Back on the mat

[CharlieYankee]

Hello all,
I am new here and wanted to ask your thoughts on coming back to martial arts again after a 20 year hiatus. I have some specific goals from health , to what I want to learn and training.

Some back ground on me.
I originally started my martial arts , probably like most , as teen in a Tae Kwon Do class. Inspired by Kung Fu theater , Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, I really enjoyed it.
I then left my town and joined the military where I bounced around a lot but always was getting trained but never for too long in various martial arts.
When in Biloxi I studied Aikido, in Colorado-Kali, in Korea - Hapkido, in Saudi - a bunch of crazy marines taught be some vicious techniques. After discharge, I found a Shaolin instructor and had about 7 years.
That was my most long term commitment, Even though each of those places were short term student, we trained extremely hard since we were in the service.
I then met a girl made a family and spent the last 20 years perfecting the art of football, basketball and baseball coach. Now my kids are pretty much gone and I have this void in my life that martial arts could fill.
The caveat, I am now a 52 year old fat boy. So I got a personal trainer to get out of pear shape and joined a local place that has weapons and sparring. Seems really good. However, as I found with every other places I checked out , its filled mostly with kids and old men. It is also more Tae Kwon do geared. I also found out I suck at sport fighting , where people fight for points and are kicking to the head but you cant punch heads or use a lot of different strikes, grapples or throws. They do have a great weapons program. Starting with Kali sticks, Bo, chucks, ..... culminating at the katana. That really peaked my interest. However, for me, I want to actually immerse myself in the study of the katana. Not just weapon #12 to learn after year 4. I like the people at this school and don't want to leave so I found and joined a Shinkendo school. So am studying there as well. Now , I also have a new friend that has 11 years of combat Aikido he learned living in Japan. He wants to train with me as well.
So , the question. What are your thoughts on learning several styles at once from different schools? Traditionally , you stick with one school which is understandable. I just feel at 52 I don't want to waste my time learning a bunch of katas to get a black belt and would much more rather engage in the cultural aspect and combat applied techniques. However, I feel like a married guy with 2 girls on the side and none of them know about each other. Am I like a dog chasing a tennis ball?

Thanks

CY

 

[drop bear]

You do you boo.

 

[callagon]

honestly, if health is priority then any school will do, but for more on the culture and application aspect, you would difnately have to find a fighting school. a lot of schools will base thier prestige on performance like you said in katas or forms. the fighting schools have a real rich history and understanding that it would be hard to miss. i would try a style based on your interests and then sit in on a class and watch. if thier core values do not stick out right in your face then its not the place you said your looking for.

 

[CharlieYankee]

Health is definitely the priority. Down 25 pounds already and went from 1 poor push up to doing 60 now. There are a couple classes I am going to be sitting in. One I already left because I felt they did not practice safely. Saw a guy get a black eye and chipped tooth because people can control themselves. I know bruises are part of it but I still work and have to maintain a professional image Meeting clients with black eyes probably wont get me the business

 

[callagon]

Health is definitely the priority. Down 25 pounds already and went from 1 poor push up to doing 60 now. There are a couple classes I am going to be sitting in. One I already left because I felt they did not practice safely. Saw a guy get a black eye and chipped tooth because people can control themselves. I know bruises are part of it but I still work and have to maintain a professional image Meeting clients with black eyes probably wont get me the business

i completely understand. cant go to a board meeting looking like tyler d... forgot rule one and two
but thats great to get to 60 push ups!
have you been doing any stretching or breathing control?

i sat in on several schools from thai japanese and chinese based styles. even if the school isnt for you, what you can grasp while your thier is on how they move. maybe helping out in the fututure when you decide on which school to enter.

how are your joints? any damage or injuries in the past affecting your movement or pain when the joint is on load?

 

[callagon]

Health is definitely the priority. Down 25 pounds already and went from 1 poor push up to doing 60 now. There are a couple classes I am going to be sitting in. One I already left because I felt they did not practice safely. Saw a guy get a black eye and chipped tooth because people can control themselves. I know bruises are part of it but I still work and have to maintain a professional image Meeting clients with black eyes probably wont get me the business

Hello all,
I am new here and wanted to ask your thoughts on coming back to martial arts again after a 20 year hiatus. I have some specific goals from health , to what I want to learn and training.

Some back ground on me.
I originally started my martial arts , probably like most , as teen in a Tae Kwon Do class. Inspired by Kung Fu theater , Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, I really enjoyed it.
I then left my town and joined the military where I bounced around a lot but always was getting trained but never for too long in various martial arts.
When in Biloxi I studied Aikido, in Colorado-Kali, in Korea - Hapkido, in Saudi - a bunch of crazy marines taught be some vicious techniques. After discharge, I found a Shaolin instructor and had about 7 years.
That was my most long term commitment, Even though each of those places were short term student, we trained extremely hard since we were in the service.
I then met a girl made a family and spent the last 20 years perfecting the art of football, basketball and baseball coach. Now my kids are pretty much gone and I have this void in my life that martial arts could fill.
The caveat, I am now a 52 year old fat boy. So I got a personal trainer to get out of pear shape and joined a local place that has weapons and sparring. Seems really good. However, as I found with every other places I checked out , its filled mostly with kids and old men. It is also more Tae Kwon do geared. I also found out I suck at sport fighting , where people fight for points and are kicking to the head but you cant punch heads or use a lot of different strikes, grapples or throws. They do have a great weapons program. Starting with Kali sticks, Bo, chucks, ..... culminating at the katana. That really peaked my interest. However, for me, I want to actually immerse myself in the study of the katana. Not just weapon #12 to learn after year 4. I like the people at this school and don't want to leave so I found and joined a Shinkendo school. So am studying there as well. Now , I also have a new friend that has 11 years of combat Aikido he learned living in Japan. He wants to train with me as well.
So , the question. What are your thoughts on learning several styles at once from different schools? Traditionally , you stick with one school which is understandable. I just feel at 52 I don't want to waste my time learning a bunch of katas to get a black belt and would much more rather engage in the cultural aspect and combat applied techniques. However, I feel like a married guy with 2 girls on the side and none of them know about each other. Am I like a dog chasing a tennis ball?

