Interesting to see the same topic come up in a couple of relatively unrelated threads, so I thought I'd just start a new topic.
Everybody who lives long enough gets older. And getting older means the body changes. Some of it we can control or at least slow down. Some of it we cannot do much about.
In my case, being 50 (but having started training at 46) means I am dealing with my weight and my physical fitness not being where I want them.
I'm also dealing with various ailments that can come along with age. I've got Type 2 Diabetes, asymptomatic Sarcoidosis, Psoriasis, and some minor Bursitis in my left shoulder.
No doubt other martial artists, many who have been practicing their arts for a lifetime, have medical issues stemming from the basic wear-and-tear on their bodies as well as the ravages of time.
It was mentioned in the other threads that the older martial artist loses speed, flexibility, and strength. I countered that strength is not necessarily on the list. I personally feel I am stronger than I was as younger man, even if my cardio-vascular fitness level is lower and my speed and flexibility have decreased.
I also feel that there are trade-offs; not everything associated with aging is bad. I feel older martial artists have a better insight into behavior of others, not just due to having been in the martial arts for a long time, but just by experiencing life itself for a long time. I also feel we tend to shrug off pain and injury more readily; to us, it's a fact of every day life. Oh, we hurt. So what else is new?
I would also like to think that we more seasoned citizens know how to get things done, including cutting to the chase. Less talk, more action. We're no longer ruled by our emotions or our gonads. We've done our monkey dances, acted the fool, but we're pretty much done with all of that. We know who we are and what we're capable of. We're tested and we have a pretty good idea of our limits, and we're very aware that we're not immortal or indestructible. We cheat and play to our strengths and ignore the things we can no longer do, or things we're just not that good at anymore (or never were good and and now we never will be). We find ways around instead of through.
We've also learned to take our time and be patient with ourselves, with our training, and with our bodies. It's not a race, we'll get to where we are going. We don't get excited about slights, insults, and casual emotional issues; we just don't have the energy to get all worked up about 'he said, she said' anymore. We just don't care about insignificant stuff; and we've learned that a lot of things we once thought were important are actually 'insignificant stuff'.
That's my opinion. What's yours, old-timer?
Everybody who lives long enough gets older. And getting older means the body changes. Some of it we can control or at least slow down. Some of it we cannot do much about.
In my case, being 50 (but having started training at 46) means I am dealing with my weight and my physical fitness not being where I want them.
I'm also dealing with various ailments that can come along with age. I've got Type 2 Diabetes, asymptomatic Sarcoidosis, Psoriasis, and some minor Bursitis in my left shoulder.
No doubt other martial artists, many who have been practicing their arts for a lifetime, have medical issues stemming from the basic wear-and-tear on their bodies as well as the ravages of time.
It was mentioned in the other threads that the older martial artist loses speed, flexibility, and strength. I countered that strength is not necessarily on the list. I personally feel I am stronger than I was as younger man, even if my cardio-vascular fitness level is lower and my speed and flexibility have decreased.
I also feel that there are trade-offs; not everything associated with aging is bad. I feel older martial artists have a better insight into behavior of others, not just due to having been in the martial arts for a long time, but just by experiencing life itself for a long time. I also feel we tend to shrug off pain and injury more readily; to us, it's a fact of every day life. Oh, we hurt. So what else is new?
I would also like to think that we more seasoned citizens know how to get things done, including cutting to the chase. Less talk, more action. We're no longer ruled by our emotions or our gonads. We've done our monkey dances, acted the fool, but we're pretty much done with all of that. We know who we are and what we're capable of. We're tested and we have a pretty good idea of our limits, and we're very aware that we're not immortal or indestructible. We cheat and play to our strengths and ignore the things we can no longer do, or things we're just not that good at anymore (or never were good and and now we never will be). We find ways around instead of through.
We've also learned to take our time and be patient with ourselves, with our training, and with our bodies. It's not a race, we'll get to where we are going. We don't get excited about slights, insults, and casual emotional issues; we just don't have the energy to get all worked up about 'he said, she said' anymore. We just don't care about insignificant stuff; and we've learned that a lot of things we once thought were important are actually 'insignificant stuff'.
That's my opinion. What's yours, old-timer?
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