Older Martial Artists - aging and abilities

[Buka]

Nope, he's older than me.... and I will NEVER admit to getting AARP stuff in the mail..... even though it is true..... I deny it

Actually I got my first bit of AARP mail when I was 36, which I thought was rather amusing at the time..... but I deny that one too

Never open mail from an organization whose acronym, when spoken aloud, dopplegangs the sound of flatulence in tweed pants.

I think I read that in a book once. Could have been a fortune cookie, though.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

AARP stuff in the mail. Do not speak such words...

 

[Buka]

AARP stuff in the mail. Do not speak such words...

It's the precursor, meant to lull you. Soon, the Medicare stuff will come, you won't see it coming, and you will be financially castrated.

This is why it should be legal to strangle politicians while singing or whistling. Encouraged even. May we all sing and whistle.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Never open mail from an organization whose acronym, when spoken aloud, dopplegangs the sound of flatulence in tweed pants.

I think I read that in a book once. Could have been a fortune cookie, though.

HMM, I must be getting a different AARP mail, that I am in complete denial about.... I am pretty sure the Acronym, in my mail, stands for Awfully Attractive and Resplendent People

 

[Bill Mattocks]

AARP stuff in the mail. Do not speak such words...

I started getting their stuff at 40. I told them to quit sending me stuff. No email, no phone calls, no stuff in the postal mail.

It kept on for a bit.

I had a short direct person-to-person discussion with them at one of their regional offices. I told them they would not like it if I came and visited them in person, and they didn't.

However, I made my point.

I will be 56 in July. I have not gotten anything from that organization in over ten years and it's going to stay that way.

Or we will have another discussion they will not enjoy.

When I say leave me alone, that is exactly what I mean.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I tell the young guys I roll with that if they are too mean to me I'll call social services and have them locked up for elder abuse. Hasn't convinced them to lighten up on me yet, but I figure the threat may act as a distraction while I reach into my bag of dirty tricks and treachery.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

About 8 years ago I attended a seminar taught by a team of old Japanese Judo practitioners - high dan ranks ranging from ages 65 to 80, with most of them being in their 70s. They were touring the States teaching the Nage no Kata. After we had spent 2-3 hours on the instruction, they lined up and did randori with everyone at the seminar. I got to randori with a 70 year old gentleman who politely allowed me to try everything I knew in order to throw him. Once it became apparent that I couldn't even take him a little bit off balance, he gently swept me and then went on to the next person.

At that point I knew that was exactly what I want to be doing when I reach my 70s.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I got to randori with a 70 year old gentleman who politely allowed me to try everything I knew in order to throw him. Once it became apparent that I couldn't even take him a little bit off balance, he gently swept me and then went on to the next person.

That's the old trick that all old wrestlers like to use. You ask the young wrestler to attack you, you only play defense. Since it takes less energy to play defense than to play offense, after your young opponent gets tired, you only need to use your force to take him down once and it's over.

To block 20 punches will take less energy than to throw 20 punches. It also takes less energy to defend against a throw than to execute a throw. All you will need to do is don't let your opponent to have opportune to generate speed and power. You try to interrupt his throw in the early stage and a light "shaking" can do that job.

Your opponent has lapel hold and sleeve hold on you. You also have lapel hold and sleeve hold on him. When you feel that he tries to move one side of his body toward you, you use your hold to "push away" that part of his body. You can do this all day long and you won't get tired. Unfortunately, on the wrestling mat, this strategy will be considered as "not willing to fight" and you will get disqualified.

Unfortunately this trick can only be used on the wrestling mat. It's difficult to use in the boxing ring. This is why old saying always said, "young boxer knocks down old boxer". You will never hear "young wrestler take down old wrestler". The reason is simple, in wrestling, the speed and endurance are not as important as used in boxing.

When you get old, you have to know your strong point (experience) and weak point (endurance). If you are smart, you can use your strong point to cover your weak point.

 

[Buka]

Sh. Stop telling secrets. Youngsters might be reading.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I started at 48.5 and I just turned 52. I felt some gradual declines but not much the first two years - until this last 6 months - I feel like i have really taken a step down in general physicality. So it was not at 50 but more like 51.5 that I was like "whoa" what just happened.

