Older MA the 35 and Over Crowd

[italian_guy]

I started MA at the age of 42 now almost 44. I agree that even if many performance parameter worsen with age (speed, power, flexibility etc.) much of this can be recovered with training. I have notice relevant increment in speed and flexibility since when I started.

An additional benefit that comes with age is that we have less performance stress then the younger people... they want to become better in less time, they compare one another and get frustrated if they do not perform well. We have learnt that we need to compare only to ourself and this relives a lot of stress.

[Meguro]

At 41, I haven't experienced any appreciable decline in strength, speed, agility or stamina, yet (knock on wood). The problem is my recovery time is way down. I've had to limit the hard sparring days to once a week. The injuries, which seem to crop up more frequently, take longer to heal.

The older you get, the more important it is to train in the gym. Building up your muscles, flexibility and stamina will stave off the onslought of age.

[Master Jules]

Im 38. I started my training when I was 7, so I definetely have seen changes over my lifetime. My flexibility has definetely decreased with age, but I think I attribute that to having less time on my hands to stretch. When I was younger, I used to do lots of aerial fancy kinda kicks, whereas now, I stick more to lower kicks, with less "flash". My ability to read my opponent has definetely gotten much much better over the years, as has my power, but that is from better technique. I believe my hand speed has gotten much faster as well. (unless Im just going senile and I only THINK Im gettin' better...lol)

[shotochem]

After reading all your posts I don't feel like such an anomality. I really haven't seen a decline in ability. In fact I continue to get better the longer I train. I am just not as fast as the young'uns.

I am not as physically strong in the raw power dept., as I have given up on the weights and went to body weight excercise. I have also lost 50lbs and don't have as much mass behind me. I am however much faster than I used to be and I do not feel my age by any means.

It looks to me like I still have quite a few good years of training in this ol' body.

[ninjanurse]

This past year I was in the best shape I have ever been in during my 26 years of martial arts training so I can't argue that being over the hill means a decline in fitness, but, I can say that as we age we have to learn to train smarter. Physiologically there are changes that occur that we have no control over yet as martial artists we adapt and respond accordingly. As I sit here recovering from knee surgery, I will say that recovery time from injury is longer as I grow older and is more painful emotionally than physically.

[TangSooGuy]

After reading some of what others have said...I want to quantify a few things.

I definitely am slower than I was at 18-21...but I started training when I was 10 years old. So I had already been training for 8 years when I was 18. Someone who starts training later in life may actually see marked increases in speed and flexibility.

I can still do a split all the way with some stretching, but when I was 18, I could do full splits cold. I could put my ankles behind my neck. I could stand with by back to a wall and have someone push my leg up until my toes touched the wall over my shoulder. I actually used to do a break that way...

Most "average" people who look at me now say wow, you're really flexible...and I can attribute that directly to my training, but it's still a marked decrease from where I once was.

Also, I must include that I'm actually MUCH stronger now than when I was 18...something I also attribute to training. I'm not huge by any means, but I am carrying a lot more muscle mass. That is one area I'd say I've actually seen a marked increase in over the years.

I'm not sure what to attribute being slower to, but I am slowER. Again, that doesn't mean slow. I can still spar most of my students at half speed without them giving me difficulty. I know there are techniques that used to be faster than they are now though.

However, all that said, without training, I'd be twice as slow, twice as fat, half as strong, and half as flexible.

I applaud those of you who say you are faster and more flexible than you were in your teens. I'm just not sure it's physically possible for me to be more flexible than I was in my teens, and I think some of the "slowing down" comes from that.

[SloMo]

I'm 38 myself ( wow that seems old when you type it! ) and I'm not as fast or flexible as I was when I was 18 either... but who is?

My change didn't come from age so much as getting into a career and having a family. They take up a huge part of my life that I used to spend on things like bike riding, playing football, martial arts, etc. I still do those things but not nearly as much as I used to.

My dad's favorite saying, which I agree with more and more as time goes on, "Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill!"