Kendo

[Wise Pillow]

*Sigh*

Ok, heres the situation; I want to take kendo lessons. Now, for those of you who don't know, kendo is the Japanese martial art of fencing. Kendo developed from traditional techniques of Japanese swordsmanship known as kenjutsu.

Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sporting-like physical
elements.

Here is a Wikipedia link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo

Now, I really, really want to take these lessons but, I have a problem..I'm too old. Well, I mean, am I? Thats the main question here and one that needs to be answered. You see most people start taking lessons between the ages of 6-14. I'm 18 years old. I would have taken them sooner but, honestly, I didn't know a sport like kendo existed and I was WAY too shy anyway.
Now that I've gone through high school and HAD to get over my shyness, I'm ready to take these lessons without feeling completely insecure. I just can't help but watch people who are younger than me competeing and wonder, am I too old?
They've obvisiously started A LOT sooner than I and now look where they are.

Well, am I too old?

[Berserker]

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2290

[RedEye]

My housemate is 56 years old and takes Shinkendo on a regular basis.

At eighteen, you ought to ask; "Am I old enough to take Kendo?"

You'll do fine, and discover muscles you didn't know you had.

[darkest wolf]

In my opinion, you're never too old to learn something. When I used to do Tae-Kwon-Do (Different martial art, I know, just trying to make a point here. ), there were quite a few 60 year olds that were doing it with me. I remember going up for my 2nd degree black belt test last year and there was a 62 year old man right up there with me. So go for it!

[Kelpten]

Ya, you're never to old to learn something. Perhaps you should ask yourself, "Am I too prideful to learn with little kids?"

[Wise Pillow]

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2290

How did you find that? Are you apart of the forum(and therefore study kendo)?

[Wise Pillow]

Ya, you're never to old to learn something. Perhaps you should ask yourself, "Am I too prideful to learn with little kids?"

Yes, thats another thing I'm think I may have a problem with. I mean, I would feel much more comfortable if I could take classes with adults instead of 7 year olds but, I guess thats just something I'm going to have to work through. If I really want to take these classes bad enough then I shouldn't let it bother me. However, there will be A LOT of sparring in kendo so, I'm not sure if their beginners class would be made up of all ages. I mean, they use these big bamboo sticks so a little kid can get seriously injured, if say, I were to get too into the sparring and accidently wak him/her on the head to hard.
I'll email and ask.

[Wise Pillow]

discover muscles you didn't know you had.

Eh.....
Well, atleast I'll get into shape.
Just..might take me awhile.
You know what, I thinK I might just work out for this lessons. Its going to be a couple of weeks before I start anyway; I have to get my license..and a job...even though I already have the money to pay for them. *sigh* parental orders. Oh well.
Bring on Barnes and Nobles!

[Set]

I wouldn't worry too much about the younglings. They injure themselves far worse on purpose than you're likely to do on accident.

[MattSullivan]

Just make sure you're taking Kendo because you want to learn it and not because you're some crazy jacked-up otaku-anime fan who wants to be japanese ( like so many kids I know who try this stuff and give up on it because it's "not like the cartoons" )

[Kelpten]

It had better not be like the cartoons. In anime they only do up and down attacks. It's pretty sad. I'm partial to fencing my self. Quick and fine is always beter than overbearing strength.

[Wise Pillow]

No, I'm not doing this because I want to be like an anime character; however, it was anime that got be interested in Japanese culture though, especially history. And the history I read led me to the samurai which led me to kendo.
But, no, I didn't do this because I watched naruto one day and thought, "Oh! I want to be just like him/them! I'm taking kendo!" No Way. I'm fully aware(after doing research) that any form of Japanese fighting is very rigorous and requires the
participant to work very hard. But, seeing is how I can no longer play soccer I thought I try something new, completely new.
And besides, I'm not a huge naruto fan. Most of the time I forget when It comes on and therefore miss the episode. Yeah, that really shows I'm a fanatic. Besides, naruto doesn't even fight with swords; if I wanted to be like(can't bare to say it) him then I would take karate or something, not kendo.

[ghostfang]

i use to take kendo and akido when i lived in japan, but yea never to old to learn.

[RedEye]

Consider this: with Ken-do, you will become more supple, more graceful, more controlled, and more centered.
Ken-do is more than just using "sticks" for fighting. It's a mental trip as well. You will learn that meditation is not just sitting and saying "Om-m-m-m"; meditation can be practicing your positions and focusing your mind on how to do a kata (movement) to your sensei's approval.
There is a lot of Zen (Za-Zen, actually) in Ken-do.
Don't worry about working out with kids: you won't, unless it is a very small school.
There is a RW advantage to Ken-do as well: anything that is vaguely sword (Waskazachi) or Dagger (Tanto) shaped can be used as a weapon if you really need one, once your body has learned how to move properly, and respond to things on a reflexive level.
It's a very good thing for you to learn, because you will be learning about You.
And that's always beneficial.

[Sioux]

Nah, your not too old at all. In fact, its better that your starting now then when you were younger. Now, because of your age and maturity your likely to focus more on kendo and take it seriously. Most little kids don't do that which in turn makes the sensies' job a lot harder.
I've seen a sensie have to stop every five minutes during a lector to discipline some kids. He also had to stop sparring practice because the young ones were deliberately taking it too far. You know how kids are.