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Best Age to Start Martial Arts
The honest answer to "when should I (or my kid) start martial arts?" depends on the discipline. Here's a breakdown for the ten arts in our directory.
Recommendations by discipline
| Discipline | Kids start | Adults start |
|---|---|---|
| Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | 4+ | 16+ |
| Muay Thai | 7+ | 14+ |
| Mixed Martial Arts | 12+ | 16+ |
| Boxing | 8+ | 14+ |
| Kickboxing | 6+ | 14+ |
| Wrestling | 5+ | 16+ |
| Judo | 5+ | 14+ |
| Karate | 4+ | 12+ |
| Taekwondo | 4+ | 12+ |
| Grappling & Submission | 8+ | 14+ |
The honest answer for adults
There's almost no martial art you can't start as an adult. The two things that matter are gym selection (find one that protects new students) and pace (build conditioning before throwing yourself at hard sparring). Every art on this list has students who started in their 40s, 50s, or 60s and progressed for decades.
The honest answer for kids
Younger kids do well with structured arts — karate and taekwondo have the most established kids' programs. Around age 7–8, kids can handle BJJ, judo, and most striking arts at modified contact levels. Wrestling and MMA are usually best held off until 10+ unless your kid is unusually mature and athletic.
Related guides
Which martial art should you start? · What to expect at your first class · Martial arts for weight loss