New guy looking for advice from those 30 and over

[47MartialMan]

Well as far as age goes, in the 30's one tends to practice more efficiently.

 

[dianhsuhe]

Congrats on coming back to the arts... It sounds like you have quite a thirst for knowledge, which is good just don't force it. The journey of mastering a martial art is about YOU, try to avoid comparing yourself to others in class. (It will be hard I know) There will always be folks better of and worse off than you in the dojo- just give 100% on every move of every technique.

When I started the martial arts there were a couple guys who started at about the same time, I was always comparing their movements and progress to mine instead of keeping both eyes on my goals, I am sure it retarded my progress because I became competitive with them. Coincidentally the guy with the most potential fizzled out at black belt and me and the other guy are still plodding along...

I too had a lay-off of about 3 years and I have been back for about a month and a half, I feel sluggish, slow, and out of shape but I just focus on each new class and each new technique- My fellow instructors run circles around me but I am determined to be better than ever and I am pushing 35

Best of luck and keep us posted!
james

 

[BuckO]

:mp5: :mp5: :mp5: :mp5: :mp5: :mp5: :mp5: :mp5: :mp5:

 

[47MartialMan]

1.)The journey of mastering a martial art is about YOU, try to avoid comparing yourself to others in class. (It will be hard I know) There will always be folks better of and worse off than you in the dojo- just give 100% on every move of every technique.

2.) When I started the martial arts there were a couple guys who started at about the same time, I was always comparing their movements and progress to mine instead of keeping both eyes on my goals, I am sure it retarded my progress because I became competitive with them. Coincidentally the guy with the most potential fizzled out at black belt and me and the other guy are still plodding along...

3.) I too had a lay-off of about 3 years and I have been back for about a month and a half, I feel sluggish, slow, and out of shape but I just focus on each new class and each new technique- My fellow instructors run circles around me but I am determined to be better than ever and I am pushing 35

Best of luck and keep us posted!
james

1.) My journey nevered ceased, after nearly 40 years, I am still not a master.

2.) Strange how that works. So the goal for some is the "Almighty Black Belt"

3.) Been there-a long break (I think there is another thread on this). 35!-a young buck. Let them run circles, they will tire quicker.

 

[kenpo tiger]

You're still a kid. I'm into year 5 of kenpo, and I'm 52. (I started martial arts at age 44 -- did tkd for two years in my late 40s.)

About kicks in tkd vs. kenpo kicks. If you haven't already realized it, kicks are very much secondary in kenpo. As with most of what we kenpoists do, they are useful only if the proper target presents itself, and are kept low, usually to the legs or body (head only if the guy's going down or is down already.) TKD is a sport art and, as such, has flashier and higher kicks which get you points in tournament sparring and competition, but are pretty vulnerable manoeuvers otherwise -- especially if you're fighting one of us.:ultracool

BuckO (one of my kenpo brothers) happens to throw a mean kick, despite his older and fatter comment about himself (he actually looks pretty good for being all of 37. Ancient, dude.) and can still reach someone's head on a good day with that side kick of his.

The kenpo seniors will tell you that you adapt your training as your body ages.

Don't sweat how you look on the mat. Can you get the techs off efficiently? That's what really matters.

As to having black belt as your goal: it's nice to want the brass ring, but remember to 'enjoy the ride.' KT:asian:

 

[Gary Crawford]

2004hemi, I am only speculating,but I find most adults who start training after age 25 or so almost always have the same problems. Most of them try so hard that they are too tense for the speed to work and do not breath well when exicuting strikes. Just in case this is your problem,work on relaxing more on the initiation of your strikes/kicks and you may discover that you are faster than you think.

 

[Pale Rider]

As most of the people here had already stated... you are not that "old". I turn 37 in a few days and have been in the martial arts now since 1987. I got my Chodan in 1991, and then because of instructor difficulties - I had to find another instructor which I did after moving to Michigan and finally got my Eedan in 2003. So I know about how hard it is starting over.

The biggest thing that I have found being in my latter 30's is that it takes twice as much practice just to be half as good as you could have been (or were) when you were younger...

Just be persistant, and practice... you will do fine.

