13 year brake..how to relearn what i have lost?!

[julian]

hi people my first post.

i have a little problem with my training at the moment and am looking for any tips from people how have been through the same thing.i trained intensively in bujinkan ninjutsu for about 4 years 1988-1991ish.i like to think i had the best teachers i could hope for in my area,i still have great love for them and the time they gave me(used to let me train for nothing when hard up for cash and gave plenty of there free time out off the dojo for extra training, great guys)i sadly gave up in 1991,at this point i had shodan,i was 19 and the party life, girls ect got the better of me..

but here i am age 31 and looking for something positive in my life..i have started training again..i tracked down who remains of the bujinkan guys and they are happy to see me back.but here is the prob..ive done 0 training in 13 years..suddely training was a bit over whelming to say the least.i have all this knowledge mixed up in my head but when i try to move, my body limbs just dont move the way i remember..obviously im out of condition.its very frustrating..in my head i KNOW how to move..but my body does not anymore.add to that i have got patchy memorys on basic things..
has anyone had the same experience?..im not looking for any magic wand to improve my taijutsu..i know what i need its simple...practice and good teachers.but is there any way to aid this relearning process?im going to have to grit my teeth and keep at it..but im very embarrassed about wearing my black belt..i sure dont move like one.id like to go train with our local Shihan(peter king)..but no way im going to stumble around his dojo wearing a black belt..id feel like a compleat sharlitan.theres a lesson here..if your board with training KEEP GOING..because i feel so sad that im so out of condition..when i have such good memories of great taijutsu.

 

[michaeledward]

Welcome ... and I guess, Welcome back.

I always thought I was in pretty good shape. I had good genes. Anyhow, I started training in American Kenpo at age 36. I quickly found out that my genes did not make up for my lack of activity. And, it took an awefully long time before I began to recognize that my body was toning and strengthening.

So, my suggestion to you is .... make haste more slowly.

There is no hurry. There is no rush. I know it can be frustrating knowing that you know this, but not remembering. Just start from scratch and work through the material as a beginner. Try hard to enter the dojo with 'No Assumptions'. Try hard. Do the best you can. You will make progress. Celebrate it when you recognize it. But don't beat yourself up if you don't recognize it, that is a sure way to becoming discouraged.

'No Assumptions' --- I am really trying to make this my motto. So often, I bring the wrong baggage into an endeavor because of my assumptions.

Good Luck.

Mike

 

[Feisty Mouse]

in my head i KNOW how to move..but my body does not anymore

This sounds like training for me, a relative newbie in MA, after learning a new technique. I can see it, it's in my head - but I can't move my body the way I want to. It's frustruating.

Just stick with it. I'm sure it will get better!

 

[shesulsa]

Yeah, I haven't had that long of a break, but I've been through two back injuries, a pregnancy, a wrist injury, a knee sprain and a severed ACL, surgery for which I had to put off for a year, then a year recovery period afterwards (midline) and I'm 38 years old.

I would have to agree with Mike...start at the beginning with your body, but...don't lose your mind. It is extremely important that you take the time to go through those movements as you see them in your mind...eventually, your body will follow. That's what I'm doing.

And remain encouraged...come back here and tell us your progress...we'll share. I have about 35 pounds to lose, a lot of conditioning to recapture, and still have to be able to do kicks I haven't done in a couple of years.

I'm learning Hwa Rang Do and am getting ready for my black belt pretest in about 8-10 weeks. We have 9 ranks before 1st dan, so today I reviewed, for white, orange and yellow, the eight basic combinations in each rank, the short form in each rank, the long form in each rank, and the techniques in white and orange with follow-ups. With the heat and my fatigue from grappling last night, I was sweating and slightly winded. Tonight, I will review all these again along with the techniques in yellow and the rest of the material except falls, that I'll do with a mat at the dojang.

I'm going to walk tomorrow morning up a 30 degree incline one mile away (walk there and up hill, run back). That's pushing it for my knee with my weight and slight asthma and allergies. That's my plan for the next three days.

I'm going a little more intensive than you because I have a deadline to meet.
In one week, I'll be reviewing the first six ranks, White, Orange, Yellow, Green, Purple and Blue and will be working a lot on kicking and falls.

Keep your head up...ain't no answers on the ground.

Hwarang!

 

[TigerWoman]

Hi, welcome to the board, I'm relatively new too.
You made the first step, you got back into it. Congratulations! All martial arts is one step at a time, one day at a time. Even if the student has been going many years and has a goal to get to master and is just a black belt, it still takes one day at a time.

