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Published: December 27 2011

How young is too young to start martial arts? How old is too old?

It depends – on you, and what you want to do.

"We have 2-year-olds and our oldest student is 71 – and he started two months after a liver transplant and recently got his black belt," said Helen Reynolds, one of the instructors at Florida Aikikai at 730 N. Federal Hwy., www.floridaaikikai.com/ or 954-562-1093.

Of course, the average 71-year-old can't expect to do the things a 17-year-old would do. Neither can a 2-year-old. The goals, for each, are different.

The 2-year-olds spend a lot of the class working on balance and working with a partner, learning the fundamentals that will help them as they get older and advance in their training.

"In the beginning they're not really going to be learning martial arts techniques so much that they can go and throw someone halfway across the room or knock through a board," said Florida Aikikai's master instructor, Peter Bernath. "They're learning eye-hand coordination. They're learning balance, agility, and then self-discipline and all that kind of thing."

Older kids and adults get involved in martial arts for a variety of reasons, and get a variety of benefits. Some come to learn self-defense, others come for exercise or for a way to relieve stress.

Choosing a school and style that matches your goals and personality takes some shopping around. There are a number of schools offering a wide variety of styles within minutes of downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Here are some dos and don'ts for finding the one that's right for you.

PICKING A SCHOOL. Too often, people pick a school because it's convenient and cheap. The school that's closest to home, school or work, though, isn't necessarily the best one for you.

-- Sit in. Just about every school will let you watch classes while you make a decision. Some will even let you participate in a class or two.

-- Check out the instructor. How does he or she interact with the students? What are his or her qualifications? You should be able to check their credentials with a certified organization. Most important, how do you feel about the instructor? Do you like the way they teach?

-- Watch the students. The students reflect the philosophy of the instructor and the school. They're also the people you'll be practicing with. If you don't like what you see, you won't like the school.

PICKING A STYLE. Martial arts styles have developed and evolved all over the world. Different ones grow or fade in popularity at different times. The philosophy of the style is as important as the physical part.

Varieties offered in the Fort Lauderdale area include Tae Kwon Do (Korean), Aikido (Japanese), Muay Thai (Thai), Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts (international), and Capoeira (Brazilian), among others.

In the end, you should start with the one you feel most comfortable with. You can always try others later.