Martial Artists and Aging

[47MartialMan]

Martial Artists and Aging

An old buzzard swoops down on a kill. It was a young armadillo crossing a road. Whereas the young armadillo had age against him, for he lack the needed experience to know when not to cross the road. Or was it bad timing? Sometimes the youth of any species expire long before "their time is due". As with the aged, the older order of species may seem to survive based upon gained experience and/or wisdom. So, like wine, the older it is, the better it gets. However, be careful, if it doesn’t have proper care, it can become vinegar.

Aging, irreversible biological changes that occur in all living things with the passage of time, eventually resulting in death. Although all organisms age, rates of aging vary considerably. Fruit flies, for example, are born, grow old, and die in 30 or 40 days, while field mice have a life span of about three years. Dolphins may live to age 25, elephants to age 50, and Galapagos tortoises to 100. These life spans pale in comparison to those of some species of giant sequoia trees, which live hundreds of years.

Among humans, the effects of aging vary from one individual to another. The average life expectancy for Americans is around 75 years, almost twice what it was in the early 1900s. Although some people never reach this age, and others are beset with illnesses if they do, more and more people are living healthy lives well into their 90s and older. The study of the different aging processes that occur among individuals and the factors that cause these changes is known as gerontology. Geriatrics is a medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in the elderly.

Many people appear to dread getting older. They often discuss it in negative terms: income reduction, withdrawal and inactivity, loss of status, loss of physical and emotional stamina and loss of mental acuity. This stereotype is somewhat pervasive in a America, a youth-oriented society. There are several myths that are associated with this stereotype.

One of the myths of aging is that intelligence diminishes with age. However, this has more to do with memory loss than intelligence. Many older people experience problems with memory. The elderly have memory problems significant enough to interfere with their ability to function independently. Memory problems were once considered an inevitable effect of the aging process, but researchers have determined that many of the brain-related changes often observed in elderly people, including memory loss, are actually a result of such diseases as Alzheimer’s disease and diseases associated with blood vessels and blood flow in the brain, such as stroke.

Another myth about aging is that people tend to grow sour and mean-spirited with age. Research shows that personalities really do not change much over time. A mean-spirited, grumpy old person was probably that way when he or she was 30. And, as humans age, most still like to do the things they did when they were young. For example those who were athletic in their youth may continue to enjoy athletic activities as they age.

Other Popular Myths

Old means sick: This theory loses favor as more and more Americans older than age 80 report fewer disabilities.

Advanced age means dependency: The percent of people living in nursing homes is dropping.

Poverty is inevitable: Centenarians display a full-range of economic circumstances, including wealth; 3/4 of centenarians do not live in poverty. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census in 1993, 12% of all elderly live in poverty, compared to 14% of the whole population. This varies from 10 % for Whites to 34% for Blacks.

Mental acuity declines with age: Older people can improve cognitive abilities with training and conditions that focus on enhancements.

Several general changes take place in the human body as it ages: hearing and vision decline, muscle strength lessens, soft tissues such as skin and blood vessels become less flexible, and there is an overall decline in body tone.

As we age, we will not be able to perform what he had done before. Stretching is overated in martial arts. Joe Hyams, the book is ZEN IN THE MARTIAL ARTS. Joe complained to Bruce about the hell of aging and the loss of flexibility. Bruce said, roughly, the past is gone, accept who you are now, walk on. Also, that high kicks are for show, not combat. Martial arts emphasized low-line kicks for centuries before high kicks came into vogue. So Joe perfected his low-line kicks until they pleased "even Bruce."

All living things appear on the stage of life, live and die. The human aging process is not just about chronology, or how old one is; rather, it is about how one lives life, successfully or unsuccessfully. In sum, biology is not destiny. Time is not destiny. Humans enact their lives, making sense of them, creating lines of action as they take up the challenges of working, playing, raising families and coming to terms with older age. People age differently one from the other, by individuality, by gender, by social class and education, and by the ways they construe life. The sense of mortality increases as one ages but how people interpret their impending mortality is a key to their successful aging. Human identity can be transformed over time. Like gender and ethnicity, aging is a master theme that wends its way into the fabric of everyday life.







