Quick question about Breakdancing...

Yeah, I get that. Honestly, though, I know how brutal that is to pull off. It’s one thing to have the strength, but if you don't nail that balance, you're basically just fighting yourself.

A Planche is basically a static hold where you maintain that specific position—it's pure isometry. If you add a dynamic element to it, like a push-up, then we're talking about a planche push-up.

Richard Cook2 said:Just a simple question, or maybe not xD

Is it too late to start breakdancing at 23?

It’s not really about age. It’s more about certain qualities or specific skill sets—what exactly are we talking about?

I just do it for myself, mostly to jam on the tracks and hang out with my crew. I'm not really looking to compete unless I happen to stumble into being actually good at it. 🙂

If you don't care about training with a group of kids aged 10 to 15, then it’s never too late. Age matters, sure—it's definitely easier when you start as a kid rather than at 23. Having some natural talent helps, but honestly, that doesn't matter nearly as much as just putting in the work.
If I could dance, maybe I'd try breakdancing to some vinyl... though honestly, I can't think of a single record where you'd actually hear someone breaking.
Look, if you're talking about the competitive scene: these guys have been battling for years, so don't expect anyone to just step up and compete with them overnight. 😉
To truly excel, you need a massive amount of grit and willpower. You have to lock yourself in the gym and just put in the work. Breakdancing is incredibly demanding and has evolved so much over the years; if you want to be elite, you have to embrace it as a lifestyle. Like they always say, it’s not just a dance—it’s a way of life.
I’d suggest skipping the formal clubs altogether. If you already know some people in the scene, just train with them instead—you'll honestly learn so much more that way.😉

Taylor Ortiz said:Look, if you aren't bothered by the fact that you'll be training with a group of kids aged 10 to 15, then it isn't too late. Age matters, obviously—starting as a kid is definitely easier than starting at 23—but while having some natural talent helps, it's not everything since everything eventually comes down to how much you practice.
As for dancing in a club... I honestly can't think of a single club where people go to breakdance...
And regarding competitions: most of these guys have been competing for years, so don't expect to suddenly go head-to-head with them.😉
To actually be good, you need immense effort and willpower; you have to lock yourself in the studio and put in the work. Breakdancing is a pretty demanding dance that has evolved significantly over the years, and to be a true bboy, you really have to embrace it as a lifestyle. As they say, it’s more than just a dance, it's a way of life...
My suggestion would be to skip the local clubs for now and instead find some acquaintances or friends to train with; you'll likely learn much more that way.😉

Thanks for the advice. That was actually weighing on my mind because most groups are mostly just kids.🙂 I think I'll take your suggestion and maybe bug a friend or a colleague to show me the basics.🙂 I don't have any trouble with the actual exercising, especially when there's music involved.😁

Taylor Ortiz said:Look, if you don't care about training in a group full of kids aged 10 to 15, then it’s definitely not too late. Age matters, sure—it's obviously easier when you start as a kid rather than at 23. Having some natural talent helps, but honestly, it’s not that big of a deal because everything comes down to how much you train.
As for where to dance... I can't think of a single club or disco where people are actually breaking...
And regarding competition: most guys competing have been doing this for years, so don't expect to go toe-to-toe with them right away.😉
To be truly good, you need massive amounts of grit and willpower. You’ve got to lock yourself in a gym and put in the work. Breakdancing is a demanding style and it’s evolved so much over the years. To be a real bboy, you kind of have to live the lifestyle. Like they say, it isn't just a dance, it's a way of life...
My advice? Don't bother signing up for some formal club right off the bat. If you know anyone who dances, just train with them. You'll pick things up way faster that way.😉

I'm with everything said here.👍

@Richard Cook2/">@@Richard Cook2
The only thing I'd add (like I mentioned before) is that even though you're a bit older now—in your 20s—it is absolutely not too late to learn. It's true most people start in their teens, but plenty of those kids lose interest and quit early. Willpower is what counts, whether you start at 13 or 20. You can still get pretty good in the following months and years. You might not hit pro status, but you can definitely get good. From the photos I saw of your fitness routine, looks like you've already got decent conditioning, so building strength shouldn't be such a struggle. Usually, it's the super skinny guys who have the hardest time with weight shifts and holding their body at weird angles in the air.
If you want some inspiration, look up Bboy Lilou and Bboy Cloud on YouTube.
They're top-tier dancers, you'll see them on Red Bull BC One pages and stuff. Watching different battles will help you spot new moves, which usually just makes you want to get out there and train even more.

Bboy Cloud is almost 28, and I don't think he's "too old" by any means, but he has been dancing for nearly 15 years.

And yeah, like Taylor Ortiz said above, it's better to just ask a friend who knows how to break to show you the basics first. It'll make it a lot easier to dive in later, whether you decide to practice solo or join a class.

