Martial arts training for an old martial artist with two replaced knees

[jmf552]

Of course, anyone can reply to a thread, but I am hoping to get some advice from someone older, who has experience with total knee replacement, either personally, or with someone they are close to, or who have some medical expertise in this area. I am 70. I had my left knee replaced seven years ago and my right knee just this past August. My surgeon has advised me that my kicking days should be over if I want my replacements to last. Remediation for a replacement can be much worse than the original replacement and sometimes not successful at all. I will go with the surgeon's advice.

I am a 3rd Dan in Shi-to-Ryu Karate'. I have also studied Judo, Japanese JJ, BJJ, Muay Thai, Tai Chi and a few other things. I really enjoy martial arts training as physical fitness and for self-defense. I am sure I could be ruthless in a real fight and I like to spar, but I'm not much on sports competition. I have a "top of the bucket list" item to get back into martial arts training when my knee is fully healed. What I don't want to do is:

• Get back into Karate'. No dig on it, but I have been down that road, and there is the kicking thing.
• Get back into Tai Chi. Again, no dig on that, but it seems to be the stereotypical recommendation for old people. I studied it for 14 years under a great instructor, but again, I've been down that road.
• Do anything that unduly jeopardizes my knee.

Here's what I'm thinking so far:

• Personal boxing instruction from a local professional coach. I have a fully equipped home boxing gym. I have talked to the coach and he thinks he can help me develop an effective style that doesn't involve too much bouncing or other stress on the knees. I would spar, but only with him and he would make sure I didn't get my bell rung too badly. I would get with him one day a week and practice on my own the rest of the time.
• Gracie Combatives. There is an established program near me. I studied BJJ for a year, but I found it very confusing. I know I learned something, but I am not sure how much. The combatives program seems to be more step-by-step and there is no free rolling where I might get hurt. If I complete that program and feel confident, I could continue on the regular GJJ belt track. I also like they have "Reflex" classes on Saturdays. That is all straight up self defense. People attack and you choose the defense.
• BTW, with both of these options, I would be using high-end, custom fitted, soft knee braces.

I'm wondering what people in the know (see my first sentence above) think about this and if there are any other suggestions. Thanks in advance.

 

[Jared Traveler]

They say age is just a number.....
But that is a load of crap! I'm sorry you are dealing with those injuries. Your desire to still train is inspiring.

 

[geezer]

I have a friend, now about 80, who also had both knees replaced about ten years back. He had previously been learning Wing Chun for a long time. After taking a good deal of time off to recover, he was able to return to Wing Chun, become an instructor, and eventually reached a very high rank.

Practically speaking, he has had to make a number of modifications to his training to accommodate the effects of aging, but he has been able to continue up until the present. Now, although physically very fit for his years, he has been sidelined by memory issues. Aging sucks.

I, on the other hand am a mere boy of 67 years and still have my original, albeit creaky knees ...and bone fusions in my ankles. I considered taking on BJJ, but am frankly a bit worried about injuring my joints. So I'm sticking with Wing Chun and Escrima.

Of the choices you are considering, either one sounds good, but each carries it's own risks as well. I would be very interested to hear what you finally decide to do!

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I think both your suggested options are very reasonable. (Bear in mind that I coach both BJJ and boxing, so I may be biased.)

A regular boxing class might be a bit much, but a good coach should be able to make whatever modifications to your training that are necessary for your restrictions during private lessons.

Gracie Combatives isn't exactly the fast track to BJJ competitive mastery, but that's not what you're looking for. It's a well structured program for learning the fundamentals of BJJ and I think you should be able to handle most or all of it without much trouble. Just make sure your instructor is aware of the situation with your knees so that if you do encounter a technique that feels unsafe you can modify or skip it.

I'd give one or both of those options a try.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I do not fit your criteria, so won't go too much in depth on my assumptions. But I will say that a doctor I am friends with, while talking about martial arts, has told me that he recommends wing chun for people with knee issues. May be something else for you to look into.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I am hoping to get some advice from someone older, who has experience with total knee replacement, either personally, or with someone they are close to, or who have some medical expertise in this area.

I think both your suggested options are very reasonable. (Bear in mind that I coach both BJJ and boxing, so I may be biased.)

A regular boxing class might be a bit much, but a good coach should be able to make whatever modifications to your training that are necessary for your restrictions during private lessons.

Gracie Combatives isn't exactly the fast track to BJJ competitive mastery, but that's not what you're looking for. It's a well structured program for learning the fundamentals of BJJ and I think you should be able to handle most or all of it without much trouble. Just make sure your instructor is aware of the situation with your knees so that if you do encounter a technique that feels unsafe you can modify or skip it.

I'd give one or both of those options a try.

As a caveat to my previous reply, I am only 58 and both my knees are still more or less working. But my wife has had both knees completely replaced in recent years and if your replacements are working anywhere near as well as hers, then my advice still holds. I'd feel comfortable coaching you with either boxing or BJJ and giving you a program that would work well for you. (As far as group classes go, I do think the Gracie Combatives would be a safer entry point into BJJ than the average BJJ class.)

 

[Xue Sheng]

@jmf552

In my 60s, had one knee replaced, they want to replace the other.
I was told grappling was a bad idea and that kneeling on the replaced knee may never be possible. Meaning it will not be at all comfortable, and so far, the Doc was correct.

I have been doing mostly taijiquan, not just teh moving meditation, but with the martial arts. I am considering a return to Baguazhang and Xingyiquan. I will give it a try and go with what my knee tells me. I have been doing some Wing Chun and with the right knee replaced, I am thinking the right kicks are mostly out, but mostly due to speed, or the lack of it. As for the left, it works ok, as long as I keep my weight down, however from Thanksgiving to New Years I gained 15 pounds and I feel it in both knees, now working to get the weight back down.