Baby steps

[Plin]

Hello, all! I'm new to the forum, and to martial arts. I started TKD (ITF) in October, and today had my first test for a yellow stripe. (I passed, so yay me!)

It's been interesting reading various threads these last few days, especially those that discuss taking up MA at a certain age. I'm 53, and in decent but not amazing shape (although I expect my fitness level will improve considerably over time); so far, I have no trouble holding my own in class. I'm also in no hurry to rush through the levels; I trust my instructors to let me know when I need to spend more time on perfecting techniques before moving on. I figure if I keep at it regularly I'll probably reach the first black belt level by 60, but if it takes longer to teach this old dog new tricks, so be it.

I do need to work on hip and core strength in particular, partly because they're foundational to the sport, and partly because those are my main weaknesses in general (especially the hips). I did distance running for several years, but a non-running injury stopped me for a while, and led to the bonus discovery of the aforementioned hip weakness. I'm working on trying to overcome some very annoying IT band problems that kick in after 2-3 miles. Luckily, they don't seem to be an issue for TKD, and in fact I'm hoping that all the hip-driven kicks will be beneficial as I try to (very slowly) build my running base back up again.

I'd love to hear any tips or advice from the seasoned martial artists around here. I've been impressed with the breadth and depth of knowledge and the generosity of spirit in sharing that knowledge among the posters, so I'm glad I found this place.

Meanwhile, I really like the owner, instructors, and other students I've met at my TKD school, and am relieved to have my first test finally behind me! On to learn the next set of skills...

 

[drop bear]

Just keep grinding.

 

[pdg]

Listen to your body as much as your instructor.

A lot of places follow the "do what you can and sort technique later" method - which is fine. But...

When you're really young, not turning enough into a kick (say) isn't an issue because you're so bendy. As you get older, things pull and tweak and hurt

Any pain from a specific move usually means you're doing it wrong (for you), so look at how you're doing it and ask for advice.

 

[Bruce7]

Hello, all! I'm new to the forum, and to martial arts. I started TKD (ITF) in October, and today had my first test for a yellow stripe. (I passed, so yay me!)

It's been interesting reading various threads these last few days, especially those that discuss taking up MA at a certain age. I'm 53, and in decent but not amazing shape (although I expect my fitness level will improve considerably over time); so far, I have no trouble holding my own in class. I'm also in no hurry to rush through the levels; I trust my instructors to let me know when I need to spend more time on perfecting techniques before moving on. I figure if I keep at it regularly I'll probably reach the first black belt level by 60, but if it takes longer to teach this old dog new tricks, so be it.

I do need to work on hip and core strength in particular, partly because they're foundational to the sport, and partly because those are my main weaknesses in general (especially the hips). I did distance running for several years, but a non-running injury stopped me for a while, and led to the bonus discovery of the aforementioned hip weakness. I'm working on trying to overcome some very annoying IT band problems that kick in after 2-3 miles. Luckily, they don't seem to be an issue for TKD, and in fact I'm hoping that all the hip-driven kicks will be beneficial as I try to (very slowly) build my running base back up again.

I'd love to hear any tips or advice from the seasoned martial artists around here. I've been impressed with the breadth and depth of knowledge and the generosity of spirit in sharing that knowledge among the posters, so I'm glad I found this place.

Meanwhile, I really like the owner, instructors, and other students I've met at my TKD school, and am relieved to have my first test finally behind me! On to learn the next set of skills...

Welcome.
I am in my 60's and will not run on anything ,but a very good rubber asphalt track.
Running on asphalt or concrete makes my knees and hips hurt.
I have strong kicks and feel no pain.
I also was a runner when I was young, it is hard to give up, but our bodies were not meant to run on concrete.
MA will help your body more than running. I hope as a runner you know the difference between good pain and bad pain.
If you are not sure stop when it hurts, We are not bullet proof anymore.MA is a lot more fun than running on a track and roads just tear down our bodies.

