Well, I Finally Did It

Gerry Seymour

MT Moderator
Staff member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2012
Messages
29,971
Reaction score
10,524
Location
Hendersonville, NC
Welcome to MartialTalk!

I don't remember my first first day (I was about 10 or 12 at the time). I remember my second (I was probably 13), and remember feeling lost and out of place (the only beginner in a quite small Judo class). I've started some new stuff a few times in my adult life (including new martial arts), and I rather enjoy the experience of being the new guy in the room for a while. It's fun being reminded that there are things I'm just not good at, and also fun to find where I'm good at something I've not done before in quite that way.

In any case, enjoy the journey!
 
OP
Puppage

Puppage

White Belt
Joined
Jan 8, 2021
Messages
18
Reaction score
15
Location
Connecticut
Welcome to MartialTalk!

I don't remember my first first day (I was about 10 or 12 at the time). I remember my second (I was probably 13), and remember feeling lost and out of place (the only beginner in a quite small Judo class). I've started some new stuff a few times in my adult life (including new martial arts), and I rather enjoy the experience of being the new guy in the room for a while. It's fun being reminded that there are things I'm just not good at, and also fun to find where I'm good at something I've not done before in quite that way.

In any case, enjoy the journey!
Thank you! I am really looking forward to the challenge.
 

Buka

Sr. Grandmaster
Staff member
MT Mentor
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Messages
12,952
Reaction score
10,443
Location
Maui
Welcome to Martial Talk, Puppage. :)

Everybody's a little nervous with a first class, no worries.

Just enjoy the process, relax and don't worry about not knowing what's going on. What I mean is, the students there will have been going there longer than you.

Have fun, let us know how it goes.
 
OP
Puppage

Puppage

White Belt
Joined
Jan 8, 2021
Messages
18
Reaction score
15
Location
Connecticut
Welcome to Martial Talk, Puppage. :)

Everybody's a little nervous with a first class, no worries.

Just enjoy the process, relax and don't worry about not knowing what's going on. What I mean is, the students there will have been going there longer than you.

Have fun, let us know how it goes.
Thank you. That’s exactly what I plan to do. I’ll be sure to report back. This site rocks!
 

dvcochran

Grandmaster
Joined
Nov 7, 2017
Messages
7,047
Reaction score
2,297
Location
Southeast U.S.
I start Krav Maga on Monday morning. Excited, but a bit nervous at 58 years of age. What was your first class like? Did you feel 5he same?
Brother, I am 57 so I will say that starting at 58 is AWESOME!!!
I think I get where you are coming from. As a fellow 'old fart' it is easy to feel like we are supposed to know at least a little bit about everything. I think the reality that martial arts of any style is very much a unique animal is part of what keeps me attracted to it.
I hope you keep at it without too much self expectation. It can really muck up the learning portal and suck the fun right out of it. If the class/instructor is worth their salt all you should be worried about is digesting the material. The rest is largely up to how well you and your body can hold up.

Again, congratulation's and welcome to the forum. I hope you keep us informed on your journey.
 
OP
Puppage

Puppage

White Belt
Joined
Jan 8, 2021
Messages
18
Reaction score
15
Location
Connecticut
Brother, I am 57 so I will say that starting at 58 is AWESOME!!!
I think I get where you are coming from. As a fellow 'old fart' it is easy to feel like we are supposed to know at least a little bit about everything. I think the reality that martial arts of any style is very much a unique animal is part of what keeps me attracted to it.
I hope you keep at it without too much self expectation. It can really muck up the learning portal and suck the fun right out of it. If the class/instructor is worth their salt all you should be worried about is digesting the material. The rest is largely up to how well you and your body can hold up.

Again, congratulation's and welcome to the forum. I hope you keep us informed on your journey.
Glad to know I am not alone at this age. I am sticking with it no matter what! Got a big bottle of Advil ready to go. The instructor is really great from what I hear, so no worries there. I really appreciate your input.
 

_Simon_

Senior Master
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Messages
4,397
Reaction score
2,900
Location
Australia
Oh that's awesome, you're gonna love it! Good on you for jumping in and starting, it's normal to be excited but a bit nervous, trust me that'll pass eventually :)

I remember my first class SO vividly actually, my whole family had started together and I was the only one too cool/rebellious/prideful to try it. Eventually changed my mind, and from the first class I was hooked, mesmerised and it was truly one of the best decisions of my life.

Have an absolute blast, relax, enjoy it and please let us know how it goes brother!

And welcome to the forum :)
 
OP
Puppage

Puppage

White Belt
Joined
Jan 8, 2021
Messages
18
Reaction score
15
Location
Connecticut
Oh that's awesome, you're gonna love it! Good on you for jumping in and starting, it's normal to be excited but a bit nervous, trust me that'll pass eventually :)

I remember my first class SO vividly actually, my whole family had started together and I was the only one too cool/rebellious/prideful to try it. Eventually changed my mind, and from the first class I was hooked, mesmerised and it was truly one of the best decisions of my life.

Have an absolute blast, relax, enjoy it and please let us know how it goes brother!

