At what age did you start Iaido?

[Rurouni Kenshin]

Hello guys n girls,

I am just wondering at what age you have started Iaido training, how loing you have been practising now and what the progress is that you have made during that time?

I just had a really hard time accepting the fact that I'm 27 and a newb to iaido though age shouldnt matter. I know its not too late but I cant stop imagining how it would be if I had been better informed 10 years ago.............

I had done taekwondo at a young age and stopped because the dojo sucked and let agressive showoffs in......now when you look around here in the Netherlands allmost all dojos around here contain ppl which sole purpose is to show off how cool they can fight; sorry but I cant stand this; there should be a law.
I used to be a basketball player aswell and started at the age of 14; by the time I was 17 I was nearly ready to try out for the national team. I guess I just need to hear from you guys that I shouldnt be worried if I can make progress starting at this age as learning is tougher now then being a kid.

Thats 1 of the reasons I wanted to start training iaido; to boost my confidence in life........ I lost it a bit over the years.

[Slade]

Oh, this is easy. I was 27 when I started iaido, I've been practicing for about 4 months now, and I'm loving every minute of it.

[Charles Mahan]

I was 23 when I started MJER. That was more than 7 years ago.

[Ren Blade]

I started Iaido exactly a year ago. I was 28. I love Japanese swords so I thought why not learn it and jumped at the chance as soon as Iaido was available in my city.

I been doing Kung Fu since I was 20 and still doing it, but started Martial Arts in general (Karate, Tae Kwon Doo) when I was 14. Martial Arts is my life and passion.

[DCPan]

I started "looking into" iaido in 1996 (age 24), when I moved to a place that didn't have kendo and iaido at the time.

All I had was the iaido videos from ZNKR and my friends. But it wasn't that bad, being Kendo Nidan at the time...so wasn't like starting from scratch.

(The you can't learn from book and video folks must be screaming in agony - moreover, I think I passed my Ikkyu exam BEFORE receiving ANY formal instruction, but can't remember for sure).

Didn't get formal iai instruction until 2000. Stopped iaido due to an injury shortly after, and picked it up again in 2001 or so, and has continued since....

Injury is still there though...*sigh*.

[ImagoX]

I started kendo when I was 22 or so, and WANTED to do iaido, but the dojo where I studied did not teach iaido until a student had been doing kendo for several years. I finally moved away fro Chicago and was parted form kendo for many years.

Now, at 36, I have found a new group, one which feels that the study of kendo and iaido are linked, and I've been actively practicing for about 6 months. I'm loving every minute of it, and feel like my kendo has really improved as a result of the iaido. Plus, I love the peace of mind that I carry with me for days after a practice session...

So, don't sweat the age thing. If an old man like me can pick it up, you certainly can. :P

[tddeangelo]

I started iaido at 26 (well, it was only about 6 weeks before my birthday, but technically I was 26). I've been at it for around 2.5 years and I hold a shodan in Mei Shin Muso Ryu iaido under Sensei Shuji Matsushita.

I should probably note that I also hold a shodan in Danzan Ryu jujutsu (getting ready for my nidan exam in a week, actually!), which I started studying when I was 18. Matsushita-sensei has said that those of us with some martial background are able to progress in iaido much more rapidly than those who have no martial background whatsoever.

I teach jujutsu classes as well. I don't care how old a prospective student is (I do care how YOUNG they are, however...I won't take students under 15). I'm actually the youngest person in my dojo where I teach (something my students were SHOCKED to discover!).

Regards,

Tom

[Light Samurai]

Started aikido and Iaido at age 13... started Aiki-Jutsu at 14.... and after my Aiki-jutsu seminar, I'm gonna learn Kendo... I love martial arts.. a little too much

[Richiro]

I'm 14 And i started kendo and iaido this year I love it. I wid=sh i could tell u it was easy but its not. U will get it.

[Rurouni Kenshin]

I envy you youngens for starting that early in life.......... i have a lot of catching up to do..................

[Andoru]

Eh no time for regret! Better late than never that's what I say!

[chidokan]

started kendo at 18 after karate from 14.. iaido about 19. Thanks for reminding me how old I am....

[tddeangelo]

Light Samurai, where in PA are you?

Just curious...northern Berks County (Reading area) here...


Tom

[Ric Flinn]

I envy you youngens for starting that early in life.......... i have a lot of catching up to do..................

Nah, don't worrry about it. I think iaido is something very frequently started a bit later in life because it takes a mature person to stick with it. At my dojo, it seems the younger they are when they start, the sooner they quit. Not true with everybody, but I think we only have one teen who's been there for more than 6 months... The right time to start is when you're both willing and able to make the commitment.

(Sheesh, look at me, talking like I have a clue. Feel free to ignore everything I say.)

[Bailemor]

Hi there,
I have been practicing Iaido now for coming up to a year so i started when i was 45 and about to go for my first grading in a couple of weeks time.

David