Am I Old and Busted?

[ZenSlinger]

Hello, all. I'm 33 years old and began practicing Chito-Ryu karate about a month ago. I've trained in aikido and judo before, but karate fits me much better. I truly enjoy it and look forward to training 3 days a week. I'd love to stay with it and keep getting better and better.

As most of you know, it's hard to be a beginner. Stances feel weird, the movements are alien and it's difficult to believe that you'll ever acquire any proficiency. Thus far, I'm dealing with it fairly well. I've got a great teacher who can correct students without making them feel stupid or slow.

Today I hit my first real stumbling block. I began learning kicks, and despite an inherent lack of flexibility, I was told I was doing well, maybe better than average. At the end of class, I asked a senior black belt who's been doing this 24 years how to loosen the tightness in my legs and groin so my kicks can get higher and easier. I asked what the most beneficial exercises were to relax and stretch the muscles would be.

He said, if I was 33, it was pretty much over. I would gain a bit of flexibility through daily stretching and karate practice, but any real room for deep improvement had fled with my wasted youth.

He was still encouraging. Said I wouldn't need a huge range to be effective and I was doing fine.

Now, I don't need to be able to kick Shaq in the face. However, since I'm 5'8" with a long torso and short legs, being more flexible will increase my necessarily limited reach. I'd like to be able to comfortably kick at least as high as MY head.

So, to all the nice people on this forum: In your experience, is the senior right? Am I not only past my prime, but past any hope of becoming more supple? Can anyone counter this notion, or, better still, offer some moves and exercises to really heighten my flexibility?

If he's right, I'll still keep practicing. It'd be nice to be able to get better at everything, though.

Thanks, everyone.

-Z

[disgruntled]

wow, it really upsets me that he told you that!! no it is not over, you can totally increase you flexability.... i am not going to lie, it will be much harder so you have to be dedicated and keep with it..... streatch everyday, i have a good stretching thread you should read (click here)... and be presistent!

i still can believe he said that! and come on, you are 33 not fracking 80!! your body does naturally have natural ability and there is a limit to how much you can stretch, but their are much more factors that determine that than age... mostly injury. just be presistent!

i think i will research this further...

[ZenSlinger]

Disgruntled, you're my hero. Granted, I'm easily impressed. Earlier today, the vacuum cleaner was my hero cuz it did the living room without choking on cat hair.

Don't get me wrong about the senior black belt helping me out tonight. He's a good guy and a decent teacher. No one at my dojo is anything less than encouraging. As I said, after he told me my flexibility was about done he pretty much let me know I would still be a terrific karateka.

What puzzled me was his carefree attitude about the whole thing. He's 39, with a minor injury that inhibits some of his movements. I considered it impolite to state my belief (based on moderate research and the fact that I'm an EMT) that my flexibility could be considerably improved.

Regardless, I'm very happy that you answered my call. I've ordered the book prominently featured in your stretching thread, "Stretching Scientifically." We'll see if that and some good, oldl-fashioned yoga can help me out.

Thanks again.

-Z

[disgruntled]

lol... it is nice bing someones hero! but the help is not done yet. check out this thread it contains the info i just gathered researching your question. hopefully if is helpful!

[kenpodog]

You can appreciate that this senior gave you his honest opinion (right or wrong) and not just a pep talk.
I totally agree that you do not need a huge range to be effective, but it's important that you work on ways to cancel an opponents range and flexability.
Just so you know where I'm coming from, I'm 42 years old and not very flexable.

"It's not the amount of weapons you have, it's how you use them."

I would respect this senior for giving his honest opinion (right or wrong) and use him in the future for advice.

In addition, when measuring your progress (flexability, etc...), measure against yourself,
when measuring skill (techniques, sparring), measure against an opponent.

Good Luck Karateka

[The Kidd]

As a "mature" person myself be encouraged the more I work the better my flexibility gets, my goal is the splits whether I will ever get there who knows but where I can go now is easier than it was months ago and I am striving for more.

[47MartialMan]

I agree with kenpodog. Bruce Lee had a interesting conversation with a student whom beleived they were past their prime because they werent as flexible as they were years before. Though, becoming more flexible is per the indiviuals body state. Perhaps because of past injury, physical complications, etc., the prime years could be over. But, this shouldnt be a hinderance for learning, which has no bounds.


BTW - Im Old and Buzzard (past being busted)

[BluewaveTKD]

Zinslinger there is always room for approvment.......I've seen
old guys come back to my class and in a few months there flexabilty had doubled! Dont get me wrong you have to be dedcated strech everday. When you get out of the shower your legs are warm same thing when you get out of bed just start to stretch.


Your techer might have been trying to encoruge you. my techer dose the same thing. Like during speed drill he will tell all of how slow were going. But it just he's way of making us paractise harder. It might be a way to get you to stretch more.

[ZenSlinger]

Thanks,everybody. I really appreciate the encouragement. You've convinced me to redouble my efforts. I WILL BECOME A HUMAN GUMBY.