Are you considering taekwondo but embarrassed by your age? Don’t worry, as taekwondo is designed not just for kids but for adults as well. There are people who took up the martial art in their 30, 40s, and even 50s and even became black belters. You can develop flexibility and speed even if you are at an advanced age.

There are many reasons why adults consider practicing taekwondo. One is that it can help enhance self-esteem by improving their physical and mental states. It can also build self confidence and develop discipline. Of course, other adults are motivated to lean taekwondo so they would know how to defend themselves in situations like an attack.

Did you know that there are lots of senior citizens who continue practicing taekwondo despite their advanced age? In fact, a 96 year old man named Cole Becker is the oldest American to receive a taekwondo black belt.

As you can see, age is not a factor in taekwondo. So there’s no need to be anxious about your age. Here are some tips that you should remember if you want to be successful in taekwondo:

1. See a Doctor First. Before you enroll in a taekwondo or any martial art class, be sure that you have cleared your plan with your physician. This is particularly true if you are out of shape, or you have a serious medical problem like a heart ailment. Please see your doctor before enrolling. Remember that taekwondo is a very physical sport.
2. Stretch A Lot. You’re no longer that flexible as you were two or three decades ago. Your muscles and tendons are not as flexible as they once were, so it is very easy for you to get hurt. Remember to do a lot of stretching before you go to your taekwondo class. Stretch your legs and arms at least 10 minutes before your taekwondo training.
3. Talk to the Master. Don’t be embarrassed with your age. Most masters or instructors are very accommodating to people like you. They are always there to help and clarify any concept or move that you may not understand at first. And keep in mind that these people know that you have friends, colleagues and kids whom you can refer to them if you find their classes interesting and engaging.
4. Don’t Rush Things. It’s okay to take a break if you find the classes to exhausting and intense. It’s very likely you’ll find taekwondo strenuous especially in the first few weeks of training. You can take a break by skipping a class during the week, or taking a break in the classroom. Taking a break would allow you to catch your breath and help you improve your stamina.
5. Lose Some Weight. If you are 10 to 20 pounds overweight, you should lose some pounds to lessen the pounding that your knees and feet get. Losing weight not only helps you prevent injuries but also give you more energy as your body will be hauling fewer pounds. Although you will eventually lose weight with taekwondo, it’s better if you are fit at the onset so you would be able to perform well in class.
6. Practice, Practice, Practice. The old adage says practice makes perfect, and this is true in taekwondo as it is in other martial arts like judo. You can invest in a practice dummy so you can rehearse your kicks and punches at home.
7. Invest in Comfortable Footwear. Basic taekwondo shoes are comfortable and light. These shoes usually have a padded top that protects the foot whenever you kick a heavy bag. Taekwondo shoes also have a black circle at the sole which helps in pivoting the bottom foot softly for a kick.
8. Tape Your Toes and Ankles. If you prefer to practice without footwear, tape your toes and ankles to prevent injuries. The lack of tapes on the toes and ankles can make these parts of the bodies prone to injuries, like dislocation and sprains.
9. Take Your Kids to Taekwondo Class. If you have children, then you should bring them to your taekwondo classes. It is not only a great way to bond with your family, but it can also encourage them to try the martial art.
10. Have Fun. Finally, don’t be too mindful of what other people would think seeing a grey haired guy like you hanging out with guys half your age. Just focus and have some fun especially after a long day at work. Taekwondo can be a great stress reliever, and you’d definitely have more motivation to kick harder after a stressful day in the office or just thinking about your mounting bills.

Remember that you may not be as flexible as the other younger guys in your class but you may have other advantages, like your ability to learn faster or focus better.

The bottom line is that you just need to enjoy taekwondo!

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You don’t have to be a Korean or from Asia to understand how popular taekwondo is. Arguably the most popular martial art in the world, taekwondo is the national sport of Korea. It is one of only two martial arts entered as an Olympic sport, the other being judo.

Taekwondo is a combat sport with a lot of emphasis on kicks. If you’ve seen any taekwondo match, you might have been astounded at the sight of a roundhouse kick hitting a participant.

Although taekwondo is that popular as a martial art, there are other things that casual taekwondo fans may not know about it. Here are 10 of the fun facts you should know about taekwondo:

1. It Has Ancient Roots

As an organized martial art, Taekwondo is fairly new having been named as such in 1955. However, there are archaeological evidences that the early Koreans had their own unique martial art form which can be considered as the predecessor of taekwondo.

