# Starting again at 35.....



## Mujician (Jan 8, 2017)

Hi - I've just been to my first Wado-Ryu class in 15 years. It felt good, but is my old brain too old to retain any info? Warm ups and stretching at the start was hard, however when the learning/techniques started they felt like old friends. I must confess that originally my training was at a McDojo. We did learn good technique, I must say that, but we only learnt (and was lead to believe) 5 katas - the Pinan collection. We did however learn these in mirror image. So I guess that kind of counts as 10! Everything else was kind of random - some paired work here or there, sparring quite a lot - no real guidance over this aspect. 
So I'm now faced with the task of trying to remember the katas I learned (I can only remember the first three pinion katas well), i know a little of Kushanku and thats it. I have always yearned to go back to martial arts because i loved it. What I really want to do is get as far through the Dan levels as I possibly can. 

Thoughts, tips, advice - your stories of starting later in life would be greatly appreciated!!


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## Mujician (Jan 8, 2017)

Edit: I'm 34. I forgot!


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## Gerry Seymour (Jan 8, 2017)

Musician said:


> Hi - I've just been to my first Wado-Ryu class in 15 years. It felt good, but is my old brain too old to retain any info? Warm ups and stretching at the start was hard, however when the learning/techniques started they felt like old friends. I must confess that originally my training was at a McDojo. We did learn good technique, I must say that, but we only learnt (and was lead to believe) 5 katas - the Pinan collection. We did however learn these in mirror image. So I guess that kind of counts as 10! Everything else was kind of random - some paired work here or there, sparring quite a lot - no real guidance over this aspect.
> So I'm now faced with the task of trying to remember the katas I learned (I can only remember the first three pinion katas well), i know a little of Kushanku and thats it. I have always yearned to go back to martial arts because i loved it. What I really want to do is get as far through the Dan levels as I possibly can.
> 
> Thoughts, tips, advice - your stories of starting later in life would be greatly appreciated!!


We are never too old to learn. Our brains retain placticity (the ability to form new pathways - the way we learn) our entire lives. Will you remember what you learned before? Imperfectly at best, because that's how our memory works. Go in and start from the beginning and expect to learn everything anew. Your prior experience probably means some of it will "come back to you" along the way, but if you start with the expectation that it won't, then it'll be a nice surprise if it does.

Do what any beginner should do to advance in rank: work hard, practice some outside class, follow instruction, and strive to understand the principles of the techniques, rather than just the movements. Don't worry about speed (I know that's tough when you restart at 35...or 34), just focus on learning and what you need to accomplish for the next rank if you want to advance (though there's no reason other than your own preference that you must advance). There is no rank beyond the next one.


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## O'Malley (Jan 8, 2017)

There are lots of examples of people starting training at 45+ and making it to a high rank (so their brain works just fine). You're still young.

Enjoy your training!


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## Bill Mattocks (Jan 8, 2017)

Musician said:


> Hi - I've just been to my first Wado-Ryu class in 15 years. It felt good, but is my old brain too old to retain any info? Warm ups and stretching at the start was hard, however when the learning/techniques started they felt like old friends. I must confess that originally my training was at a McDojo. We did learn good technique, I must say that, but we only learnt (and was lead to believe) 5 katas - the Pinan collection. We did however learn these in mirror image. So I guess that kind of counts as 10! Everything else was kind of random - some paired work here or there, sparring quite a lot - no real guidance over this aspect.
> So I'm now faced with the task of trying to remember the katas I learned (I can only remember the first three pinion katas well), i know a little of Kushanku and thats it. I have always yearned to go back to martial arts because i loved it. What I really want to do is get as far through the Dan levels as I possibly can.
> 
> Thoughts, tips, advice - your stories of starting later in life would be greatly appreciated!!



I started again at age 46.  I had previously studied Wado-Ryu for about 3 months, back in my twenties.  Now I study Isshin-Ryu and I am 55 years old.

I remembered nothing of my old training, so I was starting again on the ground floor.  I was inflexible, overweight, and had been recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.

I've become more flexible, lost weight, and my diabetes is under control.  I feel good and I feel healthy.

Don't worry about being too old, too fat, too stiff, or too anything.  Just train.  You'll be fine.

And welcome to MT!


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## JR 137 (Jan 8, 2017)

I agree with what everyone's said.

I was in a very similar situation.  I trained for almost 7 years from 18-25 years old.  I was getting ready to test for 2nd dan when I was offered a graduate assistantship 5 hours away.  I figured I start again once I was done, but life got in the way - career, marriage, 2 kids, etc.

I took almost 15 years off and came back at 38.  I didn't have too many problems remembering most things; it was a matter of polishing them up and dropping some bad habits that crept in like dropping my hands.

2 years back in, I honestly feel I'm better than when I left.  I'm older and probably therefore sharper.  I see things better in sparring.  I feel I can hit harder.  I pay far more attention to the details.  The only thing I'm still lacking from previous me is flexibility.

One thing I strongly advise - don't chase rank, chase improvement.  When I was younger I was looking to learn things to promote.  When I restarted, I started at white belt (different teacher, different organization, but nearly identical in curriculum).  All I care about is perfecting what I'm taught.  If all goes well (health, family, etc.) I guess I'll test for 1st dan in about a year and a half or so.  It'll be nice, but it doesn't really motivate me nor matter much to me.  I just want to be the best I can; the belt color thing will take care of itself.


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## Buka (Jan 10, 2017)

Just have fun, brother, enjoy the heck out of it.


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## JowGaWolf (Jan 10, 2017)

Musician said:


> Edit: I'm 34. I forgot!


lol.. that's why I stopped counting


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## Dirty Dog (Jan 10, 2017)

We've got a 74 year old who is 1st geup. And an 84 year old started with us a couple weeks ago.


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## Brian R. VanCise (Jan 10, 2017)

Welcome to MartialTalk and enjoy your training!  Your never to old!!!


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## Bushidofryer70 (Jan 14, 2017)

I trained from age 15 to age 31 and reached 4th Dan. Then work, marriage,injury and life took me away from the dojo. This past May I realized the time was right to return so at age 45 I started training again and I havent looked back! The knowledge was all still there but I had to teach my older body how to perform it. Fortunately it came back quickly and after 8 months I'm down 35 pounds and off one of my blood pressure meds. Only real trouble is flexibility,but I keep stretching! So really its never too late to start training or start over. 

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## daviddz (Jan 15, 2017)

I feel your pain Mucisan.   I trained in Tae kwon do  all through college, and then a bit after.  I earned my 1st dan, and was training to test for my 2nd dan.   Then life happened. And I stopped training.   Now here I am twenty something years later at age 47. My 4 year old daughter wanted to start taking karate, so we signed her up with a Song Moo Kwan school.   She has been there a month, and is really enjoying it. So last week I signed  up at the same school.   It's a different style than I took before, so I much of what I do remember is different than what they do.  I've been to three classes so far, and even though I am sore the next day, it is a lot of fun to doing martial arts again.

I'm going back for the exercise, so it really doesn't bother me that it is a different flavor of TKD than. I did 20 years ago.  I am getting a heck of a work out,  and having fun.


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