Your body needs time to readjust, to get stronger, relearn that memory muscle relationship. When you get more fit, it will be easier and when you get there you will know. But in the meantime just go and do the best you can for the day and that is all you can expect of yourself - all any of us can expect of ourselves. I wish I had started TKD at 31, no I started at 47. So you have a great advantage there! Take it slow and enjoy it. TW

 

[Han-Mi]

Ya ever seen that move Billy Madison? Very funny. But besides that, billy had to go through school, every grade, over again, and he had to do it with something like 2 weeks per grade. Anyway, the relevance is You know the information, or at least you have a head start, you just have to relearn it.
My suggestion would be to go back to the beggining and res-solidify each movement, form, defense in th same order that you would have if you were just beggining, only this time, It won't take as long.
I would also suggest taking off the black belt. Though you earned it a long time ago, you, like many others, are no longer a black belt. I do not mean to be harsh, but it is true that if you stop training you are not at the black belt level.
However, you should quickly re-earn your rank by simply relearning the information, and then being able to focus on your conditioning and training without the worry of being embaraced.

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[OC Kid]

Yea Buddy I feel your pain. I came back a year ago after about a 10 year lay off due to family (I started having kids) Well all I can say is take it easy, I dont know anything about ninjutsu training methods and all but just got back and work on the basics, take your time build your flexibility back. In my case I went back to the last school I trained at and knew no one except the head instructor/owner. Well I started talking to some of the guys and got that yea right sort of look from them until one of the older instructors their saw me and said Mr. XXXX ( In kempo schools Mr. is a sign of respect usually given to higher ranking instructors or colored belts talking to B/Bs) is that you I havent seen you in a long time how are you ect. Then we talked and everyone looked, Then another old instructor there talked to me. So they got a idea that maybe Ive been around.

Well I started training my son which is why I came back and got him doing some good stuff and took him there on sparring night. They set him up with a upper ranking student and my boy took it to him right out of the blocks. The instructor running the class a very well known fighter looked at me with a funny look on his face . Then one of of the legends of the school showed and said Hey Ron whatcha doing and we sat and talked for a while. Well now I feel like Im more accepted going back there again. But I dont train like I used to. i just teach a couple of kids and my son .

Bottom line is take it easy. Enjoy yourself, have fun and it will be there for ya.

 

[Elizium]

All I can say and it goes along the party line of the other posts... just take it as it comes.


Do not be worried about your taijutsu or your sanshin, that will come back in time. Just enjoy the way it feels, how you fit in and you will feel better. It may all seeme strange on what is going on, but this is not a competition to be back in the fold within a few weeks.

I spent a full month away. I just sat there watching TV, relaxing and just not oding anything. Then I went back and just trained again. The feeling of being left out is common when you have an absence of a few weeks, even after 13 years, your body will grow accustomed to what was learned before. Like riding a bicycle, you never forget, so sit back and enjoy your ride.

Anyway let us know what you have done and experienced. This subject is valuable to others who have had a small ammount of time away (less than your 13 years) and may give people encouragement in thought of returning and feeling left out.

 

[terryl965]

Remember to have patience, it's like ridding a bike you know how but the balance is a little off when you start to pedal... As time goes you are able to ride faster, able to ride with no hands again, and heaven forbid able to pull a wheely or two for the kids around the nieghborhood.....Every aspect in life if you leave for awhile it's harder the second time around, try going back to college after years and you know you know the material because you already have a degree, but you are looking for more knowledge and the text books look even bigger then they did all those years ago.... It just takes time and we always have time, time is just a moment at a time no hurry....God Bless America

 

[Disco]

but im very embarrassed about wearing my black belt..

Then don't wear it till you think your ready. It's a double edged sword, so to speak. Wearing the belt may be forcing you to try to do to much to live up to the reputation that the belt brings with it. So make it easy on yourself and other's. Leave the belt in the gym bag and just go train and enjoy.

 

[julian]

thanks for great replys!
i just kinda needed to air my frustration on a neutral site,i will let you know how training goes in coming weeks.
i think its all coming back to me sinse that first lesson quite fast. its a bit like finding a room in my head full of locked up information..its dusty and jumbled up but with a bit of work can be polished and put in order.anyway thanks for the group hug!

 

[Brother John]

i trained intensively in bujinkan ninjutsu for about 4 years

i know what i need its simple...practice and good teachers.
im going to have to grit my teeth and keep at it..but im very embarrassed about wearing my black belt..i sure dont move like one.id like to go train with our local Shihan(peter king)..but no way im going to stumble around his dojo wearing a black belt..id feel like a compleat sharlitan.


theres a lesson here..if your board with training KEEP GOING..because i feel so sad that im so out of condition..when i have such good memories of great taijutsu.

Been there. I didn't take such a long time off, but I know exactly how you feel.

I edited the quote of your words to highlight the fact that you gave yourself several answers to your own question.
Here's some additional thoughts of my own...

#1: Back to the basics. All of the advanced stuff you KNEW, was just the fundamentals in a more advanced expression. Go back to the fundamentals.
Once you think you've mastered the fundamentals...wake up and realize you haven't and still need to drill on them! I think that what exemplifies a Shodan the most is his/her willingness to RELEARN the basics over and over and over.

#2: Rediscover the JOY that you had before.
That's one of the things that I enjoy the most about teaching a new student, their enthusiasm and 'freshness' in how they look at the things that some of us have grown so numb or used to and maybe have taken for granted. Seek the mind of a beginner, then KEEP it!

