No respect for age!

[Kicks]

Am I a fossil?

Hmmm, that's a relative question. How old do you feel?

Those that know me on this forum, like Shorinryu Sensei, know I used that term in the most respectful, yet humorous, way. We have a small group of people over 35 years old from different dojangs that compete in local tournaments. We call ourselves the "fighting fossils". There’s a lot of respect and friendship in the group, so we have a good time competing against each other.

Sometimes when they don't compete I have to fight the college age players. So, sometimes, I don't mind when in class a youngster goes all out on me (as long as its with control and not with intent to injure). But when the instruction is to go light for whatever reason, they better respect their instructor’s command.

[pineapple]

How old do you feel?

I feel young...untill I look in the mirror!

[MASIsshinryu]

Mirrors, like all external opinions, can be skewed. Don't believe it.

[KarateChick06]

There's this really annoying, cocky kid in class who's always showing off and etc. He's like telling me "I can sweep SO hard!!!" *WHAM* *I groan*

"See? See? Can't I sweep hard?!! See??? see??? Aren't you impressed???!!!"

AAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pineapple]

There's this really annoying, cocky kid in class who's always showing off

Okay, KarateChick06, so how how you going to handle this?

[ladyj]

I think it will always be the same, when you are what you are there will be challengers, however I have found that if you make them look silly this works much better than injury. For instance, if they are going all out your experienced enough you can see their stuff coming and you simply step out of the way and let them fall on their face etc. or side step and execute a technique that was so obvious no one could miss it.

[KarateChick06]

make them look silly this works

Yeah, a friend told me that. Luckily this guy doesn't come to class anymore. You see, he went to a split-off of my dojo, and then came to my dojo for a while, and later went to the split-off again. He's still there, and they can HAVE him for all I care!!! LOL!!!

[kenttiensankari]

Finnish karatesensei Ilpo Jalamo 6.dan said that after getting old you get litle slower and weaker, but using your brains you can beat younger and faster opponents. I`m young but I have noticed that I am no match against older trainers of the same karateclub. Experience is a good advantage against younger trainees.

[italian_guy]

I'm old (43) and yet inexperienced (started MA about 2 years ago and karate about one year ago)... ... anyway I have the opposite problem.

When I spar in the competitor class (mostly people who started at least 5 years ago all in their 20s and some in their 30s) some people go too easy on me, only some of them. It is not that I want to beaten but I think I would learn more if they put some more effort.... but I know that finding the right balance between respect older student and spar with good effort is not easy. We probably should be more tolerant on one hand and try to avoid the cockiest student on the other if we are not able to handle them properly.

[kenttiensankari]

I'm old (43) and yet inexperienced (started MA about 2 years ago and karate about one year ago)... ... anyway I have the opposite problem.

But still you dont have to bee stupid, since your not going to be any quicker you must mor relay on your brains. Maybe you should say to those youngsters that they can take little harder the match. Or then you can hit few times little harder, in some point they realize that you want to have some harder training. If the other guy is hanging around against you it is opponents fault if he aint prepared.