If you have heard of John Williams, you will know that you cannot be too old to start Mixed Martial Arts. Williams made his amateur MMA debut in 2000 when he was 60 years old and didn’t fight a professional fight until 2010 when he was 70.
If you have been contemplating whether or not you are too old to have an MMA career, this article is for you. I want to show you what age is too old to start MMA and if there is an age to give up on going into MMA.
For John Williams, training for MMA was relatively easier on him because he was part of a successful wrestling team in Canada when he was young.
But what we want to find out here is when it is too late to start Mixed Martial Arts training.
Table of Contents
Are you too old to start MMA?
People usually ask a lot of questions about when it is too late to start MMA, but the answer is that there is no age limit to start Mixed Martial Arts training.
There are different reasons why people could start doing MMA, and it is not necessarily because they want to choose MMA as a career path. However, engaging in MMA training, just like other sports, gives you more benefits than you can imagine when you are older. Apart from helping you to be mentally strong, you will feel younger and be in better condition.
Not all MMA fighters got into martial arts training at a tender age. Some didn’t start training until they were in their 20s, while others began training by 30.
MMA legend Kimbo Slice, who died in 2016, didn’t go into professional MMA until he clocked 31, and he still had a considerably excellent MMA career, finishing with an 8-2-1 record. Nate Quarry was another MMA fighter who didn’t make his debut until he clocked 29. Quarry only got into sports at 24.
Depending on the motive behind getting into MMA, you can always start at any age, even if it is to help you stay healthy. The only thing is that it could be challenging to maintain training at a professional level when you are older. Do you remember Randy Couture? The legendary UFC Heavyweight fighter didn’t become Champion until he was 45. He should be your biggest motivation.
So are you too old to start MMA? No, I don’t think so.
Can you start MMA late without combat sports experience?
Yes, you can get into MMA late without previous combat sports experience and can start by reading beginner-friendly content, like how to Find Best Boxing Gloves. Those that have done something related to combat sports may find it easy to get into MMA, but it is not compulsory.
The essential thing about starting MMA is deciding what you want to achieve. If you are starting late, you have to understand that it could be challenging to scale high into a professional MMA career. However, if you want to use MMA training to remain fit, then you should be fine!
While having previous combat sports experience could enhance your training, you can achieve anything in no time as long as you put your mind to it. You just have to stay consistent with it.
What is the ideal age to start MMA?
The earlier, the better, isn’t it? If you plan to scale up into professional MMA, getting into MMA at a tender age is better. Statistics have it that the ideal age for starting MMA is between 13 and 16.
Before a child can start MMA training, he must have strong motivation.
How many hours should you train per day as an MMA fighter?
If you started late and are still hoping to have a professional career in MMA, you may need to go harder than those who started younger. This is because the physical strains on your body are much harder compared to when you were an adolescent.
Ideally, MMA fighters train at least four hours a day and five days per week, especially when getting ready for a bout.
Reasons why you are not too old to start MMA
Although you may not become a professional MMA fighter if you start a bit too late, there are several other reasons why you can still get into MMA late.
Apart from being healthier and being more confident about who you are, you can get the following benefits by engaging in MMA training;
Self-defense: It’s very important to know how to defend yourself should someone attacks you. MMA training teaches you how to attack and how to defend. This is not the liberty to entertain confrontations or start one, remember you are not starting MMA to fight everyone you see on the street.
Discipline: MMA teaches you discipline. You need a lot of determination to show up to training every day, which could be quite demanding. Along the way, you will become more disciplined with all your activities.
Growth: Engaging in MMA will help you grow as a person. It is a sport that needs a lot of dedication and determination, and your growth as an individual comes naturally as you give yourself to it.
Socialization: Another thing MMA helps you with is socialising. Even though it is an individual sport, you will be training with other people on a daily basis in your gym sessions. As a result, you are likely to form strong relationships with others.
Conclusion
If you are thinking about starting MMA, just know you are not too old. There is no limit to when you can start. All you need is the courage to take the first bold step. Although, as you must have read in the article, you don’t have to get into MMA to become a professional, and there are several other benefits attached to it.
