Leonidas

I'm 24 right now, and have yet to have a full thai boxing fight in the ring. Not because i don't want to, but the risk of injury has been too great becasue as of January i'm away to Sandhurst to train as an army officer. As much as i'd love to fight this is a big thing and to put my knee out for example wouldn't be the best preperation. If i leave the army after my 4 years i'll be 28/29. What i'm asking is will i be too old to join the thai boxing circuit? I'll be fit, and i plan on spending my spare time working on technique, and if i can get away with it, sparring. I know 29 isn't old to be a MA ig you're fit and have good technique, but does it make it harder to get onto the circuit? It's somethinf i want to do, as much as the army. I just hope i'm able to do both.

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Rumble Young Man Rumble!

S.Anucha

dude, I am 27 soon to be 28, I have had 4 fights and 2 of them professional and I have no intent on stopping as next week I am off to Thailand to get better and fight more, I feel as strong and fit as i did when I was 19, not a bit different. I actually feel stronger!

I have asked Master Toddy, my Teacher (Thai fella in Chiang Mai) who still fights and other older fighters. They all laugh and say "dont worry", Thai fighters start very young so retire earlier. There are Thai fighters who do start later in life, that is not uncommon. Honestly. Dont worry mate. Its all about how you feel. They start young so when you see a 25 year old Thai boxer who is fucking fantastic its because he started at a young age not because he is Thai. If you train as hard as he did then obviously you will be good in a short time, fight a lot and you will be good at fighting.

It is how you feel, how you are mentally and phyisically. Your Vo2 levels drop by 1% every year after you hit 25 but thats only if you stop doing phyisical exercise, your MAXhr doesnt really drop that much either.... man dont worry, I reckon I'll be fighting till I am 38! So long as I am strong and fit then I can fight.

Ernesto hoost is 41, my friend Gary Node (Kickboxing) started competing at 36 and will retire now at 40 this 22nd December. 2 fighters from our gym are off to London to fight, one is 26 (with 9 fights) and the other 36 (loads of fights)

Mate if you are joining the Army (royal marines is it?) then stay fit, really stay fit, keep training, fighting is not as hard as the training.

No man you aint up shit creek at 29, dude there are 30 year old guys living and fighting in Thailand, professional fighting careers and they maybe just started Thaiboxing 3 years earlier. As you reach 35 or whatever I am sure you may not have the sharpness of a 17 year old but that 17 year old isnt even fully developed so he wont be as strong. It all evens out and anyway the speed difference is hardly notacable between 17-35(thats just average) years old.

dont worry. Just go have fun in the army then start fighting, just fight each fight as they come then see how it goes.

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"...Don't worry. When you are in the ring, you're all by yourself. No one can help you. So, all you can do is fight. So fight! Don't back down. Like in life, no one is going to live your life. So, no one is going to fight your fight for you. Muaythai is not winning or being better than the other guy. It is learning to lose before winning and to give from your heart before receiving. In muaythai, you always win and lose. So, don't worry. (Smile)..."

Tom Yum

Gents, I'm 27. I've been told that mid to late 20's isn't a bad time to start competing. You're not too young and not too old. You've heard of Master class kickboxing, right? Its for guys over 40 and some of them are fierce.

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Love it, leave it or fix it.

Leonidas

Thanks guys. to be honest i knew the answer, i just wanted conformation. It's just kindof annoying that while i'm really getting into my thai boxing i'm going to have to give up for a while. And with the job i don't know how much in terms of martial arts i can keep it up. I know the sparring won't really be looked too well at. Nothing worse that turning up on parade with a big black eye! But if i can really go for it when i finish then i'll be happy. And no it's not the marines. Thry are part of thre Royal Navy. I am hoping to do the comando course at some time though so while i won't be a marine i can get one of their funky green berets!

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Rumble Young Man Rumble!

S.Anucha

lol, I never was an army man, part of an army family but I myself was not in it.

__________________
"...Don't worry. When you are in the ring, you're all by yourself. No one can help you. So, all you can do is fight. So fight! Don't back down. Like in life, no one is going to live your life. So, no one is going to fight your fight for you. Muaythai is not winning or being better than the other guy. It is learning to lose before winning and to give from your heart before receiving. In muaythai, you always win and lose. So, don't worry. (Smile)..."

swagman

trained with a female kickboxer, she was a professional on the Australian circuit, and used to come and train with us in the Bando style to vary her experience. She was still an active army officer, and the army were assisting her to some degree in her training regime.
It might be possible to have both, an army career and also a Kickboxing career.

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may the road rise to greet you