New guy looking for advice from those 30 and over

[hemi]

Phil your not alone! I am 31- just began training about a year ago- going for my blue belt test in 3 weeks and am entered in my first tournament next weekend. And I can tell you I am not the oldest in my class. One of my good friends at 37 has just begun this journey 2 months ago. Yes he gets frustrated but he's never had so much fun and won't give up. More than half of our adult beg-int class is in the "over 30" crowd. I have to say we have the most supportive group. I tend to have the " i suck at this" answer alot. But then my sensei always pipes in with " you suck when I say you suck" Well I have yet to hear that out of his mouth yet and I don't expect I ever will. This has been the greatest adventure I have taken I don't intend to ever give up- I see that Black belt in my future as well as teaching little dragons classes.
Never give up- That will be your biggest regret

Annie, Good luck on your blue belt test. I would have tested for purple last Monday but I opted out of testing. I just didn’t feel I was ready since I didn’t have long form 1 down.

Looking back at when I started this thread on 5-28-05 it’s like I am in a different world after a year of training. I am so addicted to Kenpo that by not testing this week I had to miss class for the week. I am having Kenpo withdraws now.

I also think that my kicks have improved a bunch still a long way from where I hope to get but better than they were day one of training.

A lot of people have posted that are several years my senior and just starting out or have been going 100% for some time now. I have to say my hats off to ya’ll. I think it is great and wish you all the best in your training.

And for those that posted that are not yet my age I say you have my respect. I wish I had the ability to attend a school, the discipline to get started and stay with training and most of all I wish I had started sooner. But my walk is barley started and God willing I will be training for many years to come.

 

[szlevi]

Hey, let me pipe in here... same age bracket here (34)... only did judo in my teens (IIRC orange was the last one) and some loose boxing stuff during my twenties (all in Europe) - I'm trying to figure out what would be the best to start with... I like Japanese folks but that not necessarily means I'd love, say, any Japanese or Okinawan style.
WEll, I'm mainly interested in 'empty hand' styles, that's for sure. I only know my goals so far: first and foremost I'd like to get into much better shape (~4 ys ago I was smoking 2 packs per day then I stoped smoking one day another - and picked up about 30 lbs since then ), secondly pursue not only knowledge - hey, my jabs are still pretty cool - but also a bit change my lifestyle but not during a 20 ys period but rather a year or so... this last one probably means even though I appreciate the well-rounded traditional approach, I would rather like to see some achievement - ie belt advancement - well, rather yearly than one per decade (sarcasm intended )... of course, I'd like to avoid any "franchise-dojo" and their "black belt under 5 years" crap too.
Any idea in which direction should I start looking around?:idunno:

 

[Tony]

Well my friend started Taekwondo when he was 31 and though not very flexible he is very aggressive and seems to have learnt alot! He is also going for his black belt soon so just keep practicing! Practice, practice, Practice! You could also ask your instructor or the higher levels for assistance. I know some of them may be younger than you but don't be too proud to ask them as they probably have a lot of knowledge.

 

[Touch Of Death]

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. A lot of the time I would forgo the normal class and show up for sparring. The instructor required sparring when he was testing the students for advancement and I fought just about everyone that was testing.



I was never great but I had good form and my kicks were fast and accurate. I was at an acceptable level to me. Now at 32, I just started going to an American kenpo school. I will skip the why I picked kenpo and try and stay more on topic with my question. But I do want to add that after a month, I love this style and hope to stay with it 100%.



In class when we practice our kicks I think mine are about as good as anyone else in the class. I am in phase one of the training so the highest belts in the class are advanced orange. But I seem to compare myself to how I was back at age 16-19. My kicks had a lot more snap and the form was to me much cleaner.

I hate that I can kick out fine but on bringing my leg back and getting into a neutral bow I am slow and sloppy.



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?



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.



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.



Anyway thanks to all who read and respond to this. I may be just over thinking my situation and putting to much into improving to quickly. Any advise from those that are going or have gone through this would be very appreciated and respected.



Phil

Think of kicks as insterts to your base motion.
Sean

 

[matt.m]

Dude I am in your club, the 30 and over. However my story is a little different. I wear two leg braces all the time. So I tell you this, take your time and slow down. Slow and steady wins the race.

My kicking is limited from the aspect that I cannot do back leg kicking on any side or round kick, my knees cant really take the torque. However that doesn't let me get down or anything. Work diligently, work steady and do not give up or quit.

-Matt

 

[hapki68]

2004Hemi,

I started taking martial arts about 7 months ago (hapkido) partially because I'm getting older. (I'm 37. That doesn't mean I'm old... but I'm certainly not as energetic or flexible as the guys in my class in their early 20s.)

I decided that I had had enough of the gym and that as I get older I need a more overall body work out. I like how hapkido combines cardio, muscle building and yoga.

As I understand it (although I don't yet know how to do it), we should be using our opponent's weakness more than our own strength. If we have to rely on our muscles, we may as well take up boxing.

It goes against western thinking (which favors power over wisdom), but age should make you and me better at this stuff, although it may not look or feel like it at first.

I'm a thin guy (5 11, 150) so I'm used to bigger guys muscling me. Although I share your concerns, I'm hoping that the martial arts will teach me how to counteract strength and youth.

Hapki68

 

[Karateguy4000]

Dear Phil

That is good that you start back. Yes you are being to heard on your slfe Phil the only way your going to get good at this Style is do it every day. Do you Kicks like 20 times a day. you well see your slfe geting batter.. it take time to get good. I have been in TKD For 7 years im a 2th dan. Do not try to be some one elso find what work best for you phil. If you try to be like some one elso you well not get any good..Find what work best for you and work on that. if you have good kicks work on them and so on.. Your welly naver to old to do martial arts.. if you can walk and you can do it..



Dwayne