This is a (pleasant) misperception. One of the reasons tai chi has been so popular is its accessibility to people of all ages. People in our class range in age from teens to more than 80 years old. On the other hand, not unlike any other sports such as tennis or swimming, most famous masters started at a young age. (Master Liu started practicing tai chi at the ripe old age of late 20s and already people call him a late bloomer for his accomplishment.) One of the difference (and the attractions of tai chi), though, is most tai chi masters continue to advance in their art throughout their lifetime, unhindered by the aging process (e.g., read the interview withWu [Chien Chuan] style Grand Master Ma Yueh Liang in his 90s in Bill Moyers’ book, Healing and the Mind ).