Martial arts for over 50 years old a.c.a. seniors

xo-karate · Purple Belt

Would anyone be interested in discussion about how to build a class or an exercises program for over 50 years old - different skill levels and multible martial arts experience background participants?

(I call this XO-karate. XO comes from cognac label extra old - wikipedia: "XO Extra Old, where the youngest brandy is stored at least six, but average upwards of 20 years" - and "brandy" being a metafora for martial art experience:-)

Often trainees have not been active for a period of time and they (I am included in the same group), need some easier drills, but interesting...

Anyone willing to share ideas? Does some one have a group of seniors?

ptr · White Belt

Interesting question - and I apologize in advance for playing the antagonist for one of my very first posts in this forum

Unfortunately, what happens in a lot of schools is this: the program is designed with a lot of emphasis on body strength and athletic conditioning. There is nothing wrong with that per se, and indeed, many practitioners do this for years and reach impressive levels (provided they don't get injured along the way). In any case, at some point their physical strength and abilities start to fade with age, and they start looking for alternate ways to achieve the same results - which is where they could have started their journey !

Karate-do is a lifelong journey. Because of this, I don't think there should be a specific program for seniors. To use your cognac analogy: all brandies, even XO's, followed the same path.

xo-karate · Purple Belt

Karate and oriental martial arts are ralatevely young in Finland. Mainly started in late sixties and early seventies. (I started 1972 as a 14 year old kid.) I don't see much karateka's that are over 50 in the dojo? A lot of people started to practice.. but are not doing it.)

So they must have stopped and changed disibline - maybe to golf which a all so play

Could there be a program to get people back to martial arts?

I konw of one program that did not work. They started "easy karate", but in a year ended up doing regular speed and joined normal classes - well, not all bad ...

My current take on the issue of getting back to martial arts is to join a different style and start from beginning. It's fun to learn new things.
So I've done karate and started Han Moo Do. I can follow the class with my karate background even though physical condition is not the same as 20 years old class mates

SaiFightsMS · KF VIP

Will have to give this some thought.

Montana · Pre-Black Belt

As one of those *ahem* seniors youre talking about, I personally would be a bit offended at being in a class with a bunch of oldies.

Sure, I don't have the speed or power I had when I wwas in my 30's, but you know what? I beli8eve very strongly in the saying..."Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill."

What I lack in speed and strength at my ripe old age of 58, I make up in experience and craftiness.
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If you don't want to stand behind our troops, please..feel free to stand in front of them.

Student since January 1975---4th Dan, retired due to non-martial arts related injuries.

Rateh · Red Belt

I have considered this myself in the past, though have never put anything into practice. My take on it is this: many young martial artists try to train for speed, strength, and stamina. As an older martial artist, you are probabluy not going to beat out a younger person in those areas. Instead I would focus the class on..well Montana said it best, "craftiness". Run a normal karate class and focus on the aspects of your art that use beating the opponent or attacker through intelligence. While martial artists of any age can and do learn this, I think a group of older martial artists would take to this type of class more readily, as I feel that in general groups of young people like to rely on their...youth, to help them succeed. (And yes, I am a youngin) When the head of our system teaches seminars for us, he always teaches techniques and drills that use intelligence to win or escape, etc. He's in his late 60's and says that he can no longer do the things he could do when he was young, so he had to learn to be smarter than his opponent.
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Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start. - Nido Qubein

xo-karate · Purple Belt

Just to keep on learning and doing different exercises I started Judo.

I am also doing Karate and if I have time some boxing.
Program is 2 times per week Judo, two times Karate, maybe once boxing and two times gym and some aerobic or interval jogging ( maybe three times per week.)

It adds up to too much training for a person over 50 years ( or I just might be able to do it - as Judo is easy in the beginning:-)

sensei8 · KF Sensei

xo-karate · Purple Belt

I'm 53 - so a youngster compared to 54 or 58...

I was at a match training thursday and we had some reaction drills. Getting up from laying at your back and some techniques and a short sprint - types of things. AND I was not the last everytime!

(And I have artritis on my hip and all most no muscles on left leg due to disc problems in my back

I have been holding a 1 kyu for 33 years. So I've had a brown belt before others at the session were even born...

seriously...
Training martial arts as a senior in a relative small place (120 000), means that you will not be able to practise with same age group as we are offered so many styles and arts. So it's very much about your own attitude. One just has to accept that one is not the fastest and can not do the things as could before.

xo-karate · Purple Belt

Have to come back to this subject. I practise to get and stay in shape - and becouse sparring is fun.

I've been doing bjj instead of judo. I think bjj might be even better for "grown up adults" with no brevious martial arts experience.

I also stumbled on "grazy monkey" boxing that looks very suitable for newbies who want to spar. It starts very much with blocking and covering your head and your partner japping your cloves.

I'm thinking of continueing with my plan to develop a training method for "not so young" players.

This does not mean that you cannot go to regular classes, too.

(I just need to figure out why do I want to teach others. There is no money in it - I get far more salery in my regular job. Maybe I just need to show off - and be considered as a touch guy? I declined from teaching classes at our local Karate club so it's not all about being in front of a class - a big sensei:-)

Mixed martial arts for men over 40? Goal is to get in shape and learn boxing, bjj and karate techniques - and learn by sparring or training with a partner.

Maybe 10 to 16 partisipants to start a class and two times per week, 90 minute classes (30 minute boxing, 30 minute karate, 30 minute BJJ)
Each 30 minute session could be:

10 minutes of coordination training to warm up or ingrease flexibility.
10 minutes techniques like two techniques and two counters.
10 minutes some kind of sparring to imply learnd techniques.

It's a short time so techniques have to progress slow - easy small steps:-)

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