There’s a mural painting showing figures practicing martial arts techniques found in a tomb that is said to have been built in 3 A.D. Historical records traced during the Koguryu Empire (37 B.C. to 66 A.D.) also mention about martial arts techniques and tournaments. The martial art had various names like Kwonbak Dangsoo, and Kongsoo.

Taekwondo only became organized in 1955 after Koreans were able to get the Japanese out of their country. The Japanese had introduced their own culture and martial arts in Korea from 1909 to 1945, and the Koreans wanted to have their own martial art form. This led to the birth of taekwondo in 1955.

2. It is Practiced by More than 70 Million People Worldwide

Here’s one proof how popular taekwondo is—it is practiced by more than 70 million people around the world. Four million of them are black belts. It is also said that the martial art is practiced in 188 countries around the world.

Contributing to the appeal of Taekwondo is the fact that it has been featured in different movies, starring actors like Jean Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris.

3. It Has a Lower Injury Rate Than Mixed Martial Arts

Yes, compared to mixed martial arts, taekwondo has a lower injury rate. However it has a higher injury rate than soccer, basketball and hockey. The two most common injuries in taekwondo are leg strains and bruises.

4. Many Celebrities Have Taken Taekwondo

Jean Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris are not the only celebrities who have taken up the martial arts. Other stars who are known to practice taekwondo are Chinese action star Jackie Chan, TV host Joe Rogan, actor Dolph Lundgren, and actor Ryan Philippe who’s a black belt.

5. The Taekwondo Uniform is Called Dobok

Typically, a taekwondo student wears a white uniform with a belt tied around the waist. White uniforms are traditionally used at formal ceremonies like belt tests and promotions. There are instances when colored uniforms are used by special teams or higher-level instructors.

6. There are Six Belt Colors in Taekwondo

There are six belt colors in taekwondo— white, yellow, green, blue, red, and black. In general, the higher the rank of the practitioner is, the darker the color of his/her belt.

7. The Place Where Taekwondo Instruction is Given Is Called Dojang

Dojang is the name of the area within the school in which taekwondo instruction takes place. It is sometimes translated as gymnasium, although the term may be loosely used to refer to the taekwondo school. Most of the contemporary dojangs have padded flooring with red-and-blue patters to reflect the colors of the taegeuk symbol. The dojang is also decorated with items like flags, belts, banners and instructional materials.

8. There are Four Categories in Olympic Taekwondo

The taekwondo competition in the Olympics is composed of four categories for both sexes. For men, these are under 58 kilograms, under 68 kilograms, under 80 kilograms, and over 80 kilograms.

For women, the categories are as follows—under 49 kilograms, under 57 kilograms, under 67 kilograms, and over 67 kilograms.

Olympic participants take part in a single-elimination tournament for the gold and silver medals. Defeated contestants would participate in a second tournament, with the winner of that bracket winning the bronze medal.

9. Taekwondo Became An Olympic Sport in 2000

The sport actually became part of the Olympics only during the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. But it was a demonstration sport starting in 1988, when the Olympic games were held in South Korea.

10. Taekwondo Training is Exhausting

Taekwondo training is quite exhausting, as you would have to learn a lot of moves. Training includes a system of kicks, punches, blocks, and open-handed strikes. You’ll also have to learn different take-downs, throws, and joint locks similar to those employed in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is quickly rising into one of the most popular forms of martial arts today. Just about everywhere you go you’ll see someone wearing a trademark Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gi. However, if you look close enough, very few ever have the honor of wearing black Brazilian Jiu Jitsu belts.

This is mostly because it takes quite a long time to become a black belt in this specific martial art but it is also because many practitioners quit when they reach the blue belt. Many feel complacent and satisfied with the skills they have while others hit a wall and encounter sudden difficulty to move up the ranks.

Work on Body Mechanics

Body mechanics are your bread and butter when it comes to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Even when you are at home you need to practice the basic movement of an arm lock defense, a half guard sweep, and more. If you cannot perform them on your own then what are your chances of doing them when sparring?

You don’t need a sparring partner to do these moves – after all, if you were defending yourself in a fight, you wouldn’t look for a partner. You should be able to perform the moves on your own and that requires mastery of the body and every basic Jiu Jitsu move.

Do these in the morning, during your break time, before you go to bed, or even when you’re already at the training center. Compare it to cooking a single dish – the more you do it the more you’ll be able to do it without a guide. It’ll become natural and sooner or later you’ll have the confidence to experiment.

Just about all of the more difficult Jiu Jitsu techniques are built upon the basics so the only way you’ll get up there is to continually practice body mechanics.

Don’t be Afraid to Use Online Resources

The world of today is littered with online sources. With just a few clicks on the web and you’ll find all sorts of resources. The best resource is still YouTube because you’ll almost instantly find tutorial videos and others.

