Broken heart. I'm too old for Lei Tai competition

[JowGaWolf]

I just found out that I won't be able to compete in Lei Tai as I'm over 41 years of age (44 years now). I finally got good enough with Jow Ga to be able to really use it and now I'm too old.

I guess now I'll search for some other martial arts tournament that has sparring competition for people older than 41. I've seen older people do full contact karate and it's a shame that Lei Tai tops out at 41. Maybe I can qualify for amateur MMA.

 

[Headhunter]

Sure you can qualify but if you want to enter mma with just Kung fu it more than likely wont end well.

 

[kuniggety]

Full contact kickboxing or karate tournaments might be a good alternative, even though you're a kung fu guy. I'm sure most wouldn't mind you jumping in and competing.

 

[Xue Sheng]

What about Sanshou?

 

[JowGaWolf]

Sure you can qualify but if you want to enter mma with just Kung fu it more than likely wont end well.

Yeah. I didn't want to train at that level either, that's a little more dedication than I really want to put into my training. I'm not worry about the grappling part because I would fill in the gaps with what I need. I understand that I would need to be able to get people off of me if I'm on the ground and I need to do that in the context of being punched and elbowed in the face. Lei Tai is full contact but not ground and pound.

Full contact kickboxing or karate tournaments might be a good alternative, even though you're a kung fu guy. I'm sure most wouldn't mind you jumping in and competing.

thanks I'll take a look at that. I want to do something that will allow me to use as much Jow Ga Kung fu as possible including sweeps and leg catches. I want to be a good representation of Jow Ga kung fu and I can't do that if too many techniques are restricted.

What about Sanshou?

I'll have to check to see how much Jow Ga I can do with those types of gloves on if I can throw the technique with the gloves on then it may be the better option for me. In Jow Ga we must make a fist a certain way so that the punches do not damage our hands.

This is the fist I need to be able to make (the first fist). I've never used any other gloves outside of MMA gloves and karate sparring gloves so I don't know.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Yeah. I didn't want to train at that level either, that's a little more dedication than I really want to put into my training. I'm not worry about the grappling part because I would fill in the gaps with what I need. I understand that I would need to be able to get people off of me if I'm on the ground and I need to do that in the context of being punched and elbowed in the face. Lei Tai is full contact but not ground and pound.

thanks I'll take a look at that. I want to do something that will allow me to use as much Jow Ga Kung fu as possible including sweeps and leg catches. I want to be a good representation of Jow Ga kung fu and I can't do that if too many techniques are restricted.

I'll have to check to see how much Jow Ga I can do with those types of gloves on if I can throw the technique with the gloves on then it may be the better option for me. In Jow Ga we must make a fist a certain way so that the punches do not damage our hands.

This is the fist I need to be able to make (the first fist). I've never used any other gloves outside of MMA gloves and karate sparring gloves so I don't know.

True Sanshou (also called Sanda) matches have throws and use an MMA style clove

Cung Le and the gloves he wore

 

[Headhunter]

Yeah. I didn't want to train at that level either, that's a little more dedication than I really want to put into my training. I'm not worry about the grappling part because I would fill in the gaps with what I need. I understand that I would need to be able to get people off of me if I'm on the ground and I need to do that in the context of being punched and elbowed in the face. Lei Tai is full contact but not ground and pound.

thanks I'll take a look at that. I want to do something that will allow me to use as much Jow Ga Kung fu as possible including sweeps and leg catches. I want to be a good representation of Jow Ga kung fu and I can't do that if too many techniques are restricted.

I'll have to check to see how much Jow Ga I can do with those types of gloves on if I can throw the technique with the gloves on then it may be the better option for me. In Jow Ga we must make a fist a certain way so that the punches do not damage our hands.

This is the fist I need to be able to make (the first fist). I've never used any other gloves outside of MMA gloves and karate sparring gloves so I don't know.

I can't say about other stuff but I'd really consider starting amateur mma at 44 years old not a great idea. I'm not age bashing as I'm older than you but there's no age category in mma so you'll be fighting guys in there 20s. And sure it's possible and you could do well but I've seen it a lot of time older guys getting seriously hurt by younger mma fighters. Your best bet would be to only fight opponents with similiar experience and age range.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

That first fist in the video is an Isshinryu fist as far as I can tell. We don't compress it so hard; we let it compress upon impact. But otherwise, yeah, that's our fist.