Did anyone else hit a noticeable "step" as they aged at certain points - or was it mostly gradual?

lol. I'm not as old as you are, but I think you are just experiencing a new phase of your training. After a certain age your training shifts from brute force to being sneaky and tricky. You are at the age when you start learning "Secret techniques."

 

[JowGaWolf]

Here you go:

That's the guy who pretends to be an old man who can barely walk. He watches the youngster to get cocky and drop his guard, at that same moment the old man kicks his butt. I was once told that old people are old for a reason. In all the martial arts movies it was the old martial artist that was the most dangerous. I can't remember where I heard this story, but it's supposed to be a historical one. An old man who as an outstanding fighter in his prime was never defeated. A younger fighter kept challenging him and one day the younger man went to where the old man was eating to force him to fight. The old man said he didn't want to fight but the younger man attacked him and the older man struck him and killed the younger guy. The lesson of this story is that Old men play for keeps, Young men play for fame. Don't get into a fight with an old man. lol.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Sh. Stop telling secrets. Youngsters might be reading.

Just trying to share "strategy" here. Everybody will get old someday.

When someone challenge a

1. young wrestler, that young wrestler will say, "I will try to take you down 3 times. If in any of my attack, you can remain standing for 3 seconds, you win, otherwise you lose."
2. old wrestler, that old wrestler will say, "If you can take me down within 3 minutes, you win, otherwise you lose."

Different strategies are used here.

- In 1, the young wrestler play offense and the challenger plays defense.
- In 2, the old wrestler play defense and the challenger plays offense.

IMO, no matter who wins and who loses, this kind of challenge is very civilized and nobody will get hurt.

Here is an example that if your opponent shots at your leg, you just push his shoulders and move back. You can play like this all day long and your opponent won't be able to get your leg.

 

[Buka]

I filled out "do not resuscitate" and "unplug from life support" forms today. That was kind of trippy.

Gave me a burning desire to slap around some young guys.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I got to randori with a 70 year old gentleman who politely allowed me to try everything I knew in order to throw him. Once it became apparent that I couldn't even take him a little bit off balance, he gently swept me and then went on to the next person.

I forgot to mention another psychology trick that 70 year old gentleman might use on you.

- The old man let you to play offense and he only played defense. This way you might not pay enough attention and allowed him to obtain his favor grip hold.
- After you had attacked him so many times, you were used to he only played defense. You might not pay enough attention on your own defense.
- After you got tired and shown some weakness in your weight shifting, since he already had the grip hold that he needed. He only need to catch a good timing, used his leg, and ended this "1 round wrestling".

One day when you are 70, you can use the same trick on some young wrestlers.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Everybody will get old someday.

If their lucky. That is generally my feeling on the topic. As far as I know, getting old is better than the alternative

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If their lucky. That is generally my feeling on the topic. As far as I know, getting old is better than the alternative

You don't want to mention the alternative. That's why when you get old, you don't want to have any birthday party. You don't want to remind YouKnowWho that "I'm still here. Come and get me."

 

[Balrog]

Any day spent above ground is a good day.

I may just have to adopt that as a new life motto!

 

[Balrog]

I think this says it all.

 

[wingerjim]

I started at 48.5 and I just turned 52. I felt some gradual declines but not much the first two years - until this last 6 months - I feel like i have really taken a step down in general physicality. So it was not at 50 but more like 51.5 that I was like "whoa" what just happened.

Did anyone else hit a noticeable "step" as they aged at certain points - or was it mostly gradual?

I am now 53 and I look at it like this, what ails me the most and look at ways to supplement that issue. For instance my legs bothered me after class, so I would walk about 1/2 - 1 mile to clear the toxins from my legs before bet. Last fall I began to suffer some knee pain, so I supplemented with riding a stationary bike to strengthen my knees. Each time I focused on an area of improvement and worked hard to address it, my health overall also improved, not just my ailing parts.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Nope, he's older than me.... and I will NEVER admit to getting AARP stuff in the mail..... even though it is true..... I deny it

Actually I got my first bit of AARP mail when I was 36, which I thought was rather amusing at the time..... but I deny that one too

I think I got my first AARP letter at 29. My girlfriend at the time thought it was hilarious (she was 40).