Drew Sanchez82 said:I find myself in total agreement with all the points made here. 👍

@Richard Cook2/">@@Richard Cook2
The only thing I would add—and as I have mentioned previously—is that even though you are a bit older now, being in your 20s, it is certainly not too late to start learning how to dance. It is true that most people pick this up during their teenage years, but many lose interest back then and give up early. However, willpower is willpower, regardless of whether you decide to start at 15 or 20, because over the coming months and years, you can become quite proficient. You might not reach a professional level, but you can certainly become very good. From what I have seen in the photos from the PDF recreation, you seem to have decent physical conditioning, so the training shouldn't be overwhelmingly difficult for you. Usually, those who struggle more are the thinner individuals who find it harder to manage weight shifts and maintain body control during awkward mid-air transitions.
Regarding examples of great dancers, you should look up Bboy Lilou and Bboy Cloud on YouTube.
They are top-tier breakers featured on sites like Red Bull BC One, and you can watch various battles between them; watching them might even help you discover some newer moves, which will naturally increase your motivation to practice and train.

Bboy Cloud is already nearly 28, and I certainly don't consider him too old for breaking, yet he has been dancing for almost 15 years.

And by the way, just as Taylor Ortiz mentioned above, it might be better to initially ask a friend who is a breaker to show you some basics. It will make it much easier to dive into the scene, whether you plan to practice on your own or enroll in formal classes.

Thanks for the advice. 👍👍

My former coach is about 35 and still killing it on the dance floor. Just wanted to share a little inspiration. 🙂

Taylor Ortiz said:My old coach is only about 35 and he’s still out there killing it on the floor. Just wanted to share a little inspiration. 🙂

So, how old was he when he first started breakdancing?

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot lately... I might actually try to learn some moves through a buddy of mine. 😁
The more I dwell on it, the more obsessed I get. Plus, I can't stop watching those Red Bull BC One promos—especially that Cloud vs. Lilou battle.

Paul Baker29 said:Don't sweat it, I've already taken care of that.
Someone needs to get a camera on this breakdancing kid immediately!
Check out this clip on YouTube. It’s worth a look.

Absolutely stunning.😍
As far as what I’m getting at goes, I have to admit I’m stepping outside the realm of reality here. To be totally honest, I started dancing pretty late in the game—well into my late twenties.🙂 The dance I do is incredibly demanding physically—honestly, just about as grueling as any sport out there. But the results? They’ve been amazing. It’s a massive pile of love and passion. At the end of the day, I'm just genuinely happy to finally be doing what I truly love.🙂
Don't go in with massive expectations or get too caught up in the math. Honestly? Just lead with more heart. If you approach things that way, I truly believe you can make it. Even if you don't hit that peak level of professional success, you’re going to be incredibly happy just getting to do what you love every single day. Isn't that the whole point?

Ashley Gomez69 said:If you stop overthinking everything, quit trying to calculate every single move, and just pour more heart into it, I think you'll make it. Even if you don't hit the big leagues, you'll definitely be happy doing what you love.

That's exactly the point. 👍

The Planche is essentially a horizontal hold on your hands.
I actually got my start when I was 18—which might be considered late by some standards, though I wouldn't say it's too late—and I eventually hit the age of 22.
When I first jumped into breakdancing, I already had a decent amount of strength under my belt because I had been focusing on various types of physical training and bodybuilding. That said, gymnastics was always a bit of a nightmare for me.
For me, breakdancing isn't really about the dance itself as much as it is about all those intense, fascinating movements that demand incredible strength and similar skills. Honestly, all that exertion exhausts me to the point where I just feel more alive than usual.

Now, regarding your situation, it isn't too late for you. However, you might run into some challenges. You’ll definitely need a combination of raw strength and gymnastics skills, though I suppose it really depends on what your specific goals are. If you just want to focus on the dancing aspect, you probably won't need as much technical training. But if you're looking to pull off the more difficult moves, you'll certainly have to put in the work.
Breakdancing is an incredibly demanding and tough activity, but it's also deeply rewarding.
I suspect it will be quite difficult to figure everything out on your own without someone there to guide you through the mechanics.
But hey, just give it a shot and let us know how it goes.

Look, if you’re 23 and thinking about hitting the competitive scene, you might be a little late to the party—but if you just want to flirt with girls on Discord? You’re right on schedule. Honestly, I jumped into this when I was 18, and within those first six months, I basically tore through most of the power moves out there.

For the first two weeks, I was a complete disaster; I was honestly ready to throw in the towel. But then, I finally nailed my first successful handstand that lasted over a minute. That one win changed everything for me. 🙂

I got so obsessed with the grind that I was training three to four hours every single day—splitting it up into two sessions of about an hour and a half or two hours each. My willpower was insane; I wanted to go harder, but my body just hit a wall. I spent half my life covered in bruises, swollen and blue, but in just six months, I had picked up a solid headspin, flares, one-handed jumps, scorpions, and a whole laundry list of other tricks. By the following year, I started stringing them all together so it actually looked... well, decent.

I never really considered myself a "top-tier" breaker because my style was always a bit messy and unrefined.

Most of what I ever learned, I squeezed out in that first year. After that, the motivation just evaporated, and no matter how much I pushed myself, I felt like I was working my ass off without seeing any real progress.