is 19 too old to start?

Question

i am thinking about martial arts. always interested when younger, and love physical things. played football and wrestled in high school, and lift weights both now and then. looking for something too channel my physical energy into. i really would like to learn Jeet Kune Do (Love Bruce Lee movies), but is this like an advanced martial art? do i need to take karate, or some other "beginner/starter" disipline first

i mean Jeet Kune Do, not Tae Kwon Do

Answer 1

Too young too old too smart too stupid too fat - none of that matters! We all start where we are at whatever age we are. It is important to learn to acquire "the beginner’s mind." There was a student that had trained from another teacher for a few years and was wanting to learn from a famous sword fighter, but before agreeing to take on the new student the teacher insisted that they should perhaps discuss it over tea. The student kept trying to impress the old swordsman with his knowledge of what he had already learned. The old man was filling the student's cup and the student says, "My cup is full already! stop!" The old swordsman says, "Precisely." The student's thinking was preoccupied with discussing his past training. When people first ask me where I'm from, I remind them that it isn't where you've been or haven't been that is so important, it is where you are now, and where you are going from there. Anyplace you go to though, the successful people are the ones that make goals and have the determined desire to achieve them. You seem to have a lot of good questions, and for ten points I'll help direct you. Judo and Jujitsu are good for grappling, then Wing Chun for trapping and passing hands, then western boxing so your hands know how to hit, then Muay Thai. I would advise also that you study from the best and that will likely mean traditionally taught. If you are lucky enough to train in San Soo Kung Fu and or Cabales Serrada Escrima you will be awesome! I don't want to discourage your idea of learning JKD, but Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto are the biggest names in JKD. Neither of them were masters in any of the various martial arts that they observed when the philosophy of JKD was thought up. JKD is a philosophy - NOT A MARTIAL ART. Before deciding look inside and answer one question. What is your true motive? We really need to take into account who we are now, and what drives us.
Train hard and have fun!

Answer 2

Jeet Kune Do is more of a concept. There are some that actually teach you techniques that come from Jun Fan Kung Fu, but most will teach you the concept with the place of another art. Combat Hapkido is a good example.
You are in good condition to start out. I'm your age, and while I have been doing Martial Arts on and for the past eight years, you have an atheltic background that can help you. Search various styles and schools. Figure out what you wish to do, and see if you have a place near you.

Answer 3

No way! That's not too old at all! I am 22 (almost 23) and I just started taking adult Flamenco classes. In my beginner's class, there is an 82 year old asian, a 42 year old caucasian mother of 2 and a 13 year old little girl! So really, anyone can start at any age. We have a great time and everyone is learning together. I say go for it! And I love tap and jazz, they are so much fun to do! Just make sure you sign up for an adult/teen class and then you wont feel out of place since the rest of them will be beginners too!

Answer 4

with your experiences in football and wrestling, you would be great in a martial art. you would be in shape and able to be good on the ground too very nice. jeet kune do is an awesome martial art and no a basic martial art wouldn't be needed. there's really no such thing as an advanced martial art.

Answer 5

Not at all! Go to some local schools and observe classes. You'll know the right fit when you see it. My son is a black belt (from a long while back) and my husband couldn't hang with it... but his brother and his wife have been doing Tae Kwon Do for a few years now and are both 1st degree black belts now. He's 42!

Good luck!

Answer 6

its never too late to start, and wrestling is an excellent backround. but beware of anyone claiming to teach jeet kune do, jeet kune do is a philosophy not a style. jeet kune do is mixing all styles together to create your own personal art which works best for you. if you want to learn about jeet kune do i would read bruce lee's book. he combined elements of gung-fu, tkd, boxing, wrestling and many others into his own personal repitoire.

Answer 7

GO FOR IT!

I started at 47 and wished I had started at 30 even!

Martial art study is a blast and I have learned so much -- even things I didn't expect to learn! Mental focus and discipline as well as improvement physically.

Answer 8

Definitely NOT too old to start! In my opinion the only time one must consider if they are too old is for all of the acrobatic stuff that exists in "some" martial arts. Even then many are capable, just depends on the person.

Answer 9

I started Tae Kwon Do when I was 44. 15 years later I'm still going strong. Pick a style that appeals to you & get going.

Answer 10

that is a perfect age to get into martial arts. Go into something that you have always wanted to try. If it is JKD then do it why take this art just to get into another. When you havent takin any thing before.