 

[bluenosekenpo]

hi there, started kenpo, now in jkd/jiujitsu/fma all after 40! earned me an inguinal hernia, broken fingers and toes, damaged cartilage, etc.. lesson learned? train within your physical capabilities(for me that means no high kicks to the head,giving or receiving).

previous posters have provided good info, here are things that work for me(again know your limitations and capabilities).

break down the kick or strike into parts. for example, the snap kick. practice movement of chambering the leg and focus on doing it as fast as possible(don't kick,just chamber), then extending the leg into the snap(don't return it to the ground!snap-rechamber-snap-rechamber),finally return your fully extended kick to the ground as fast as possible(i like to stomp back into position,but be careful as this can hurt).

now put the 3 movements together and practice in front of a mirror and focus on form and body mechanics, don't telegraph your strike. this has helped me build speed and power. hope this helps.

 

[hemi]

First I wanted to say thanks to everyone for the awesome advice and encouragement. I can see there are many very knowledgeable people here at Martial talk. After reading the suggestions and experiences of others here and talking to my instructor I have started to see myself in a somewhat different light. I can see it will not be easy to get to the level I hope to but then again anything worth having/doing never is.



Another thing I wanted to ask, I hope this is not wrong to ask this under this thread but I see a lot very experienced ( time and rank in a style) people left suggestions so I wanted to ask if this is normal or something that you grow out of as you progress in a style.



I was watching a sparring class at my school, keep in mind it’s an American Kenpo school and being such they tend not to do high kicks to the head. But I noticed when most of the students were sparring they would do just that, mostly high kicks. Also everyone that was sparring was orange or advanced orange belts that’s all that showed up. Is this something that you see a lot? It seems to me like they forget their training and go for broke when sparring. I am just a white belt but I could see from the side line the kicks were ineffective and left them open during and after the kick. Just in case your wondering why I was not out there fighting. I was a little short till payday I plan to order my pads this week it was killing me to just watch I wanted out there so bad.

 

[searcher]

I am 31 right now and I am kicking with cleaner technique right now than when I was in my teens. I think that you can easily get the speed and technique back with a lot of practise. If you want an example of an older martial artist that can kick very fast look at Hee Il Cho. He is in his 60's and can still kick very fast. Don't think about it very much and you will be fine.

 

[lulflo]

"As far as kenpo goes I can see how I may become, if not already a pest to my instructor. He teaches things relevant to my level of experience in training. But I have a tendency to want to learn more and more..."



My teacher asks me point blank, "Have you mastered the techniques you already have"? That usually gets me thinking a little harder about what I am doing with what I learn.

I feel like I already have more information from five years of training than I can ever master in my lifetime. Point here is to relax and work on what you have as often as you can and when more is given to you, it is because you are ready for more, believe me, I am an advocate of the theory 'don't know until you ask', but I also know that my teacher appreciates it even more when I don't ask, and seems to give me more because of it.

By the way, only 29 now, but thought you wouldn't mind - close enough

Good luck

Larry

 

[Jonathan Randall]

Well I may be asking too much of myself, or maybe I am just crazy. I am 32 about six foot tall and around 170lbs. In my younger years 16-19 I took some TKD classes.


And maybe I am too hard on myself but am I crazy to think I will ever get back to at least the level I was at ages 16-19?

Easy question. You have far surpassed what you could do at 16-19. Your ability to walk away from or talk yourself out of a fight is probably %500 of what it was fifteen years ago. Also, and ask any real expert, self-defence is more a function of avoidance and escape and failing that, basic combatives, rather than formal MA techniques. Practice a quick, explosive palm-heel strike and a few low line kicks and I promise you, your self-defence ability at 32 will far surpass your ability at 16.

True, you don't have the flexibility that you had at 16 but you have more WISDOM and discipline than you did then. I'm a "little" older than 32 but my self-defence ability far exceeds my ability at 19 when I could do a TKD jump spinning crescent kick for breakfast, attend a Judo class for lunch and a boxing class for dinner.

