r/karate • u/PuzzleheadedCode3876 • Sep 01 '26
Beginner A beginner
Do coaches usually accept teen over 13 as beginners because I feel scared to join others and like fight or something. And I’m scared it’s too late - I just like focusing on my hands and legs and I wanna go on competitions but I’m scared of how my technique is and stuff
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u/Shallans_Veil Sep 01 '26
Oldest white belt in my class is in her 80s, it's never too late in my opinion
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u/electricharmony999 Sep 01 '26
I'm 45 and I started 3 months ago with zero experience and it's been awesome. The Sensei went over basics with me before class starts and everyone in the class has been super helpful. This is the only dojo I've been to but all the students have been very supportive
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u/Pretend-Caramel-3050 Shotokan 1st kyu Sep 01 '26
Excellent! I started at 45 and passed my first Dan on Saturday at 50. Starting is the hard part, now you just keep on going.
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u/electricharmony999 Sep 02 '26
That's awesome, congratulations! I feel like I've really got the ball rolling and I'm really enjoying it
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u/The_Bill_Brasky_ Shorei-Ryu Sep 01 '26
I have had beginners at 8, 12, 20, and 50. There's no wrong time to start. Unless you're like...4 and don't know how hands work just yet
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u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70 Sep 01 '26
EVERYONE starts as beginners, regardless of age.
I've had students who started in their 70s.
And very few traditional martial arts have you doing ANY "fighting" as a beginner, only light, no-contact/low-contact and very tightly controlled sparring.
Training doesn't expect you to arrive ready - training is what makes you ready.
IMHO, you should avoid the "competition focused" "combat sport" schools. Not because competition is bad per se, but because focusing on the competitions can become a detriment to self defense learning - working on skills that only work within "the rules". Competition is good in that it can keep us honest about our ability to make real techniques actually work, and to sharpen skills in a world where we rarely actually need to defend ourselves IRL. But it IS different from actual self defense, even the "low rules" competitions like MMA/UFC.
PLEASE, test out your local dojos and join the one that seems best for you. LOTS of people start as teens, and honestly the people who join as older kids or teens tend to stay longer than the little kids whose parents made them start at 5 or whatever.
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u/krisolov Sep 01 '26
I was 55 when I started training again. Now I am a nidan and teach part time. Age is not a barrier.
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u/urinal_connoisseur TangSooDo Sep 01 '26
I started at 21, still going strong 29 years later. You'll be fine.
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u/Lasergamer4956 Shotokan-Ryu Sep 01 '26
dw man youll be fine. Ive seen people as young as 7 and as old as 60 join as beginners. 13 is still very young and youre never too old to learn something new
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u/CoffeeSudden6060 Sep 01 '26
You are NEVER too old to learn something new! Thirteen is the perfect age to learn something new and most schools will have beginning classes of all ages, so you will NOT feel alone. We all had our first awkward day and we all remember what it is like. The good schools will welcome the new comers and welcome you into their family. Good luck!
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u/Thephan7om Sep 01 '26
I started at 43, Sensei often picks an older adult blackbelt to help teach me rather than me, having to pair with one of the younger people, i appreciate that a lot.
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u/jmrawlins83 Sep 01 '26
I started at 41. There are older people in my class who are my rank and lower. There no such thing as "starting too late."
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u/Evo_Fish Sep 02 '26
Never too late! Give it a try, most schools will give you a free class or two to see if it’s a fit for you.
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u/No_Object_7851 Sep 02 '26
The key element to any martial art is beginning and staying the life long journey. I started at 13 and I would be more afraid of not starting. karate is not a timeline it is a life long journey and each of us is our own master of our own destiny. Cease this opportunity and begin now not later. You will do the work and you will sweat and endure each class, then some day you will develop to the teach and mentor. Stay the course and use martial teaching in all your learning. 60M, 3rd Dan began 1981.
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u/Maxxover Sep 01 '26
Don’t worry, any decent school will introduce you to sparring in steps. Even though that begin free sparring very early typically have a process where it’s not intense when you first start.
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u/Separate_Emu7365 Sep 01 '26
I started at 30 (give or take). I go at my pace, and took 10 or 11 years to get my 2nd dan.
The day I took the exam there was a 72 yo guy who was here for his 3rd dan. I am training with a guy who got his blue belt at 41. We have adult beginners each year.
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u/firefly416 Seito Shito Ryu 糸東流 - Kyokushin - Kyudo Sep 01 '26
I started when I was 31. You haven't lost any time. Don't worry about it.
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u/Adam89G Sep 01 '26
I joined at 34 with my 8 year old son. And 6 year old daughter. 13 is a good age to learn. You'll have the strength, grit and coordination that littles don't.
Just make sure you're at a club that caters for your age group.. you don't want to join a crèche.
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u/Ratso27 Shotokan Sep 01 '26
I started 5 years ago at the age of 33, I had no prior experience whatsoever. I was welcomed with open arms, and I absolutely fell in love with karate, I’m going for my black belt in January!
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u/braincellcountiszero Sep 01 '26
Oh you will be fine. There is usually a minimum age but not maximum, it’s never “too late” to join. Actually when the whole karate business started it’s all adults. You are just a baby, lol! Have fun! Good Tournaments have beginner division of your age group. Have fun!
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u/Lazy_Assumption_4191 American Open Style Sep 02 '26
Yes. Coaches accept middle-aged adults as beginners. They accept out of shape 18-year-olds. They accept thirty-something crossfitters. I’ve seen elderly students with mobility issues and kids with physical disabilities start their journeys. If you manage to find someplace that won’t accept you just because you don’t have prior experience, I can guarantee that it’s a miserable place for people to train anyway.
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u/Mercutio01 Sep 02 '26
I started karate all over again at 45 after a 25 year break. 13 is definitely not too late.
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u/koeightseven Sep 02 '26
I just started last year at 38 years old. Some might even say I'm still young!
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u/TheDudeMan1234567 Sep 02 '26
In my experience, most coaches are just happy to have new people joining. I’ve seen beginners form 6 to 60 join up in my time in the sport and I’ve never heard of anyone being rejected due to their age (except 4 year olds).
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u/tom_swiss Seido Juku Sep 02 '26
It is never too late. Years back I sparred with a guy in his 70s taking his shodan (black belt) promotion.
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u/ChilliBreath86 Shotokan Sep 02 '26
I started at 39. Dojo-buddy at 52. Go for it, and allow yourself time to learn.
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u/shadowpavement Sep 02 '26
We had a fellow start training with us at the age of 75.
You’ll be fine. Go for it.
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u/Tribblehappy Sep 03 '26
I started as a 40th birthday present to myself. Go for itm part of growing up is realizing you can do stuff you want to do without worrying how other people view it.
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u/IncorporateThings Sep 04 '26
I know a guy who started martial arts at 71 and almost a year later he's still at it and loving it.
You'll be fine.
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u/raggie5355 Sep 04 '26
My grandsons dojo has beginner classes for little warriors up to 7 then a 7-12 class then a teen/adult. These classes stay the same age range but as they progress in belts it goes to intermediate same age ranges then advanced etc. this way basically same age /size with same skill levels
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u/blindside1 Kenpo, Kali, and coming back to Goju. Sep 01 '26
In the last three months at our dojo we have had three 40+ year olds sign up. You will be fine, 13 is a great age to start learning karate (or anything else).