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Advice for middle age student


troutkick

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Hello everyone, this is my first post. At the tender age of 52 I have started studying Traditional Karate, which has been a dream of mine since high school. I am overweight, but once had great upper body and leg strength from my background in distance running and rock climbing. I know to loose weight and go slow, and I am asking for any advice and suggestions for someone of my age bracket. My biggest fear is to suffer a serious injury that would end my young MA career.

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The best information that I can give you is to listen to your body. If something doesn't work for you, try to alter it a bit to make it work. If joints start to hurt, see what you can do to fix it. Take your time, and don't rush things.

Good luck, and enjoy the journey! :karate:

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Hello everyone, this is my first post. At the tender age of 52 I have started studying Traditional Karate, which has been a dream of mine since high school. I am overweight, but once had great upper body and leg strength from my background in distance running and rock climbing. I know to loose weight and go slow, and I am asking for any advice and suggestions for someone of my age bracket. My biggest fear is to suffer a serious injury that would end my young MA career.

The best thing for you is to take it slow and listen to what your body is saying , dont push to hard and you wwill be fine. Also a good diet will help loss that weight.

I think that there is no 1 style , and that to truly become a great martial artist and person you must take information from where ever you can.

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I personally think you should get back into your distance running. It will help you loose weight and you will be doing something you have done before and it will also suppliment your MA. Buy a good pair of running shoes and just get out there and take it easy at first. After a few weeks of this and martial arts you will feel a lot fitter which will obviously reduce your chances of getting injured.

The key to everything is continuity achieved by discipline.

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I think 52 is still young and it is great that you have gotten into Martial Arts. You will not regret it at all. Most instructors will ask new students to do and learn at their own pace, but set small goals to achieve weekly (like I am going to do 5 more pushups than last week). No one is going to expect you to walk into a dojo and do 200 pushups and situps at white belt. However, keep in mind that you are 52 and starting any type of exercise program should be after you have sought the advice from your physician, especially if you decide to start distance running again. An undiagnosed hypertension or cardiac arrythmia could cause trouble during an extensive cardiovascular workout. I am not trying to say that you are a health risk, I am only offering this advice because you had mentioned that you were overweight. It is best to get that "a ok" from your doc to keep you safe and healthy. Good luck in your training.

Live life, train hard, but laugh often.

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Like troutkick I also just started MA at the age of 46 with no prior background at all. I am in pretty good shape though as a competitive paddler and cyclist. However, regardless of my fitness level and that I have been a lifelong athlete, I can honestly say that I have never experienced such agonizing muscle pain as I did after my first takedown sparring session! Perhaps as a result of being full of adreneline and desire to show my sensei that I have actually learned something in the last 6 weeks, I probably went at it a little hard. Lesson learned...I'n not in my 20's and I need to take things a little slower! Regardless, the pain feels good, in its own weird way, and lets me know that I am really doing something different.

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We have 2 older kyu's in our dojo. We tell them to do what they can, but one of them takes advantage over it because the person does not attend class regularly and complains about it.

The point I'm trying to make is attend class regularly and do what you can and build on it then it will get easier.

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its like one of my basketball coaches once said

"do what you can do, but that's it. don't try to be someone you're not, because that's where you'll screw up, or get hurt, or hurt others. play within yourself, and within your abilities."

"Smile. Show everyone that today you're stronger than you were yesterday."

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