 

[skyguy]

Have or do any of you that are my age or older feel this way? Did I wait to long to get back into martial arts? I want to reach the level of black belt, but only if I can reach the level of perfection that I associate with that level of rank. Case and point, I don’t want to wear the belt if I look like a joke on the mat.
Phil

Did you wait too long? I sure hope not!
I'm 40 years old, in pretty good physical condition, and I'm just starting in martial arts. I see no reason why I cant earn a black belt
if I'm a good student, stay dedicated, and dont allow frustration and impatience to derail my progress.

 

[Grenadier]

I'm also in my mid-30's, and had taken some time off between jobs. When I first came back to the martial arts, I couldn't make it through a single advanced class without feeling completely winded, and the next mornings, I'd wake up with muscle soreness that can only be described as burning. There would even be a few times during the first month or two, that I would have to stop to catch my breath. Things didn't help when I strained a hip flexor in that first month, trying to do too much. I almost quit at that time.

It took me about 3-4 months of continual training, before I felt I was starting to get back into shape. I'd make it through the classes without having to stop, but would still feel winded at the end. The hip flexor still hurt like the blazes, and sitting down was a real pain in the butt, literally, but at least it didn't feel like it was going to snap apart.

It took about 6 months, before I felt that I was in fighting shape again, being able to make it through a class without feeling winded. The hip still ached, but the strength was back.

It's now been 18 months, or so, and I can finally say that I'm back to where I was before I had left my last school (and before taking a hiatus). I can now make it through three classes in a row without getting winded, and the hip has finally healed to the point where it only gets stiff (no more firey pain).

In some ways, the hip flexor problem helped me come back to the basics, since I couldn't kick in the same way I used to, during those first few months. At that time, I simply focused on low kicks with that right leg, and concentrated on re-learning the basic mechanics, step by step. During these low kicking sessions, I was able to correct some flaws that I had previously not seen, and now that I'm pretty much close to 100% again, am thankful that I had this opportunity.

It never hurts to go back to the basics, no matter how old you are.

 

[searcher]

I think you will do just fine. I started at a much younger age, but and now in your age group. My father started when he was 38 and he did just fine. I have had several students that started in their late 30's and have made it to BB. The key to remember is that you are not a teen anymore. Don't try to keep up with the young testerone-pumping guys in class. You will need to pace yourself, but also push yourself. You are still young enough to excell and do very well.

This may sound very cliche' but you anly need to compete with yourself. In one year ask yourself if you are better than you were last year. If you can answer yes then you are doing what you need to do.

 

[lonecoyote]

I feel like recovery time is longer between those once in a while super tough workouts, and I have to be more careful of a trick knee, back injury, etc. but I think that these minuses can be pluses, I may not go as hard as I used to but I go a lot smarter than I used to. I take care of my body more, listen to it more, rest it when it needs to rest, stretch it when it needs to stretch, and push it when it needs to be pushed, instead of just pounding it day after day. Some of this may require you going to the beat of a different drummer during workouts, check with your instructor in private and let him know if you need to go a little slower. Try being the only guy above 35, heck the only guy above 23 in a submission grappling class.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

Sometimes I feel like maybe I missed the boat starting over at 32. When I do something like delayed sword, or captured twigs I can do the moves but I am sloppy and unrefined looking. Then when I watch the instructor do the same moves it looks smooth as glass. I know that with 18 years teaching and no telling how many years training to reach the level of 5th Dan some of that can be expected. And maybe I am too hard on myself but am I crazy to think I will ever get back to at least the level I was at ages 16-19?

I started MA at 42 and found that, after daily practice, I was moving quicker than I thought I could. Maybe not as quick as the younger students and certainly not as fast as Samnabim. I was quick for me. It took consistant practice. Whatever you do, though, don't stop, if this is what you want. I did and it was hard to start back up.

I want to reach the level of black belt, but only if I can reach the level of perfection that I associate with that level of rank. Case and point, I don’t want to wear the belt if I look like a joke on the mat.

If you have an honorable Sensei, you will earn your black belt.

Any idea how I can work to improve my speed, form, and accuracy? I do have a wave master to work with. I stretch everyday for at least 20 min.

I'm beginning a weight regimen that was recommended to me by my brother. He'd done weight training for some time while in the Navy. Per his suggestion, I will be doing reps of low weight. Like 5lbs. I'm told it will increase speed without bulking me up.