As to tournaments...I'm done. Had my fun. But I train to hurt people and at my last tournament, that's what happened. No more of that.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I can't say about other stuff but I'd really consider starting amateur mma at 44 years old not a great idea. I'm not age bashing as I'm older than you but there's no age category in mma so you'll be fighting guys in there 20s. And sure it's possible and you could do well but I've seen it a lot of time older guys getting seriously hurt by younger mma fighters. Your best bet would be to only fight opponents with similiar experience and age range.

I understand the concerns and risk but it's not something I'm blindly going into if I go that route. I'm not in denial about the risks. If I have to train that hard then I'll know before I enter the ring competitively if it's something that I'll have a chance to do well or if I'm just going to get pounded.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Maybe I can qualify for amateur MMA.

Depends on the rules in your state, but you may have a hard time getting the local athletic commission to grant you a license at your age, especially with you not having prior MMA experience. It's not out of the question, but it might be tough. If you can get a license, I would definitely get some serious time sparring under MMA rules at a MMA gym with experienced MMA fighters before you even consider stepping in the cage.

I can relate to your feeling though. I finally have the technique down to do well in amateur MMA, but at 52 I don't have the necessary conditioning and couldn't get a license anyway. I do get to occasionally coach MMA competitors, though. That's fun and much less painful.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I finally have the technique down to do well in amateur MMA,

Yep. this is exactly what I'm feeling. Hard training in terms of understanding and being able to finally do "real kung fu" and not enough time to actually carry it out as planned. MMA training will be tough and I know I would need to be really dedicated with that. Training at an MMA gym would be required because I would not only need a fall back, but I would also need to fill in some gaps. It would also prepare me for understanding better how MMA fighters move. The last thing I want to do is try to fight using Jow Ga as if I'm fighting another Jow Ga student. I spent the last 3 months studying Lei Tai fights from the tournament that I thought I would be doing and I would have to do the same with MMA. It's a higher level of seriousness which would need full commitment from me.

 

[drop bear]

dean rutland recently won a title here. guy is about 60.

 

[Blindside]

Do any weapon work? Lots of older guys still playing in Dog Brothers matches.

 

[JowGaWolf]

dean rutland recently won a title here. guy is about 60.

He looks good for 60.

 

[JowGaWolf]

Do any weapon work? Lots of older guys still playing in Dog Brothers matches.

That's my weapons plan. I've been training to become really good with the staff and if I can get the kung fu techniques down for the staff then I would like to give it a try but not at that intensity. Something at this pace it has to be controlled. When it comes to weapons like that there isn't any protection that will keep bones from breaking. So sparring with control is about where I want to be with any weapons sparring.

 

[drop bear]

He looks good for 60.

He trains out of blackwater MMA. have a chat to him if you want. Get some tips about hitting the MMA after 40.

https://m.facebook.com/Blackwater-MMA-479747368799972/

 

[JowGaWolf]

He trains out of blackwater MMA. have a chat to him if you want. Get some tips about hitting the MMA after 40.

https://m.facebook.com/Blackwater-MMA-479747368799972/

Thanks. I'll reach out to him

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I'm too old for Lei Tai competition

This is the general problem for MA training. When you were young, you spent all your training time in form and basic development. After you have learned all the forms in your system and you have developed good foundation, you are too old for tournament competition.

This is why I have sent my guys to compete in tournament when they are still young. I told them when they get old, they can come to me and I will teach them all the forms that they want to learn.

There are 2 different training path:

1. develop experience first, develop foundation later.
2. develop foundation first, develop experience later.

IMO, 1 > 2

The reason is simple. When you are 80 years old, you can still train your horse stance. You just can't compete in tournament when you are 80. Of course you will need some foundation in order to compete in tournament. But you don't need to make A in all your classes to graduate.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I'm over 41 years of age (44 years now).

My last year of tournament competition was 1984 when I was 36 years old. I no longer competed after that year. So your tournament career has lasted much longer than mine.

My daughter had won the international pole dancing champion 2 years ago. I told her not to compete any more and remain her title. She competed last year and she lose her title.

If you keep competing in tournament, soon or later you will lose. It's better to know when to stop.