REGRETS

[Holmejr3 2]

Not sticking with my Inosanto (Kali academy) training. Trained from 1978 to 81. I didn’t realize what a privilege and rare opportunity it was to train at the KA.

I’ve had super instructors since, but from a strictly business point of view, being 100% certified via Danny opens the doors for successful MA teaching path.

 

[Fungus]

I think the opposite; People pick up the guitar after years, sit at a piano keyboard after decades, rediscover dancing, book clubs etc. I think it’s more to do with personal circumstances, having more time/money/desire to show off (!) as you get older and more settled etc.

I find for myself that most things has a common thread, even if it superfically looks different. I often see doing something superficially different as a sometimes conscious and sometimes unconscious way to acquired a new perspective, on the common thread.

I had a long pause from physics, then spend may years studying cell physiology and their regulation in a given environment, that lead me to ask questions also about complex systems and big systems of interacting cells, leading me to neuroscience and in the end the core questions was in its essence the same as the foundational questions in physics, so I can back to the same problem with a fresh perspective. I see none of this as a pause or detour, it was a necessary part in the journey, and that particular fungus detaour took only 3-4 years. Oddly even in MA, I hint the same common thread, that seems to reveal a universal system that transcends specific fields. So each additional perspective only strenghtens that picture.

 

[_Simon_146 177]

I find for myself that most things has a common thread, even if it superfically looks different. I often see doing something superficially different as a sometimes conscious and sometimes unconscious way to acquired a new perspective, on the common thread.

I had a long pause from physics, then spend may years studying cell physiology and their regulation in a given environment, that lead me to ask questions also about complex systems and big systems of interacting cells, leading me to neuroscience and in the end the core questions was in its essence the same as the foundational questions in physics, so I can back to the same problem with a fresh perspective. I see none of this as a pause or detour, it was a necessary part in the journey, and that particular fungus detaour took only 3-4 years. Oddly even in MA, I hint the same common thread, that seems to reveal a universal system that transcends specific fields. So each additional perspective only strenghtens that picture.

Very insightful, and very relevant to my current journey.. osu

 

[Kung Fu Wang146 177]

It seems that many here have taken a leave of absence from TMA for an extended time (decade or more) and have found the motivation to return to it.

During the 2nd half of my senior high school, I had to spend 100% of my time to prepare my college entrance exam that was required in Taiwan. That was the only 1/2 year break that I took in my MA training. During my college year, nothing could stop me from training.

IMO, it depends on the priority that you set for your MA training.

- One of my long fist brothers obtained his PhD degree in US. Without working for even 1 day in his career, he started to teach MA for the rest of his life.
- Another one of my long fist uncles has obtained his medical doctor degree. Without even working in his medical field for 1 day, he also starts teaching MA for the rest of his life.
- Another one of my long fist brothers told his wife, "MA is my 1st wife. You are just my 2nd wife." I don't have courage to tell my wife that way.

Today, we just don't see that many people who are willing to devote their lifetime into it.

 

[Darren]

It seems that many here have taken a leave of absence from TMA for an extended time (decade or more) and have found the motivation to return to it. I don't think this happens as much in other activities (physical or non-physical). There seems to be something special about our arts.

Remember about 35 years ago when I was in my dojo us students were talking about the same thing, it seems that when you start a art and then leave it, eventually you will return to it, I was 56 years when I started thinking about getting back at it, thinking did I really want to start my fighting career back up I mean I was 56 years old at time am I to old has it past me by? So I waited till I was 57 years old then got back at it. It’s a journey.

 

[Gyakuto146 155]

The only problem with restarting at a more ‘advanced age’ is one’s body doesn’t cooperate in the way it used to, especially when it comes to flexibility. This can be very disappointing and maybe discouraging. Yes you should revise your mindset and accept your new limitations, but it’s very hard when you have that lingering memory of relatively ‘effortless’ high kicks and lightning fast combinations.

My advice is don’t return to past glories. Just sit in your armchair, cry and look forward to the sweet release of death…

 

[Fungus]

Yes you should revise your mindset and accept your new

There is a conceptial beauty in this! Embrace it!

Its the evolutionary design principle of nature. It should have priority to any other constructing principles. Judging the present based on the path is irrational. Embracing and evolving with the current context and constraints is a greater achievement than "preserving the past". Learning under information capacity constraints is about adaption, not necessarily monotone increase, because what is optimal now isnt same as what was optimal in a different context.

 

[Gyakuto146 155]

There is a conceptial beauty in this! Embrace it!

Its the evolutionary design principle of nature.

Please don’t use ‘evolution’ and ‘design’ in the same line; certain types will get excited over this admission.