There is one issue with this though: you’ll most likely find videos that won’t do you any good. There are just so many tutorial videos that you could easily get lost amidst the dozens of choices. Some might be ideal for your needs while others will only lead you astray.

Some videos are made and sponsored by real Jiu Jitsu schools and have been carefully supervised by real Jiu Jitsu instructors, ensuring that everything you watch is intended for students to learn and pick up. Others are made by people who only think they are masters of Jiu Jitsu but may have never stepped in a real Jiu Jitsu school and have never worn a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi other than for a cosplay or for show.

The best way to get around this is to make sure you watch videos from official schools and certified instructors. The next step is to only focus on videos that emphasize techniques you are already good at or are currently learning.

Working on What You Know

As mentioned above, it isn’t advisable to learn a new technique from the internet. The best way is to still learn the moves from your instructor and then practice them with a sparring partner. When you do look online for a Jiu Jitsu video, get those that work on techniques you are already familiar with.

If you’re working on a specific guard or grapple, look online for videos that show the basic form is executed and then videos on how it can be manipulated. These will give you a lot to work on and you won’t find them difficult to comprehend because the technique is already familiar to you.

There are a lot of resources too. You’ll find online videos of Marcelo Garcia, Andre Galvo, Saulo Ribeiro, and other renowned Brazilian Jiu Jitsu masters. All it takes is a few clicks and you’ll be learning from the very best in the field.

Just don’t waste too much time watching videos when you should only be using them as a reference point for techniques you already know. These videos should on supplement your technique and refine what you have.

Stay at the Dojo/Academy

Always make it a point to be present at your dojo/academy. While you may learn a lot on your own, especially if you have fellow practitioners to spar with, nothing beats the environment of being with fellow students and learning from certified masters.

If you relocate often, make it a point to find a dojo and stick to the schedule. If you are busy with work, kids, school, or other commitments then at least try to come by once or twice a week so that you have something to work on when you are at home.

There is no shortcut to become a master Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner. It takes time and a lot of dedication but these tips will help you master the art. Soon you’ll be climbing up the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu belts before you know it.

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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is not for the faint of heart – it is a very brutal martial art that has grown over the years into worldwide popularity. A lot of people are starting to realize how great BJJ is and many are even taking the time to give it a try. Some white belts move on and many others do not.

The white belt is the most novice level. As a white belt a person will only begin to understand the concepts and philosophies that define what Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is. It’s not about the fancy Jiu Jitsu gi or what rank a person is amongst the colored Jiu Jitsu belts.

It’s about mastering the very bare basics.

Master the BJJ Positional Hierarchy

There are many positions in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu but many instructors help their students identify which are the best and which are the worst. A white belt should be able to identify which position will put them in trouble and which positions they are dominating a match.

This hierarchy also adds a sense of order in a chaotic match. A fighter will be able to take a moment, realize what position they are in with their opponent, and strategize how they can move up the hierarchy ladder to win.

From best to worst, the hierarchy of positions is as follows:

1. Rear mount
2. Mount
3. Knee on Belly
4. Side control
5. Half Mount
6. Guard TopGuard Bottom
7. Turtle Top / Turtle Bottom
8. Half Guard Bottom
9. Side control Bottom
10. Knee on Belly Bottom
11. Mount Bottom
12. Rear mount Bottom

4 Questions for Dominant and Losing Positions

By understanding the hierarchy of positions a white belt has an advantage when it comes down to a match. Even when they are not in the dominant position and are threatened to submit, they can ask these questions to help strategize and take over the situation.

If a fighter’s opponent is the one in the dominant position then they should be asking themselves these two questions:

1. How can I properly and safely re-position my balance, limbs, and posture so I can avoid being submitted while in this current position?
2. How can I safely escape this current position and then move up to the next higher position on the position hierarchy?

If a fighter happens to be on the dominant position in a match then they should be asking:

1. How can I maintain my opponent and control my opponent so that they do not break free and escape this current position?
2. What are the most effective submissions I can do from this position?

These questions will help a white belt understand if they are winning the match or if they need to make immediate adjustments so they can turn the situation around to their favor.

Understand the Body Mechanics of Your Basic Techniques

A majority of a white belt’s time will be spent learning new techniques. After some time a white belt will be overwhelmed with the plethora of escapes, sweeps, throws, and submissions. This is where mastering of basic body mechanics becomes important.

You need to understand what each part of your body is doing. What is your left hand doing and where does your right hand go? What do your feet do while executing a certain move?