As far as belts go, slow progression is better.After class, train at home in front of a mirror while your instruction is fresh. Good technique makes good muscle memory , bad technique makes bad muscle memory which is hard to unlearn. Better to know a few things well than a lot below average.

You have an advantage, you are a runner so dedication to your art should not be a problem, a lot of people are easily distracted from their goal, Runners eat pain to reach their goal.

 

[Yokozuna514]

Osu and welcome to the forum. I'm 52 and have been training seriously for almost 10 years. I have always been active in sports but Kyokushin has helped me find the love of just 'training'. When I started I was training 3 times a week and the best advice I ever received from a dojo mate was to listen to my body and that the count was for the young folks . The higher in rank I got, the more I trained and as I started training 5 to 6 times a week I noticed that a lot of aches and pains I used to have were no longer bothering me. I suppose I traded it in for a constant state of a dull ache but I could not only keep up with the count but in many cases I could push the younger folks to keep up. I became more flexible and supple as well but as pdg said I needed to pay more attention to 'how' I was doing certain techniques so that I could ensure I was protecting the joints and not creating injuries.

Congratulations on passing your first test and hopefully you will continue to train and share your experience and knowledge here from time to time.

 

[Bruce7]

Welcome.
I am in my 60's and will not run on anything ,but a very good rubber asphalt track.
Running on asphalt or concrete makes my knees and hips hurt.
I have strong kicks and feel no pain.
I also was a runner when I was young, it is hard to give up, but our bodies were not meant to run on concrete.
MA will help your body more than running. I hope as a runner you know the difference between good pain and bad pain.
If you are not sure stop when it hurts, We are not bullet proof anymore.MA is a lot more fun than running on a track and roads just tear down our bodies.

As far as belts go, slow progression is better.After class, train at home in front of a mirror while your instruction is fresh. Good technique makes good muscle memory , bad technique makes bad muscle memory which is hard to unlearn. Better to know a few things well than a lot below average.

You have an advantage, you are a runner so dedication to your art should not be a problem, a lot of people are easily distracted from their goal, Runners eat pain to reach their goal.

Is that a picture of Buffy? Wish I could think of something that cool for my avatar.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Welcome to MT...just keep training

 

[Plin]

Is that a picture of Buffy? Wish I could think of something that cool for my avatar.

It is! I'm a huge BtVS fan. My back tattoo even includes a Buffy quote. #Nerd

 

[dvcochran]

Hello, all! I'm new to the forum, and to martial arts. I started TKD (ITF) in October, and today had my first test for a yellow stripe. (I passed, so yay me!)

It's been interesting reading various threads these last few days, especially those that discuss taking up MA at a certain age. I'm 53, and in decent but not amazing shape (although I expect my fitness level will improve considerably over time); so far, I have no trouble holding my own in class. I'm also in no hurry to rush through the levels; I trust my instructors to let me know when I need to spend more time on perfecting techniques before moving on. I figure if I keep at it regularly I'll probably reach the first black belt level by 60, but if it takes longer to teach this old dog new tricks, so be it.

I do need to work on hip and core strength in particular, partly because they're foundational to the sport, and partly because those are my main weaknesses in general (especially the hips). I did distance running for several years, but a non-running injury stopped me for a while, and led to the bonus discovery of the aforementioned hip weakness. I'm working on trying to overcome some very annoying IT band problems that kick in after 2-3 miles. Luckily, they don't seem to be an issue for TKD, and in fact I'm hoping that all the hip-driven kicks will be beneficial as I try to (very slowly) build my running base back up again.

I'd love to hear any tips or advice from the seasoned martial artists around here. I've been impressed with the breadth and depth of knowledge and the generosity of spirit in sharing that knowledge among the posters, so I'm glad I found this place.

Meanwhile, I really like the owner, instructors, and other students I've met at my TKD school, and am relieved to have my first test finally behind me! On to learn the next set of skills...

Welcome to the forum @Plin. What is an IT band problem? Most of the serious runners I have taught have had flexibility challenges I think because of the sustained stride setting up muscle memory, IMHO. Most needed to stretch more to work it out. A good combination of static and dynamic stretching is important. Get good and warmed up (after class maybe) and do long sets of static stretching of the problem areas. As you progress, work at stretching then firing the muscle(s) to full extension. It can be a little painful and will take time.
Let us know how things progress.