It should have priority to any other constructing principles. Judging the present based on the path is irrational. Embracing and evolving with the current context and constraints is a greater achievement than "preserving the past". Learning under information capacity constraints is about adaption, not necessarily monotone increase, because what is optimal now isnt same as what was optimal in a different context.

Possibly, but I’m waiting for someone to say, “Any 60+ year old can regain remarkable flexibility provided they work at it.” Their muscles are the same so it should be possible!”. It’s an argument that holds water.

 

[Xue Sheng137 9]

Another regret…. Not listening to mr doctors, and continuing training, when i was younger, when they told me to take it easy and rest…

 

[Kung Fu Wang146 177]

For you guys old enough to have some regrets, care to share?

“Do it once and you like it; do it a hundred times and you love it; do it a thousand times and it becomes suffering — but only after ten thousand times can you reach the pinnacle.”

When I was 11, my brother-in-law taught me a lighting skill training. I dug a small hole (small enough that I could not bend my knees) on the ground. He asked me to keep jump out of that hole. He told me if I could jump out of that hole while it was chest level depth, I should have no problem to jump on top of the roof. He told me his father and one of his brothers could do it. I regret I didn't continue that training.

It's easy to do something once, or 100 times. But to do 1,000 time or even 10,000 times can be hard.

 

[isshinryuronin36 36]

I should have no problem to jump on top of the roof.

There are a couple of stories in old Okinawan karate lore of guys able to do this. The Shuri-te branch (Matsumura) placed value on agility. This was passed on thru his student, Kyan, to Tatsuo and Eizo Shimabuku. I saw a video clip of Eizo (early1960's?) facing an opponent and using his bent lead leg as a step, jumped onto the opponent's back, piggy-back style and strike. I've also seen a photo (mid 50's?) of his big brother, Tatsuo, climbing down a telephone pole headfirst.

 

[Kung Fu Wang146 177]

facing an opponent and using his bent lead leg as a step, jumped onto the opponent's back, piggy-back style and strike.

One time I visited Heidelberg castle in Germany with my teacher and many other MA persons. The was a wall that I could jump up with only my fingers touched the top edge. I jumped up. My fingers grabbed on top edge and pull my body completed on top of that wall. My teacher then asked other MA persons in our tour, "Is there anybody who can do this?" Nobody dared to try. That was one of my proud moment in my life.

My brother-in-law told me that his young brothers had developed jumping skill and could jump on top of the roof, but afraid to jump back down. His father then taught his young brother to flip in the air while jumping back down.

I could not jump on top of the roof, but I could jump off from it. Back in the 80, one time I went to ski in Red River, New Mexico. After I go on the ski lift, one of my skis fell off. I jumped off from my ski lift chair without even thinking (about 15 feet high). At that particular moment, in my head, I asked myself, "How can I ski back down the hill with only one ski?". I should have no problem in a normal rooftop jump off. But I forgot I had ski boots on. When my hard ski boots hit on the snow, it brought a great shocking to my left leg. It took me many years to have full recover from that accident. I regret that I did stupid things like that back then.

 

[Darren]

Mentally reviewing my TMA journey while typing my last post (in Varying Styles thread) I got to thinking what I would've changed and regretted not doing when I had the chance:

Spending more time directly with Ed Parker.
Training with Danny Inosanto.
Spending a few more years learning Iaido.
Going to Okinawa.

For you guys old enough to have some regrets, care to share?

im learning to accept my regrets, we all have them, regrets seems to interfere with learning to be the best you can be, life is about growing,learning,letting go of ego,letting go of self,given enough time coal is turned into diamonds.

 

[Darren]

Getting old, every night, school memory still bothers me big time in my dream.

- Have not study enough for my next day final exam.
- My class will start in 5 minutes, but I don't know where my classroom is.
- I'm late to turn in my homework. Trying to bring to professor's house, but don't know his home address.
- 1/2 semester is over, hasn't attended one of my classes. Hope it's not too late to drop that course.
- Wake up at 12 noon and realize I just missed my morning classes.
- Happy to be freshman again in a university I like. Realize I will be over 80 years old when I graduate again.
- ...

Have only 1 nightmare about MA.

- Fight in tournament. Realize my punch and kick are so slow.

have fought in in-school tournaments but that is all, have had a lot of concussions in my day when younger have a mild for of cerebral palsy so when my muscles get tight and don`t want to move i move anyway the mind is so much capable of more then we think, even Jesus said to use your mind the best example would be when he expounded on the old testament law, even if you don`t and you even think about it, that is using your mind.

 

[Buka50 2]

Sinatra sang “Regrets, I’ve had a few,
But then again, too few to mention.”