The Aging Martial Artist

                                                     By E. Jude Gore, 5th Dan AKS 

If you are involved in the Martial Arts long enough, you’ll eventually come face to face with the effects of the aging process.  It’s really easy to tell when you’re there.  If you take your teeth out to spar instead of using a mouth guard… you might be an aging martial artist.   If you seem to be shrinking more than your gi does after you dry it… you might be an aging martial artist.  If when you Kiai, and the loudest sound that you make comes from the other end of your gi… you might be an aging martial artist.  If you routinely start to snore during meditation... you might be an aging martial artist.  If you catch yourself bowing before entering Denny’s… you might be an aging martial artist.  The fact is, we all will feel the effects of aging some day; I know I have.  But it doesn’t mean you should stop training.

If your body doesn’t let you know, everyone else seems to receive great pleasure in telling you.   I find myself more and more frequently visiting my family doctor and the physical therapist.  I have come to expect those infuriating words that seem to be their first response: “You’re not as young as you used to be”.  Of course, they always have a big smile when they give you this eye opening news.  I have heard this remark so many times from my doctor that he doesn’t even say it now.  He just looks at me with that big smile and says, “You know what I’m thinking”.  Of course I never give him the satisfaction of saying, “Yes I know, I’m not as young as I used to be.”  I just respond with some off the wall comment like, “It’s hard to believe that I get better looking every time you see me?” or “You think I am starting to grow hair?”.  I actually have started turning the table and beating them to the punchline, “Hey Doc, I know I’m not as young as I used to be, but do you think there’s any hope for this sore throat at my age?”  I don’t mind his response; I am use to getting stupid looks.

A couple of years ago I was leading warm-ups in a youth class.  I was still a 4th Dan at the time when one of the students asked if I would soon be testing for my next belt.  In my normal joking manner I responded that at 98 years old I won’t live long enough to test for my next belt.  The next couple of days proved to be very interesting.  I can’t tell you how many parents came up to me and explained that their kids were telling everybody that their karate teacher was 98 years old and ready to kick the bucket.

I remember a correspondence I had with a gentleman that I will not name (but he’s the Chief Instructor of a very familiar karate organization and his initials are M.S).  I was concerned that I was not prepared to test due to some injuries, and I wanted to wait until I could show my very best.  He said my problem was that I thought I should be able to  keep up with a 26 year old and … yes, he said the magic words “you’re not getting any younger”  Ahhhhhhhhh!!!   I looked at my wife and read the email.  She could see the fire in my eyes, and with a big smile she said, “He’s right.”  I thought for a few minutes and responded, “I think I can keep up with a 26-year-old!”   At that point she gave the look that I am so use to getting.  You know the one.   At least she didn’t say “Here’s your sign”.  I shrunk in my chair like a wet puppy, and rephrased my last statement, “Well, I sure would like to try to keep up with a 26 year old”.

My dear mother, rest her soul, also gave me advice.  Every day of my life I was told to “grow up and act my age”.  Well, I have come to accept the fact that I am not getting any younger (even though I am still as fast as the guy I spar in the mirror each morning). However, I am a Martial Artist and plan to remain one.  When the Martial Arts have become part of your life, there is no way to give them up.  They are part of what you are.

Once you come to grips with the fact that you are getting older, there are things you can do to perform at your best, no matter what age you are.  It is said that you’re only as young as you feel.  So do your best to feel good:

• Get plenty of rest. (You know us old farts are crabby when we don’t get our nap!)

• Eat right and take a multi vitamin.

• Start taking Glucosamine with Chondroitin. (Even if it doesn’t help your joints you will think it is and that’s half the battle.)

• Keep yourself hydrated, especially when working out.

• Cross train.  Ride a bike, take a walk, lift weights….etc. but keep yourself active.  (Weight training helps to keep your bones strong.)

• Push yourself to be your best, but not to the point of injury.  Know your body and your abilities, and train wisely. (After all at your age you should know better.)

• Rest your injuries, but don’t stop training.  If you hurt your leg, work on your hand techniques.

• Warm up properly. (At my age. I find it takes about a day and a half to warm up).

• Stretch every day, and always stretch and warm down after a hard work out.

It boils down to taking good care of yourself and using good common sense.  Start treating yourself as you would one of your students.  If a boy with one arm joined your class, you wouldn’t refuse him.  You would help him be the best he could be with what he has available.  Teacher… heed thy teachings.

It is important to remember that you have worked hard at developing not just your body, but your mind and spirit.  Your mind, supported by your spirit, is your greatest asset.  Let the knowledge that you have acquired guide you in your training.  Just because your kicks are not as high as they were 30 years ago, doesn’t mean they can’t be executed at a lower level with proper technique.  Your punches may be a little slower than before, but they can still be accurate and effective.  You may not have the stamina when you spar that you once had as young whipper snapper, but now you have knowledge and experience on your side.

My instructor, John Folsom, would state at the beginning of every class, “You are here to be the best you can be.  You are only in competition with yourself.  You do not need to prove anything to anyone.”  So it really is very simple.  What should you do as an aging martial artist?   The only thing you can do… your very best.

And of course if that doesn’t work just smile and say, “I’m not as young as I used to be”.