And welcome to the forum :)
That’s fantastic! Thanks for the encouragement.
 

jobo

Grandmaster
Joined
Apr 3, 2017
Messages
9,762
Reaction score
1,514
Location
Manchester UK
I start Krav Maga on Monday morning. Excited, but a bit nervous at 58 years of age. What was your first class like? Did you feel 5he same?
well done for taking the leap, i went back to ma at much the same age after an extended lay off, i was very nervious that i wouldnt be fit enough, so spent 6 months working on my fitness only to arive and find i was now one of the fittest there and i could have reasonably joined 6 months earlier

the only point id raise, is that your age is no real bar to performance, except that it takes you longer to get from point a to point b than someone younger and you have to dig in and not get discouraged that others are progressing faster than you or work harder than them to keep pace
 
OP
Puppage

Puppage

White Belt
Joined
Jan 8, 2021
Messages
18
Reaction score
15
Location
Connecticut
“so spent 6 months working on my fitness only to arive and find i was now one of the fittest there”.

LOL. That’s hysterical. I believe my performance won’t be all that bad(we’ll see) however, recovery is another animal.
 

jobo

Grandmaster
Joined
Apr 3, 2017
Messages
9,762
Reaction score
1,514
Location
Manchester UK
“so spent 6 months working on my fitness only to arive and find i was now one of the fittest there”.

LOL. That’s hysterical. I believe my performance won’t be all that bad(we’ll see) however, recovery is another animal.
i was help on my way, by a study i found, where in the 1960s, they bench marked a group of active healthy 20s on their fitness standards and then found them again in their 50s and in 6 months got them back as fit as they were when they were 20

so that is very very doable, the problem then is keeping pace with healthy 20s as they progress in fitness
 

MetalBoar

Black Belt
Joined
Jun 23, 2018
Messages
518
Reaction score
469
i was help on my way, by a study i found, where in the 1960s, they bench marked a group of active healthy 20s on their fitness standards and then found them again in their 50s and in 6 months got them back as fit as they were when they were 20

so that is very very doable, the problem then is keeping pace with healthy 20s as they progress in fitness
That's great stuff. I'll have to go track down that study and add it to the stack that I wave at people when they say they're too old to lift weights.

In my strength training gym I've worked with a lot of people in their 50's, 60's, and 70's and a few in their 80's and I've found that it doesn't matter how old someone is they can still make big improvements when they put some work in. Of course, 20 year olds have an easier time with recovery and all things being equal being young gives you an advantage but it's not nearly as big a deal as people think.

I had a client who trained with me for about 15 years, first when I was working for someone else and then later when I opened my own gym. She was about 60 when she started and by the time she was 70 she was able to move more weight than just about every 20 something year old man who started up with me no matter how athletic. Sure, those guys would catch up and surpass her eventually if they stuck with it but not without out consistent hard work and that's with the advantage of being male and maybe 6" taller than her on top of being 45-50 years younger.

I plan to lift weights and do martial arts as long as I'm still breathing.
 
Last edited:

jobo

Grandmaster
Joined
Apr 3, 2017
Messages
9,762
Reaction score
1,514
Location
Manchester UK
That's great stuff. I'll have to go track down that study and add it to the stack that I wave at people when they say they're too old to lift weights. In my strength training gym I've worked with a lot of people in their 50's, 60's, and 70's and a few in their 80's and I've found that it doesn't matter how old someone is they can still make big improvements when they put some work in. Of course, 20 year olds have an easier time with recovery and all things being equal being young gives you an advantage but it's not nearly as big a deal as people think.

I had a client who trained with me for about 15 years, first when I was working for someone else and then later when I opened my own gym. She was about 60 when she started and by the time she was 70 she was able to move more weight than just about every 20 something year old man who started up with me no matter how athletic. Sure, those guys would catch up and surpass her eventually if they stuck with it but not without out consistent hard work and that's with the advantage of being male and maybe 6" taller than her on top of being 45-50 years younger.

I plan to lift weights and do martial arts as long as I'm still breathing.
its called the " bed rest"study, there are extracts acailable on the web, but ive never found the complete study. if you fibd it copy me pleas3


the what you can do 30 years later was incidental to the original study, which was concerned with how much you deteriorate if you spend a month in bed

however theymade them sign up to the 30 years later thing, sp they were beibg compared with how fit they were as 20 yo, not some theoretical average
 

MetalBoar

Black Belt
Joined
Jun 23, 2018
Messages
518
Reaction score
469
its called the " bed rest"study, there are extracts acailable on the web, but ive never found the complete study. if you fibd it copy me pleas3


the what you can do 30 years later was incidental to the original study, which was concerned with how much you deteriorate if you spend a month in bed

however theymade them sign up to the 30 years later thing, sp they were beibg compared with how fit they were as 20 yo, not some theoretical average
I'll let you know if I find the complete study. Thanks for the info!
 

yak sao

Senior Master
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Messages
2,183
Reaction score
761
I hope you've found something that will keep you going for years to come.

I've been training since I was a teenager but now I look in the mirror and see this 58 year old guy looking back at me.

If I may I'll give you the same advice I give that guy in the mirror.....

Keep moving, do something related to training every day but remember you're not 25 anymore so listen to your body.
 

Latest Discussions

Top