 

[pdg]

Is that a picture of Buffy? Wish I could think of something that cool for my avatar.

Season 2, episode 22 - the sword fight that ends with Acathla eating Angel instead of the living world.



Or something like that, not like I know anything about it...

 

[Plin]

What is an IT band problem?

The iliotibial band is the stabilizing structure of connective tissue between the hip and the knee, along the outside of the thigh. There are a lot of theories about why and how they become inflamed and tight; it's a relatively common problem for distance runners. The end result is sharp pain on the outside of the knee (not to be confused with runner's knee, which is a completely different animal).

One theory is that weakness in the muscles of the hip girdle and overpronation in the foot can cause the problem after extended repetition (like, you know, running day after day). I'm gradually managing to get back into running short distances, but since it's not fun until after at least five miles, it's a bit of a struggle.

I definitely used to be a lot more flexible before I started running, so am trying to get into a good routine of dynamic stretching before class, and static stretches afterwards. I'm also trying to figure out whether I can squeeze some yoga classes into my already crowded schedule. (I know I could practice at home, but I don't really have any good space for that.) Building up my flexibility and strength is a priority goal for me.

 

[Plin]

Season 2, episode 22 - the sword fight that ends with Acathla eating Angel instead of the living world.

Or something like that, not like I know anything about it...

Angelus: No weapons... no friends... no hope. Take all that away and what's left?
Buffy: Me.

One of the best scenes in the series. And it seemed appropriate.

 

[dvcochran]

The iliotibial band is the stabilizing structure of connective tissue between the hip and the knee, along the outside of the thigh. There are a lot of theories about why and how they become inflamed and tight; it's a relatively common problem for distance runners. The end result is sharp pain on the outside of the knee (not to be confused with runner's knee, which is a completely different animal).

One theory is that weakness in the muscles of the hip girdle and overpronation in the foot can cause the problem after extended repetition (like, you know, running day after day). I'm gradually managing to get back into running short distances, but since it's not fun until after at least five miles, it's a bit of a struggle.

I definitely used to be a lot more flexible before I started running, so am trying to get into a good routine of dynamic stretching before class, and static stretches afterwards. I'm also trying to figure out whether I can squeeze some yoga classes into my already crowded schedule. (I know I could practice at home, but I don't really have any good space for that.) Building up my flexibility and strength is a priority goal for me.

I do know about overpronation. When I played college football I was pretty fast (4.43 Nike clocked). In my Sophomore year I slowed down and could not figure out why. Our weight coach figured it out and sent me to a podiatrist for overpronation. He did several test and exercises but what helped me get over it was duck walking, lots of duck walking with my heel down. I think the gist of it was my calves had gotten stronger but tighter. After a couple of months I got back to a 4.44.

 

[Bruce7]

I do know about overpronation. When I played college football I was pretty fast (4.43 Nike clocked). In my Sophomore year I slowed down and could not figure out why. Our weight coach figured it out and sent me to a podiatrist for overpronation. He did several test and exercises but what helped me get over it was duck walking, lots of duck walking with my heel down. I think the gist of it was my calves had gotten stronger but tighter. After a couple of months I got back to a 4.44.

Man you were fast a 4.4 40 yards, did you ever run the 100 yards? In my day most stop watches measure ten's, and most coaches did not time the 40. I played football and ran track. I ran 10.3 100 yards, so I mostly ran the 440. that is where I learn to endure pain. I loved football, but if I had it to do over I would not have played. Who knows how much a helmet to my left knee slowed me down.The broken ribs and other things hurt no big deal, but putting the needle in my knee to reduce swelling bother me. Maybe I could have ran faster than 10.3, I will never know. I have no broken bones from MA and the knee does not hurt performing MA.I am sorry, i got off topic.