#3: Be patient with yourself, you are a beginner again. You can either cling to your ego and be embarased and "Self-Conscious"... OR you can have the discipline and perspective of a Shodan and realize you've stepped back onto the path and have the privalege of relearning much....which won't take nearly as much time as it took to get the belt the first time. Remember, if you attain anything.... you attain it first in your mind. If you want to move like a Shodan, begin with the mind of a Shodan (patience + commitment) and the behavior/habits of a Shodan (constant and consistant striving for growth)...the rest will follow these.

As to the belt you wear, why not let Mr. King make that determination? It's his dojo, you're his student...right? Trust his discernment and care. The fact that it matters to you is good, I'd rather have a student concerned about living up to his rank than one that tries to throw his rank around. We shouldn't let the measuring tool of our art become the center-piece of our training. It's secondary and should remain there.

Just some thoughts my brother.
Welcome to Martial Talk. I look forward to your future posts/replies.

Your Brother
John

 

[Elizium]

Been there. I didn't take such a long time off, but I know exactly how you feel.

I edited the quote of your words to highlight the fact that you gave yourself several answers to your own question.
Here's some additional thoughts of my own...

#1: Back to the basics. All of the advanced stuff you KNEW, was just the fundamentals in a more advanced expression. Go back to the fundamentals.
Once you think you've mastered the fundamentals...wake up and realize you haven't and still need to drill on them! I think that what exemplifies a Shodan the most is his/her willingness to RELEARN the basics over and over and over.

#2: Rediscover the JOY that you had before.
That's one of the things that I enjoy the most about teaching a new student, their enthusiasm and 'freshness' in how they look at the things that some of us have grown so numb or used to and maybe have taken for granted. Seek the mind of a beginner, then KEEP it!

#3: Be patient with yourself, you are a beginner again. You can either cling to your ego and be embarased and "Self-Conscious"... OR you can have the discipline and perspective of a Shodan and realize you've stepped back onto the path and have the privalege of relearning much....which won't take nearly as much time as it took to get the belt the first time. Remember, if you attain anything.... you attain it first in your mind. If you want to move like a Shodan, begin with the mind of a Shodan (patience + commitment) and the behavior/habits of a Shodan (constant and consistant striving for growth)...the rest will follow these.

As to the belt you wear, why not let Mr. King make that determination? It's his dojo, you're his student...right? Trust his discernment and care. The fact that it matters to you is good, I'd rather have a student concerned about living up to his rank than one that tries to throw his rank around. We shouldn't let the measuring tool of our art become the center-piece of our training. It's secondary and should remain there.

Just some thoughts my brother.
Welcome to Martial Talk. I look forward to your future posts/replies.

Your Brother
John

I agree 100% with you John. This part of your post is the basic thought that all black belts should have tatooed into the inner eyelids:

We shouldn't let the measuring tool of our art become the center-piece of our training.

 

[Mark L]

All of the above! The only place to start is at the beginning.

I stopped practicing in 1984, started again in 1999. I gladly wore a white belt, it tends to minimize the expectations and peer pressure. I worked my way up just like everybody else, although a bit faster. Any of your fellow students with a bit of time in will recognize your experience by the way move, what you try to do, your demeanor on the mat (even if they don't know your past). You were black once before, and I'm sure in time you will be again. It will take the time it will take. I just got back to shodan a few months ago, I'm convinced the MA I am today is far superior than the earlier version.

 

[julian]

you guys are right. i should not get hung up about my preformence.
i guess ive never though of my self as haveing any real ego..but some of the posts here make me realise i do in fact have a ego, i just hide it,maybe everyone does.we should all leave our pride/ego behind when we train ,this is basic.
its nice to be reminded sometimes

 

[Elizium]

Now why does it take others to point out our failings?


Julian is right. Brother John is right. I may be right, but I may not know it until it is pointed out. But we need pride in our MA more than ourselves. Ego is nothing in a dojo. You have ego, then someone comes along and politely reminds you that someone else out there can kick *** better than you. Ego goes bang! you are back down to earth and thinking "what a (fill in the blank) I have been".

So Julian, train by fellow budo practitioner. Enjoy the ride. I know I am. Even with the ups and downs, this ride of mine is not braking just yet.

 

[Cryozombie]

because i feel so sad that im so out of condition..when i have such good memories of great taijutsu.

Julian...

I was a student in the Bujinkan for 1 year when my instructor moved away. I had a difficult time finding another instructor, kind of gave up on finding one in my area that "worked" for me, and was out of training for 5 years.

I had a terrible time when I started back up last year, most notably with Ukemi. For me, I found the thing to do is "start fresh"... not try and be who I was, but start over... and when I come to a point where somthing goes... "Aha!, I remember this, and it works like that..." its great, but it's not neccessary to getting back to training.

Begin at the beginning... After a year, I am still having troble with some of the Kihon Happo... some of them came right back... others? Well...