Am I too old for Judo?

Question

I'm 20 years old and I would like to start training in judo. I have 5 years ex in aikido so I know how to fall. My question is, am I too old for judo to get into the Olympics? How do the exams in judo look like??

Answer 1

No you  aren't too old. It is possible. Personally I think aikido and judo will compliment each other. The Olympics is not out of the question. You have start training. Once you start you will likely find out that you will advance in rank much faster because of your aikido training. I've seen a guy get promoted to black belt on the spot in a tournament form white belt. It was his 1st. But that guy was a black belt in Sambo. He competed well against other black belts. He still needed to learn all of the Japanese and was going to be required to learn the other things needed to be a black belt, but his learning of the necessary things was supposed to be at an advanced pace.

Exams if they haven't changed are a written test and a test over the throws, counters, chokes, and pins that you need to know for whatever rank you are attempting to obtain. The written test get harder with each test. Not that it is more difficult, but because it contains everything that you had to know previously but a lot more with each rank. It would be so bad of you studied your Japanese a lot, which I didn't.

Answer 2

At 20yrs old you are definitely NOT too old for Judo or any other martial art style for that matter The worlds your oyster ..go for it young man.

Best wishes :)***

Answer 3

Like any sport you have to start young to get into the Olympics, you have to be a professional. So no I highly doubt you'll be getting into the Olympics but there is nothing stopping you from begining Judo, getting good and entering other competitions [so I know it doesn't compare but I think you are 15 years too late].  

Answer 4

Unless your physician advises against it, I say go for it.  For more information, write to the best judo player I know:  Donn Schucker.  He's been rolling on the mat since 1964, and he'll happily address all your questions in depth:  [e-mail]

Answer 5

def to old for the olympics, but not to old to start judo

Answer 6

20 years old is a great time to learn Judo.

Are you too old to get into the Olympics? Honestly no one can say, a lot depends on your natural ability, considering Brian Olson just made it to the Olympics at 36. Also I have known guys in the Olympics who have been doing Judo for 8 or 9 years when they made the team. Half of this year's Olympic team was made of people who have only been fighting in the Senior division for a year or two.

Honestly, you can make it to the trials and just have a good day. So I don't think you are too old, but keep in mind the person representing a country in the Olympics is generally the top person in that nation. So natural talent, genetics, altheticism, all play a part. Even if starting from a kid and focusing on it, it doesn't necessarily mean you can make it. I know a few dozen Judokas who have never made it to the Olympics but have trained since childhood and spent years at the Olympic Training Center. So technically I don't feel you are too old, just don't be disappointed if you are not Olympic material.

The exams in Judo look like exams in any other art. You will sit in front of a promotion type board, answer general questions on history, vocabulary, the art itself.

Then you will have to demonstrate your proficiency in the techniques listed for that particular grade. Pretty standard stuff...

My advice if you are truly seeking Olympic berth is to enter tournaments as often as possible. Don't worry about your win/loss in your lower belts, just learn, go out and try everything possible till you find YOUR technique or techniques. By the time you are a black belt, you can start winning and getting points to make it to Nationals or a Ladder tournament and start getting your name in the rankings.

Compete, Compete, Compete.

Good luck!

Answer 7

You're never too old for Judo.

You're too old for the Olympics.

Answer 8

way to old, you should take up bingo at your age. jk

no.

go for it.

Answer 9

You will never know until you try.

Answer 10

yes, u will never make to the olympics, but for recreation u not old

Answer 11

No one is too old for judo.  You are not too old for the Olympics, either.  However, for you to start judo at your age and become Olympic caliber is virtually impossible unless you are a natural phenom.  The chances of that are about one in a billion.  A more reasonable goal is to try judo, see if you like it, stick with it a few years and enter some tournaments.