how do you deal with aging

[Stac3y]

Anthony's Curse cracked me up. I know exactly what he meant.

I'm 47, and have various health problems that sometimes make it hard to train. The older (and tireder) I get, the more I look for economy of motion--working on timing so I can get the strike in the first time, not bouncing around too much when I fight, turning instead of circling (let the other guy run around, I'll just wait for my moment). Of course, I've gotten meaner, too, so that helps.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Ageing is one reason why I restarted TKD at 40 years old, after about 20 years off. I figured if I don't restart, it will soon be too late to be decent. I haven't had too many issues with ageing at this point (45 years old).

 

[Gnarlie]

Ageing is one reason why I restarted TKD at 40 years old, after about 20 years off. I figured if I don't restart, it will soon be too late to be decent. I haven't had too many issues with ageing at this point (45 years old).

I find my definition of 'decent' is changing as I getting older. I don't mean lower standards, just different ones. I am starting to focus more on health, maintenance and application of very strong basics where previously that focus would have perhaps been more about aesthetics and complex, fancy stuff.

I'm really inspired by people who continue to train into their later years. Jumpy spinny combinations may eventually not be on the table anymore, but disciplined training of basics carries more value anyway IMO.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

For me, TKD techniques generally have 2 requirements: flexibility, and coordination. For instance, a nice spinning hook kick requires coordination to do it smoothly, and flexibility to kick to the head.

By "decent" I mean the coordination on "basic" kicks (i.e., excluding kicks judged by how many times you spin) and the flexibility to be unfettered in the technique.

I will say that in practice, the biggest difference that I see between the 10 year olds and the 40 year olds is not fitness, but the desire to try new things. I see 10 year olds trying fancy kicks or kip-ups, while the 40 year olds don't even try. Hence the kids develop the fancy kicks, and the older adults don't.

 

[crazydiamond]

Great thread. I started MA last year at 49. This was after restarting working out at 42. While I am stronger now than I have ever been (thanks in part HRT), I find the joints, tendons, discs, etc. simply keep limiting what I would fully like to do. I find that just as much as I work on training methods and equipment, I am working on repair and restore approaches. Foam rollers, pressure point massage gadgets, stretching, yoga, massage, ointments, and other things. I constantly researching things like "alternatives for front squats and deadlifts" or "how to stretch to reduce pain in XYZ areas of body"....ice wraps, braces, special shoes and inserts, expensive mattress for sleeping...and on and on.

Its actually much more complex to keep training, at this age. When I hurt it can take weeks and weeks to recover. I would love to do more MA training then I do (three times a week) but at this age I can't see adding in more.