 

[Bruce7]

It is! I'm a huge BtVS fan. My back tattoo even includes a Buffy quote. #Nerd

You are not a nerd, my whole family quotes Buffy or we are nerds and just don't know it.

 

[Bruce7]

Angelus: No weapons... no friends... no hope. Take all that away and what's left?
Buffy: Me.

One of the best scenes in the series. And it seemed appropriate.

So many great scenes, I can not pick a best.

 

[dvcochran]

Man you were fast a 4.4 40 yards, did you ever run the 100 yards? In my day most stop watches measure ten's, and most coaches did not time the 40. I played football and ran track. I ran 10.3 100 yards, so I mostly ran the 440. that is where I learn to endure pain. I loved football, but if I had it to do over I would not have played. Who knows how much a helmet to my left knee slowed me down.The broken ribs and other things hurt no big deal, but putting the needle in my knee to reduce swelling bother me. Maybe I could have ran faster than 10.3, I will never know. I have no broken bones from MA and the knee does not hurt performing MA.I am sorry, i got off topic.

The Nike clock user light (lasers?) to stop/start counting. One really good thing is you get an accurate sense of your real time since the process is very repeatable. My high school coach had me believing I was in the 4.3's because he was timing me with a hand stop watch 10 times and taking the average (old college rules).
My first concussion was from football. We were in cover 1 playing the run and I shot the 4 hole. So did the fullback. He was a stump of a man but weighed 250lbs. I stopped him but we hit so hard it cracked the crown of my helmet. I stayed on the field but had no clue what was going on so the coach pulled me the next play. I missed the next two games. Other than a nagging high ankle sprain I didn't have any injuries from football. I have had 2 other concussions, 1 compound break/2 cracked ribs, several broken fingers and toes from Olympic TKD. All of which came after high school and college ball. It definitely gets harder to recover as we age.

 

[Buka]

Welcome to MartialTalk, Plin.

Just have fun training. I think that's the most important.

Which ITB stretches are you doing?

 

[Plin]

When I did physical therapy last year, ultimately it was determined that I should focus more on strength and balance than stretching. I'm moderately flexible--can't do a split or anything, but the normal warmup stretches feel good. Occasionally I'll do a modified pigeon pose (I'm no yogi), but usually after a run or workout rather than before. I'd be happy to get suggestions if you have some to recommend!

Actually, what's bothering me more lately is a piriformis issue. So far it's not keeping me from doing anything, but when it's aggravated I do tend to yelp when standing up or bending over at a certain angle, and it takes me a little longer to warm up on that side. I've tried some targeted stretches (prescribed by Dr. Google, so who knows), and they actually seem to just aggravate the pain. So if anyone has good recommendations for how to deal with piriformis syndrome, I'm all ears! (Okay, eyes. Whatever. You get what I mean.)

 

[Bruce7]

The Nike clock user light (lasers?) to stop/start counting. One really good thing is you get an accurate sense of your real time since the process is very repeatable. My high school coach had me believing I was in the 4.3's because he was timing me with a hand stop watch 10 times and taking the average (old college rules).
My first concussion was from football. We were in cover 1 playing the run and I shot the 4 hole. So did the fullback. He was a stump of a man but weighed 250lbs. I stopped him but we hit so hard it cracked the crown of my helmet. I stayed on the field but had no clue what was going on so the coach pulled me the next play. I missed the next two games. Other than a nagging high ankle sprain I didn't have any injuries from football. I have had 2 other concussions, 1 compound break/2 cracked ribs, several broken fingers and toes from Olympic TKD. All of which came after high school and college ball. It definitely gets harder to recover as we age.

You have had an impressive life, college football and Olympic TKD.
I think MA are safer for normal people than football.
When I played high school football I was a whole 135 lbs and got tackle a lot. That might be way I had so many injures.
I was not at your level in MA and I did not go to many tournaments so I did not get injured doing MA.
When you think about the force of two 250 lbs guy hitting head on, you are lucky the concussion was not worse.
That one play could have been a life changing experience, if you would have broken your neck.
When we are young, we are bullet proof or at least we think we are.