I hope this helps.

Good Luck

egg

 

[Navarre]

I started martial arts when I was 15 and I am going on 38 now. My original style is karate and we worked very hard physically. We would sometimes go for 3 hours daily at a level that had me in incredible physical condition.

However, in the last 5 years I have gotten away from my training. I have allowed outside factors to influence me in a negative way, which is quite unlike everything I have trained to believe. It has had a terrible effect on me, physically and spiritually. This is compounded by the fact that I have one of the country's most serious cases of scoliosis and may struggle to walk within the next 15 years.

In making the most of my life and combatting my progressive illness, I have become aware of how vital the martial arts are to my life. I have tried to reenter my training several times but have become dismayed at how slow and weak I now am and how much it hurts sometimes.

But I have internalized several vital lessons along the way. Training for the true martial artist is something you do all the time, not just on the dojo floor. It is a way of perceiving the world, and yourself. Once I readjusted my perception to view myself as I can truly become, not as I was at 16 or the grand vision of my "ultimate" self, then I found I can focus my will toward my training and not towards my negative emotions.

Train as hard as you can. Train daily. Train when you are in the dojo and train just as hard mentally when you are sitting still. Train in the way that works best for you now, not then. Train, train, train.

I also firmly believe that it is vital to surround yourself in an environment that engenders positive thinking. If you have found a good school then you have a great start. Hopefully you also have people in your life, perhaps a wife, who encourages and supports your journey.

This is, incidentally, my very first post. The need for a positive world about me is why I joined this forum. Thank you for giving me a place to start here. I wish you, not luck, but wisdom and perseverance toward the success I know you will find.

 

[arnisador]

Good luck to you! Please, don't get dismayed. The only battle is to improve yourself, after all.

 

[Shodan]

I am happy you started this thread because it has made me feel a bit better about my current situation and some things that were getting me down about it.

I am a female and have been doing martial arts since I was 13 and am now 32. I've had my breaks here and there- two major ones were for the births of both my kids. Another was a year of rehab. after I blew my right knee out on my second degree brown belt test and required reconstructive surgery. My main art has always been American Kenpo (EPAK).

I recently started going to a new studio so that I can train 4 nights a week instead of two. I still go two nights to Kenpo, but wanted to add something, so I picked up two nights at this new place that does incorporate some Kenpo into their material, but a lot of things are new. Their workout level is also a lot higher than my current Kenpo class........more cardio-oriented- which has been great (and more like I used to do in my teens)- but at my current fitness level, it is very hard for me and I've been really sore after every class!!

Being the newbie at this new studio has not been easy for me- I am wearing a white belt again for two nights a week, as well I should since the material varies quite a bit from what I am used to. I'm the only one with an old injury AND am one of the two oldest people there (at 32!!)- weird for me cuz I am used to working out with a lot of adults in Kenpo and this place is primarily teens with a ton of energy. I am always the last one finished with some of the speed/jumping drills and the respect level is waaaaaaayyy different than I am used to. Most of these kids don't know that I have a black belt in my other system and worked a long time to earn it.......a few have asked if I trained before, but a lot of them are pretty anti-social with me and hang out in their little groups chatting. It's weird to me- the lack of adults there.

I got down about all this for awhile, but have thought about it more and am okay with all of it now. I have to remember it will take me awhile to get back into shape. I just had a baby 7 months ago, so am still recovering from that and being out of shape. As I get more in shape, I am sure my knee will hurt less and I won't be so achy after each class. My approach now is more- one day at a time......I'll just keep working at my own personal goal to the best of my ability.

I am guilty of trying to push myself too hard and then getting injured, so I am really trying to pace myself and only do what I can safely do.

Try not to compare yourself to the others that are younger and have more energy than we used to. Keep your eyes on your own goal and work towards that goal daily. Review your material often and keep notes, they are very important in your journey and you will really value them as you learn more and more material and review for tests- or if you ever have to take time off, you can have those notes to study in your time away from the dojo. Keep us posted on your progress and best of luck to you in your new system. Kenpo is awesome!!

:asian: :karate: