New guy looking for advice from those 30 and over

[Gin-Gin]

Training for the true martial artist is something you do all the time, not just on the dojo floor. It is a way of perceiving the world, and yourself. Once I readjusted my perception to view myself as I can truly become, not as I was at 16 or the grand vision of my "ultimate" self, then I found I can focus my will toward my training and not towards my negative emotions. Train as hard as you can. Train daily. Train when you are in the dojo and train just as hard mentally when you are sitting still. Train in the way that works best for you now, not then. Train, train, train. I also firmly believe that it is vital to surround yourself in an environment that engenders positive thinking. If you have found a good school then you have a great start. Hopefully you also have people in your life, perhaps a wife, who encourages and supports your journey.

This is, incidentally, my very first post. The need for a positive world about me is why I joined this forum. Thank you for giving me a place to start here. I wish you, not luck, but wisdom and perseverance toward the success I know you will find.

Hi Navarre, & welcome to MartialTalk! :wavey: Btw, good post!

Try not to compare yourself to the others that are younger and have more energy than we used to. Keep your eyes on your own goal and work towards that goal daily. Review your material often and keep notes, they are very important in your journey and you will really value them as you learn more and more material and review for tests- or if you ever have to take time off, you can have those notes to study in your time away from the dojo. Keep us posted on your progress and best of luck to you in your new system. Kenpo is awesome!!

Absolutely--well said, Shodan!

 

[mantis]

dude.. the guy is ONLY 32
you guys make sound like he 72..
32 is still young, he has enough energy..
good luck on stretching tho!
haha

 

[Flying Crane]

dude.. the guy is ONLY 32
you guys make sound like he 72..
32 is still young, he has enough energy..
good luck on stretching tho!
haha

right on. 32 is young. If you have been inactive for several years it may take time and dilligence to regain your limberness and get your body moving again, but i'd be willing to bet that if you are dedicated, you could expect to be involved in the martial arts in some way or another, for about, oh, say, the next 50 - 60 years or so.

 

[mantis]

right on. 32 is young. If you have been inactive for several years it may take time and dilligence to regain your limberness and get your body moving again, but i'd be willing to bet that if you are dedicated, you could expect to be involved in the martial arts in some way or another, for about, oh, say, the next 50 - 60 years or so.

we have a 70 year old gentelman in our kung fu class. he's doing quite well. he stretches, he has good balance, and he hits hard too.. he's like purple belt now!
if he can do it, the 32 can do it too

 

[hemi]

Wow a lot has changed since I started this thread. I guess I was kind of vague in the first post in that I am not overweight (almost the opposite) and I’m not in horrible shape. I don’t think I could up and run two miles but I do walk about three a day in my job. I think I would be in much better shape if I would just make my self quit smoking. I have always been very active and still do most of what I could in my younger days. I do still try to work out with my bow flex a few days a week. Looking back at how I felt when I started and posted this thread I was in a frame of mind that maybe I would not be able to get limber and that I would not have time to reach my potential as a MA. But now that I have been back in the game so to speak for about six months now and can see the improvement I have made so far I have a lot more confidence that I can get to a level that I would like to reach.



It also helps a lot to see that a lot of other members here started MA when they were older than I am and many have been at it for a long time but they are older than I am and still going strong. To be 70 and still able to work out in Kung Fu my hats off to that gentleman

 

[arnisador]

But now that I have been back in the game so to speak for about six months now and can see the improvement I have made so far I have a lot more confidence that I can get to a level that I would like to reach.

That's great! It's a personal journey. It sounds like it's a good one for you!

Some day you'll turn that confidence toward the smoking issue. It'll happen!

 

[arnisador]

Try not to compare yourself to the others that are younger and have more energy than we used to. Keep your eyes on your own goal and work towards that goal daily.

What a nice, upbeat post! I'm glad a change of pace in training has been good for you, and I like this attitude! Good luck!

 

[Grenadier]

we have a 70 year old gentelman in our kung fu class. he's doing quite well. he stretches, he has good balance, and he hits hard too.. he's like purple belt now!
if he can do it, the 32 can do it too

I'll also add that we have a 73 year old gentleman in our karate class, who passed his black belt test in February. I love the smile he gets on his face when people say "I don't know... I'm too old for this stuff."

 

[arnisador]

I spoke last night with a 43 year old who started BJJ earlier this year and has lost 24 pounds. He's going to try a tournament soon! I thought it was great.

 

[guromkb]

As much as I admire BJJ I can't even think of grappling at my age and with my injuries. I have 3 hurniated discs that are awaiting surgery in my lower back and a reconstructed right knee....so I would say BJJ is definately out for me. Car wrecks and football and wrestling and life in general has shelved me to a degree when it comes to grappling.JUMPING OUT OF PERFECTLY GOOD AIRPLANES HAVE DEFINATELY TAKEN THERE TOLL.

Mike

 

[arnisador]

One has to choose the right art for oneself. I am doing Ok with the BJJ but occasionally bow out of something that would overstress my knees, which bear some damage from wrestling.

 

[Shaman]

I would not get too caught up in form. Several of my friends have/had perfect form, but I beat them everytime sparring. I guess my mentality is different coming from Freestyle Wrestling (15+ years). It was about the result and not how pretty you looked doing it.

 

[bcbernam777]

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

Dont be impatient, allow yourself to be retrained, and relax, your consternation is the source of your lack of progress

 

[bluemtn]

Remember, you're just getting back into the swing of things. From what I've seen of Kenpo, you don't have very many fancy kicks you have to worry about so much. The flexibility will eventually come back decently. The kid's can naturally get their feet up high with very little stretching- so don't worry about it too much. As long as you are kicking with the right part of the foot and aiming right, I don't think the instructor will mind too much.

 

[hapkidoisme]

i started hapkido weighin in at 250 and power lighting never stretched never kicked never any martial art training at all, my master saw that i lost weight got faster and practiced and practiced allot

and as the years went on my training and my technique got smoother, faster, powerful striking, grappling, all of it got better over the years, i am 34 goin on 35 in march and i can kick as high and as fast as some of the high school kids with no mind to the past injuries i had suffered in teh past

so i am guess i am sayin don`t get furstrated, get practicing and your skill will improve if you get discourgaed you will fail, don`t look at the other students make it a challenge for your self, then you will succed

 

[Never to Old]

I started Hapkido in November 05 just befor my 46 birthday, best thing I ever did. Not there to compete with the younger ones just there to enjoy. Hell just about to go for my blue belt, not the most flexable person I've met and may never be anywere near as supple as the younger ones. But I recon with plenty of practice I'lll be flexable enougth to continue grading. I am definately fitter and more flexable then when I started. I ask lots of questions of my fellow students and instructors and I learn lots from them all the time.

 

[chempo2]

I started American Kempo at 50. I realize that my instructor doesn't push me like some of the young men and women, but he pushes my comfort level so that I'll strive to improve. I look back on the past 3 years and I can see a difference in my abilities. I try not to compare my self to younger stronger quicker people, I look at my own personal progress.

 

[Hand Sword]

All I can say, as I'm geeting back into again, after many years, Is hang in there. You will get frustrated because you have the memory of what you used to do, and the physical of reality of what is now. They won't match up for a while, but, hang in there! Take baby steps, and slowly build up up. You will back peddle occasionally, and start to doubt yourself, or say ""Is this really worth it?", Yes, it is! Hang in there!

 

[Hand Sword]

Did I mention to just hang in there? Sorry to repeat, but, it's definitely a mind set that we need to keep driving home. I didn't think so either, but, I find myself saying it over and over, looking for little victories everywhere.

 

[annie]

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