Training with a personal handicap

Runs With Fire

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I have been training in martial arts for four years. It is amazing to see just how I have changed in that time. Originally, I wanted to get in mma strictly to fight. I just wanted to fight and prove I could be tougher than My opponent. My uncle recommended a traditional school across town for more structured training. his Vietnam marine veteran status and several black belts from back in the day were enough persuasion for me to change my mind on just fighting to fight. I walked in and told them I wanted to get a black belt. The instructor didn't seem to think I would stick around long but I had already made up my mind. I hit the floor hard and gave it my all from day one. Every time I walked away aching, I took it as a challenge to toughen up and do better next class. My reputation in the school was to try the hardest, hit the hardest and have no controll. I always left everything on the floor and whatever we were doing, I gave it my all.
Things really began to change over the past two years. Every time I would preform a turning kick with power, I would end up having to pause due to back pain. Landing jumping kicks begun to send shooting pains down my legs and through my lower back. I decided power through my pain and just shake it off. It has only gotten worse with a near constant burning around my lumbar. It is quite likely that I end up in a wheelchair in the next ten to fifteen years. My training has changed, my philosophy of the martial arts has changed ; I have changed.
I take my condition as a challenge and yet another training opportunity. I believe it has given me the potential to be a better martial artist.
 

ballen0351

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You been to a doc? I have 2 ruptured disks and 1 bulging in my lower back. Some good Physical therapy and treatments have helped more then I ever thought possible.

My reputation in the school was to try the hardest, hit the hardest and have no controll.
Also this no control thing is slightly concerning. Hitting hard and with no control can make you a very unpopular training partner lol
 

Steve

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Agree with ballen. Go see a doctor. No one else can tell you whether you are hurt or injured. If you have an injury, you are likely just making it worse.

And I also agree with him about control.
 
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Runs With Fire

Runs With Fire

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You been to a doc? I have 2 ruptured disks and 1 bulging in my lower back. Some good Physical therapy and treatments have helped more then I ever thought possible.


Also this no control thing is slightly concerning. Hitting hard and with no control can make you a very unpopular training partner lol

like I said, I have changed. currently, I am known for my power, calm nature, and solid control. I have gone to the doc. I have LLD, my left leg is aprox 1.5 inched shorter than the right. combine that with my 10 years in construction,well, my lower five lumbar and are worn down on one side and are off kilter ,also, my spine has quite the sideways s-curve.
 

ballen0351

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I wish I would have known about the LLD before I damaged my lumbar. It was the pain in my back that led to that discovery .
OK When I first read your post I thought you were saying you only discovered the back issue because of your training. That sucks back pain screws up all aspects of your life
 

Transk53

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I share the predicament. I was supposed to be in chair by 50, two of my lower lumbar were medically fused. I can't what terms is now without checking. Got fused and crushed vertebra in my neck. Yeah it is pretty ***** to be honest, but I tell you what, this body balance stuff helps me and the Yoga. Keep thinking my spine is going to snap in half sometimes, but hell that chair is waiting. Huh, maybe just some day pioneering work can be started on spinal injuries and cause. Whether in my case birth defect, or the catastrophic accident. I'm hopeful that one day!
 
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Runs With Fire

Runs With Fire

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We don't choose who we are or how we came here. We can only give up on our journey or continue to walk down our path.
 

Elbowgrease

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Got to train smarter, not harder. The idea is to hurt the opponent, not yourself. You can do what you can to fix yourself and what you can to get yourself fixed, anything else you've just got to learn to deal with. How to work around your weaknesses.
I almost broke my back twice, healed up from those close calls, then threw my back out a different way. I think I've almost got it straightened out again. Almost lost one leg (and my life) to an infection in my foot, then broke both feet about six months after that. Both shoulders dislocated, each one a different way. One heavily damaged hand. Some of those things are ongoing nightmares. I really can't run, can barely walk when it's cold or wet, have to really be careful how I use my feet and my arms and work on posture a lot. But as long as I focus on it all I can usually do ok. Fix what you can and figure out what you've got to do to keep what you've got from there.
 

Transk53

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Got to train smarter, not harder. The idea is to hurt the opponent, not yourself. You can do what you can to fix yourself and what you can to get yourself fixed, anything else you've just got to learn to deal with. How to work around your weaknesses.
I almost broke my back twice, healed up from those close calls, then threw my back out a different way. I think I've almost got it straightened out again. Almost lost one leg (and my life) to an infection in my foot, then broke both feet about six months after that. Both shoulders dislocated, each one a different way. One heavily damaged hand. Some of those things are ongoing nightmares. I really can't run, can barely walk when it's cold or wet, have to really be careful how I use my feet and my arms and work on posture a lot. But as long as I focus on it all I can usually do ok. Fix what you can and figure out what you've got to do to keep what you've got from there.

Exactly, I figured mine out quite early in life. I had the crushing disappoint about many things, namely boxing and the army. But bloody hell, you have been through the grinder. You almost lost you're leg, damn that must have beyond scary.
 

Tez3

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Well whether you are battered or not, limping and in pain you are still alive! While you are still alive you can fight.
I lost two of my martial arts students, one aged 20 the other 22 in Afghanistan, killed by insurgents, they were both bright, promising and
I miss them.
 

Transk53

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Well whether you are battered or not, limping and in pain you are still alive! While you are still alive you can fight.
I lost two of my martial arts students, one aged 20 the other 22 in Afghanistan, killed by insurgents, they were both bright, promising and
I miss them.

I am sure you do, I was just using my own personal life and experience to the OP. Anyway for what it is worth, my thoughts go out to them.
 

Tez3

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I am sure you do, I was just using my own personal life and experience to the OP. Anyway for what it is worth, my thoughts go out to them.


I know, but if anyone is looking for a reason to carry on it's a thought.
Training needn't stop however, the trick as someone said is to train clever. The reason it's hurting when performing a specific kick could be down to the way the kick is done rather than the ongoing problem, I'd check that the technique is being done correctly first. If it is then I'd consider what kicks I could do instead, perhaps a Muay Thai lower kick? Jumping kicks get harder with age anyway even without any other problems, I stopped doing them ages ago.
I'm assuming by saying 'turning kick' it means you are training TKD? there's a lot of very good TKD people here who could suggest ways to train.
 

Transk53

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I know, but if anyone is looking for a reason to carry on it's a thought.
Training needn't stop however, the trick as someone said is to train clever. The reason it's hurting when performing a specific kick could be down to the way the kick is done rather than the ongoing problem, I'd check that the technique is being done correctly first. If it is then I'd consider what kicks I could do instead, perhaps a Muay Thai lower kick? Jumping kicks get harder with age anyway even without any other problems, I stopped doing them ages ago.

I don't have the ability to go airborne, I can barely reverse, up top yes, but down the legs no. So yeah lower kicks, but could get head height once. Not that confident these days though :(

I'm assuming by saying 'turning kick' it means you are training TKD? there's a lot of very good TKD people here who could suggest ways to train.

The OP.
 

Tez3

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I don't have the ability to go airborne, I can barely reverse, up top yes, but down the legs no. So yeah lower kicks, but could get head height once. Not that confident these days though :(



The OP.

The whole post was in answer to the OP. :)
 

Tez3

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Well the first sentence was for you lol. Did I mention I'm useless on computers .....
 

Transk53

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Er yes face palming oneself right now. Lol, now I see it! Useless on computers, I really don't understand that though :D
 

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