Oldest living human though not credit by Guinness Book of World Records;
http://www.swagga.com/pampo.htm

List of the Oldest Human Beings;
http://www.recordholders.org/en/list/oldest.html

The Real Age Test:
http://www.realage.com/ralong/entry4.aspx?cbr=GGLE138_R

[kenpodog]

Nice post 47MartialMan!!

But I would change the following line:

Originally Posted by 47MartialMan

An old buzzard swoops down on a kill. It was a young armadillo crossing a road.

to something like this:

An old Buzzard swoops down on a kill. It was a young unsuspecting Forum Member.

[47MartialMan]

Originally Posted by kenpodog

Nice post 47MartialMan!!

But I would change the following line:
to something like this:An old Buzzard swoops down on a kill. It was a young unsuspecting Forum Member

Buzzards dont kill, they wait around and come in after accidental kill.

I have two students older than me.

One is a man 73. The other is a woman whom had just truned 61.

I can tell you that stretching is far too over-rated once a age level and body ability is set.

[The Kidd]

Also with age it is hard to read a long article (or maybe thats my ADD)

[47MartialMan]

Originally Posted by The Kidd

Also with age it is hard to read a long article (or maybe thats my ADD)

I commiserate with what you are saying.

On long posts I often copy and paste it into "Word", then print it to read later in a more comfortable setting.

[disgruntled]

stretching is not over rated once you are older, it becomes essential. speaking as someone with oseoarthritis, which many older people suffer from, stretching is essential to maintain your mobility, let alone increase it for something as demanding as MA. i also recommend that reader of this section take what is said by anyone in this section with caution and always get medical advice

[47MartialMan]

I agree about taking caution, and when a physician says that you shouldnt, dont.

(Although it is a good idea to get a second opinion.)

[Akai Shizuku]

I just want to stay physically able. It saddens me at the thought that one day I could be, well, alot less capable because of something I can't prevent (age). I hear that green tea is full of good things that slow the aging process. It's not that I want to live forever, it's just that I want to stay capable while I'm here. Anyone else feel this way?

[Sensei Tom OBrien]

Take it from an old guy. I'm 59 pushing 60. I can still hang with the younger guys through experience. I fight in the dojo but I stopped competing in tournaments at 55. I still do kata, kobudo, self-defense and breaking in competition and I'm lovin it. There are 3 things that go on you when you get old - the first is your memory and the other two I forget.
Thanks,
Sensei Tom

[Akai Shizuku]

Does this mean that MA can help you stay stronger longer?

[Sensei Tom OBrien]

Akai,

I'm no doctor but I'll bet any doctor would tell you to keep working out. I don't know about living longer but for general health you should definitely work out for as long as you can. Akai I see that you may start ju-jitsu soon. I also have Shotokan in my background and the ju-jitsu complements it immensely. You should really look into it I'll bet you will like it.
Thanks,
Sensei Tom

[Akai Shizuku]

Thank you, I will. Ju-jitsu is taught at the same dojo I train at now, and by the same master on top of it. I've seen ju-jitsu sparring and it looked really interesting to me. Also I've heard my sensei mention something about future ju-jitsu training. I always train my hardest. I think that as the belts get higher in my dojo the more my sensei teaches. I've also learnt a little basic bojutsu recently. Should I list bojutsu into my Styles box?

[47MartialMan]

Originally Posted by Sensei Tom OBrien

Akai,

I'm no doctor but I'll bet any doctor would tell you to keep working out. I don't know about living longer but for general health you should definitely work out for as long as you can. Akai I see that you may start ju-jitsu soon. I also have Shotokan in my background and the ju-jitsu complements it immensely. You should really look into it I'll bet you will like it.
Thanks,
Sensei Tom

Indeed, but would it be in best interest, to continue moderately?

[Lone Ronin SBK]

As far as the memory loss is concerned,they say blue berries and Salmon help as well.As far as looks are conscerned,does working out help you look younger,because I've been told i look 15,but I'm 18.They also say fencing,if practiced at least an hour a day,is one of the best excersizes. I train 3 hours a day.


One example of a way to help your memory is cross word puzzles. So maybe I should try cross word puzzles, Blue berries, and Salman.

[47MartialMan]

Of course maintaining a healthier lifestyle does keep one from "looking aged", but the body is still aging and things are not working properly.