When I tell people I'm a martial artist, one of the responses I often get is "I'd love to do that, but I'm too old to start..." Nonsense. You're never too old to begin, though you may have to choose a different style if you're starting at age 60 versus age 16. A few years ago, I published a post on how to choose a martial arts school. You can find it in my blog's archive. This post is similar, but more about how my training has changed over the years...and how I've had to adjust as I've gotten older.
I started my martial arts training in 1991, when I was 18-years old. As an adult (technically speaking), I didn't have the flexibility that the kids had, but I trained hard. I was, after all, still a teenager and karate was my outlet from school. (I was a freshman at RIT when I started training in Isshinryu Karate.) There were days when I was pretty sore following a tough workout...and it felt great!
Fast-forward to 2000... I am training in TKD and still pushing myself pretty hard. The result was a herniated disk injury that changed my life. I blogged about that here. The bottom line is that I had to make a lot of adjustments to my training since I couldn't push myself as hard physically because it would mean a lot of down time afterwards...
Fast-forward again to 2011... I'm not training as much as I'd like, but it's mostly due to competing priorities following a move (new home, new job, new life). I haven't given up on Okinawan Kenpo Karate Kobudo (OKKK), but started taking Tai Chi classes at work. None of my other style switches (Isshinryu to TKD to OKKK) were really *that* different. Tai Chi is...different. I love it! (I haven't trained long enough to want to blog about those differences, so stay tuned!)
I'm not sure I would have loved it at 18, though. At 38, I have a lot more respect for my body. I can't think of any other way to describe it. When I was 18, I was (like all teenagers) invincible. The bumps and bruises I got from training were like badges of honor. Now, I'm much more honored to have gotten through class, learned something, and be able to function the following day.
I'm not suggesting that anyone who is training in a hard style (like TKD or OKKK) quit and take up Tai Chi. The key is to know your body and train in a way that is consistent with your long-term goals. I have a friend who is in his 40's, but still trains like he's 22. (If you're reading this, you know who you are!) He's almost always beat up. If something's not hurting, then he trains until something is. That, in my opinion, is no way to train. Our training should have a positive effect on our health and well-being!
This is true whether you're 18, 28, 38, 48, or more! Know your limits! But, be true to yourself at the same time. Don't use "I know my limits" as an excuse to take it easy all the time. I've been guilty of that, so I'm not just pointing fingers. It was really easy for me to say that my back was hurting when I just didn't feel like pushing myself. Sometimes it was true, but sometimes it was just an excuse. Knowing your limits will not only allow you to avoid injuring yourself, but will also allow you to push yourself appropriately.
You're only as old as you feel! The goal of martial arts training, in my opinion, is to get your "feel" age to advance more slowly than real time...
