Is karate good for children?
Karate is actually excellent for kids. We are not talking about children from 2 to 3 years old, we are talking about children from 3 to 10 years old. Karate and other martial arts remain among the most beneficial activities that you can enroll your child in without a doubt. It has been found that even 3-4 year olds have cognitive improvement and increase in motor function later in life from learning karate.
The presence of multiple authority figures within a community or smaller community is also said to increase gratitude and a sense of belonging in a child. This has very positive effects on general mental outlook as well as social skills and the ability to respect and relate to others.
From a physiological perspective, karate is also great for children. It combines stretching, strength training, cardio and agility training to bring out the best fighter possible from within each person. All these things are good not only for improving the physical fitness of the child but also for improving the mental fitness. They will learn how to sit and listen, how to adjust themselves, and deal with pain on their own.
Karate is an amazingly beneficial activity for kids, so if you have a younger kid who has a soft spot for Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee, take a look at the karate training centers nearby.
Here is our full article on karate for kids. Be sure to check it out if you want to enroll your child in a class.
What are the benefits of karate?
Karate has a lot of benefits, both in terms of health and in terms of facilities. When the term karate is uttered, many people immediately imagine the scene of a locker room bully trying to push the short kid against lockers to intimidate him, only to be knocked out by a spinning jump kick.
These fantasies are mostly unrealistic, the general picture or message that karate can help you defend yourself is not a lie. In the most popular form of karate, you learn how to hit, kick and block correctly. How to have a strong stance and how to make the most of all your strength, which definitely helps in any street situation.
To elaborate on the health aspect, Karate improves cardiovascular health by providing a cardio workout, increases muscle strength and usually size, reduces body mass index, and makes kids more agile and quick as well. There are so many health benefits of karate, that once you know about it, it becomes clear how healthy, young and fit all martial artists look.
There are a range of mental benefits to karate training as well. Traditional forms of Karate use several types of breathing techniques to calm one’s mind and learn to focus. For hyperactive children in particular, but for any child as well, it can be very beneficial if they have a passion like karate that they enjoy and love, but that also teaches and controls them.
They are able to throw all their energy out in one karate class and come home feeling more relaxed and confident as well, which can actually help in dealing with hyperactivity. Apart from reducing hyperactivity and promoting relaxation and calmness, it also helps with patience, especially in children. They must learn how to sit still and listen to the teacher or coach, which increases focus and tolerance for discomfort, all of which the child will be happy to have later on.
Karate is a great sport and martial art, which improves the cognitive and physiological processes of children and adults in a way that no other activity can do except maybe different types of martial arts. If all the benefits sound good to you, consider enrolling your child in these classes, because neither you nor them will regret it, or maybe you will enroll yourself.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with older people trying to find another hobby, and why wouldn’t that hobby be something they can also use to protect themselves and their children.
If you are wondering which martial arts you should choose. Take a look at our article on choosing the right martial arts to get you started.