You also need to take consideration your weight and posture. Do you shift your weight to the side and turn as you grab and take the opponent down? Understanding how your body reacts to each basic movement is a crucial step in mastering each new technique.

The best instructors are those who focus on teaching the techniques like a dance. A technique can be split into several steps that the student will master slowly and surely as they put those steps into a continuous flow.

Do Not Eye the Gi Patches and Belts

As a white belt it is very important to stop paying attention to the fancy Jiu Jitsu gi patches and higher ranking Jiu Jitsu belts. Unlike other martial arts, it takes years for a person to escalate up the ranks of Jiu Jitsu. So stop worrying about your belt color and focus on your current lessons.

This is an area where many people fail. They often hear how long it takes to go up the ranks and immediately lose interest. Others fee complacent after learning the basics and fail to continue studying, thinking they have learned all they needed.

Stop looking at the blue belt. It will take months or even a year before you can wear that belt, so don’t waste time dreaming about what is inevitable. Instead, focus on what you need to learn right now and master every movement, every drill, and every technique bestowed upon you from your instructors.

They always say you need to keep your eye on the ball and that saying holds quite true for Jiu Jitsu.

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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a very brutal martial art when you’ve come to master it. It may take ten years to become a seasoned black belt but the pay-off is well worth the wait and effort. People who dare agree should just look at the professional BJJ fighters participating in MMA tournaments.

BJ Penn is one of the most renowned BJJ fighters in the world and is one of the only people to have earned the black belt in just three years. He has since switched to MMA after his appearance in UFC and his historical ladder of success has been a reminder to the world how powerful BJJ can be in the right hands.

There are many others like the members of the Gracie family who started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu after learning and altering the original art of Judo, Antonio Rodrigo Noguiero, Nick Diaz, and Jake Shields. If you need proof that BJJ is a formidable art, all you need to do is look at the masters.

Size and Strength No Longer Matter

One of the main issues with striking arts like Karate is that the force of an impact depends greatly on size and strength of the practitioner. A small person always a disadvantage compared to a hulking brute. In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, this problem is eliminated.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is designed so that grabs, submissions, and locks are the most important techniques. Even a small person can throw and arm-lock a bigger opponent into defeat. The advantage of size and strength are gone because even a smaller, weaker opponent can outsmart their foe with a quick counter-lock and grapple.

This is mostly because of the use of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi. The gi allows any opponent a chance to grab and manipulate their foe.

Of course this is also why some critics call it impractical on the streets – in real life, people don’t wear gi or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu belts to distinguish skill and experience so how are you going to fight them then?

Fighting Outside of the Ring

Without the gi, without the belts, you would think that the techniques of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fall on the side. However, as any experienced Jiu Jitsu fighter would tell you, that misconception of the art is very wrong.

For one thing, people wear shirts, jackets, pants, and others. It’s illegal in just about every place in the planet to roam the city naked. If by some chance the person is wearing something that isn’t easily grabbed, Jiu Jitsu teaches its practitioners how the moves are done empty handed.

This means every technique is easy to manipulate so that they can be done in the real world. All the brutal throws, submissions, locks, and others can be done for self-defense and more.

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When it comes to martial arts, many question whether the old traditional arts are practical when taken out of the ring. Some arts are purely for sports and there are now many wondering if grapple arts like Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can be just as efficient in real life as they are on the mat or cage.

There has been a new growing interest in practical martial arts, particularly in striking arts like Filipino Kali, Pencat Silak, and Krav Maga. Judo, which is still the second most popular sport in the world despite its lack of presence on TV, is waning a bit because some people don’t think it works in real life.

The Practical Situation

Here’s why people don’t think Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Judo are practical for real life situations: one reason is because these martial arts depend greatly on the gi and the second reason is because they focus a lot on grapples and throws.

Striking arts like Karate, Wing Chun, and Kali are great for street fights because they allow a person to retaliate instantly. Judo and Jiu Jitsu need to be up close and personal in order to grab and manipulate an opponent. This is said to be a disadvantage when fighting several people at the same time.

That’s the theory, anyway.

The Internet Crowd

However, it is important to take note that most of the people stating these comments are people who have never stepped into a Judo or Jiu Jitsu dojo in their life. They mostly base their assumptions on videos and posts from forums.

They are the “know-it-alls” who flood the internet and continually make it a point to voice out their complaints whenever someone defends their chosen martial art. They think they have a vast sea of knowledge when in fact they haven’t earn their first belt.

Unfortunately, many people often believe what is posted on the Comment section of a video presentation than what the video itself. It is a remarkable study recently conducted – tested using mock medical videos and mock comments – and it shows that a lot of people put their trust in strangers commenting on the Internet.

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