Thanks

CY

regarding your main question, the only issue that i find with multiple schools for application would be that most of the time the intricate techniques for fighting dont show up till later after training in the style of your choosing. i guess a mantis or wing chun school?

wing chun does not have many forms but tons of aplication practice and mantis although uses forms has the applications hard pressed in them like 7 star mantis

 

[CharlieYankee]

i completely understand. cant go to a board meeting looking like tyler d... forgot rule one and two
but thats great to get to 60 push ups!
have you been doing any stretching or breathing control?

i sat in on several schools from thai japanese and chinese based styles. even if the school isnt for you, what you can grasp while your thier is on how they move. maybe helping out in the fututure when you decide on which school to enter.

how are your joints? any damage or injuries in the past affecting your movement or pain when the joint is on load?

Stretching has been a must for me. I have had a torn ACL, MCL , and calf on my right leg , and a dislocated left knee and severe dislocation of left ankle. Things were going great until I was practicing knee strikes into a partners pad when I felt something alarming in my right knee. Next thing I know I cant walk. Turns out from all my knee injuries I developed a Bakers cyst behind my knee cap and popped it doing the knee strikes. This caused the fluid to run down between my skin and muscle tissue and I looked like I had an elephant lower leg. I could not walk. Normally they drain those with a needle. It took about a month for my body to process the fluid but after that my leg felt great and has been(knock on wood)
Funny you mention breath control as I have done extensive meditation in the past but am now practicing breathing technique by Wim Hof. As I have been challenged to my first ever ice bath. I plan on a September 15th plunge date! Not sure what to expect, have heard a variety of experiences.

 

[callagon]

Stretching has been a must for me. I have had a torn ACL, MCL , and calf on my right leg , and a dislocated left knee and severe dislocation of left ankle. Things were going great until I was practicing knee strikes into a partners pad when I felt something alarming in my right knee. Next thing I know I cant walk. Turns out from all my knee injuries I developed a Bakers cyst behind my knee cap and popped it doing the knee strikes. This caused the fluid to run down between my skin and muscle tissue and I looked like I had an elephant lower leg. I could not walk. Normally they drain those with a needle. It took about a month for my body to process the fluid but after that my leg felt great and has been(knock on wood)
Funny you mention breath control as I have done extensive meditation in the past but am now practicing breathing technique by Wim Hof. As I have been challenged to my first ever ice bath. I plan on a September 15th plunge date! Not sure what to expect, have heard a variety of experiences.

 

[drop bear]

i completely understand. cant go to a board meeting looking like tyler d... forgot rule one and two
but thats great to get to 60 push ups!
have you been doing any stretching or breathing control?

i sat in on several schools from thai japanese and chinese based styles. even if the school isnt for you, what you can grasp while your thier is on how they move. maybe helping out in the fututure when you decide on which school to enter.

how are your joints? any damage or injuries in the past affecting your movement or pain when the joint is on load?

I have never had a job that I couldn't explain that combat sports gives me black eyes.

Zuckerberg does combat sports.

 

[callagon]

ya. ice baths do have a great decrease on inflamation. theres a bunch of positives that hoff writes about with the bath. the only thing i would also do is not try your first attempt alone. although its been tested, the body can have som different reactions the first time. also might i ask if you have also looked at the opposite side of the coin? heat can also help support a quicker healing process. but i really like the focus on breathing in hoffs method because it helps me keep track of when i do techniques or hard to accomplish movements so i dont hold my breath.

 

[callagon]

I have never had a job that I couldn't explain that combat sports gives me black eyes.

Zuckerberg does combat sports.

ive had some companies express that the apearance of a person can be a key point in a sale or a refusal. in which case i had to hide brusies so the managment wouldnt get upset. not hard to do but still a pain to do. needless to say, i switched jobs, but the point charlie makes is valid. cant pay for a dojo if you dont have a job.

 

[CharlieYankee]

ya. ice baths do have a great decrease on inflamation. theres a bunch of positives that hoff writes about with the bath. the only thing i would also do is not try your first attempt alone. although its been tested, the body can have som different reactions the first time. also might i ask if you have also looked at the opposite side of the coin? heat can also help support a quicker healing process. but i really like the focus on breathing in hoffs method because it helps me keep track of when i do techniques or hard to accomplish movements so i dont hold my breath.

I have a hot tub at 105 degrees which I hit nearly every morning. So love that. The cold therapy sounds appealing since I am a massive sweater when I work out and I dunk my head in coolers as it is. So it sounds a appealing. I definitely will not do it alone the first time. I am still nervous as heck. 2 days of cold showers now and his breathing technique it prep.