MA after 40

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Kung Fu Forum
1

So I was approached by some middle aged neighbors;

They never have any MA exposure all their lives. They like to start some MA practice for health, fitness and maybe a little self defense.

This is most asked question of me thruout all age groups.

I practiced CMA since young in the old school way.

I still practice Tai Ji, Ba Gua, Tong Bei, Tang Lang etc every day if I could.

But I am in my mid-40’s. Some of the drills, I may not be able to “perform” any more. Although I still have some skills.

So someone askes you that if he or she is in the post 40 years old, and he or she likes to pick up some MA for health>fitness>defense.

What would be your answer?

:confused:

2

depends on the martial art, and depends on the person imo.
there are certain things we have to be realistic about.
It’s going to be much easier for a younger person to do well at martial arts (generally speaking)
not to say that a person can’t begin thier journey in thier 40’s, or above for that matter. We had a 50 year old lady start training with us a couple years ago and she was able to keep up and sometimes outperform her younger classmates in respect to forms training , and certain drills and aerobic excercizes. Never fought though, and I wouldn’t reccommend it for her specifically, but I’m sure there are other 40-50 etc year old that are physically capable enough and mentally willing enough to spar. Not everyone that age has that drive that will enable them to push themselves and thier bodies.
I would tell someonre of that age Yes, but they should know thier limitations.

3

imo, you can start training at anytime in your life. kungfu is like that.

I am 41 in april and I still practice in traditional stuff as well as progressive mma contact stuff.

My training partner for tma is 46 and we go pretty hard at times.

My other mma training partners are all in the early 30’s to mid 30’s range with one or two 20 somethings who show up now and then.

It’s all good.

4

40 something

I pondered this when I turned 40 prematurely.

Frankly, if you’re currently doing something that you won’t be able to do when you’re older, you think seriously about how much you want to invest in that style. After all, you’re going to get older…

My mom asked me if she should practice some tai chi for health in her 70’s. I said ‘sure!’ There’s room here for everybody. All ages. You may not be able to spar or do competative wushu or grapple or whatever, but that’s not the end all and be all of practice. Not at all. In our global martial world, if you can’t find a style to fit your body type and age, you just aren’t looking hard enough. Or you live in Nebraska or something. No matter who asks me about practice, I say “yes”. Then I do my best to advise them about what style might be appropriate.

Gotta share the love, man.

5

Yeah, definately. BTW, what style do they want to learn from you? The praying mantis probably would be kind of strenuous. But that doesn’t mean it’s off limits. I would tell them the characteristics and benefits of each and let them decide. Good luck!

6

I’m well into my 40’s and still going. The biggest obstacles that I’ve come across are family which will always come first for me, not healing as quick as I used to, and work. I’ve also had to move from that high kicking to something more appropriate, but that’s no biggie. I’ve cut sparring down to once a week at most and I’m trying to train smarter not harder.

I’ve been asked questions by people who want to take up an art and I now tell them do it because you enjoy it (Props to MP for making that point awhile back). There are better activities for health & fitness than martial arts that result in less injuries, quicker results and are more fun. If they want self defense then I tell them that martial arts isn’t the way to go and as it takes too long and you’re better off spending your time learning first aid and where the high crime parts of town are. Things like fitness and self defense are possible benefits of marital arts but I know too many fat boys who can’t fight their way out of a wet paperbag. The main point is if you are going to spend the time having some guy yell at you to count in Korean, hyperextend you arm practicing locks, or kick you in the gut then you better be enjoying the hell out of it.

7

Tell them to go for it. One of my judo coaches is almost 80 and is still teaching and training. He didn’t start until he was 30 and still was able to be a three time national champ.

What kind of shape are they in?

8

I think you have to look at the overall health and fitness of the person. Some 40 year olds are in better shape then when they were 20, some are biologically 75 years old depending on how they’ve lived there life.

If someone was really out of shape and obese (regardless of age) I might recommend that they start on a general fitness program (cardio and weight training) before delving into martial arts.

In my limited experience, people that delve into martial arts that are really out of shape end up injuring themselves much more frequently.

Obviously some styles are going to be easier to get into when you are older. Arts like Taiji, Xing Yi and Ba Gua spend more time up front on structure, posture and alignment rather than speed and explosiveness.

Generally, these might be easier to get into when you are older.

9

I was asked of the same question in the Chinese church and gathering.

I formulated some “stripped down” versions of exercises.

A. Health and fitness;

  1. Qi Gong: modified and simplied from Ba Duan Jin or 8 brocade.

  2. Meditation: 3 to 5 min, clear mind and focus on senses from different body parts.

  3. Moving exercise: modified from 28 moves of composite Yang Tai Ji.

B. Defense:

  1. Basic steps and stances for evasion and dodge.

  2. Basic Qin Na and anti-Qin Na: such as the opponent grabbing your hair, collar, sleeve, wrist and what to do etc.

  3. Basic short staff (Gun Shu): using walking cane instead.

And yes, common senses about self defense overall.

10

I’ll be 53 in April. I’m carefull with body mechanics now.I don’t jump kick and I make sure my strikes are correct so I don’t break my knuckles or fingers.(anymore)
I strike harder and faster than I ever have.

11

i would say go for it if you are interested in pursuing CMA. my father had practiced Isshin-Ryu Karate for years before i was born, and gave it up upon my arrival due to monetary constraints. about 6 months ago he came to one of my Kung Fu classes and within a few days he had decided to sign up. he’s been progressing along nicely, despite the fact that he’s rather out of shape and 46 years old. it has done him alot of good. don’t worry about age, you’re only as old at you let yourself feel.

12

There are two questions.

  1. at a certain age can you take it up for fitness.
  2. at a certain age can you still learn the art and implement it effectively in a stress situation.

The answer is not the same for both.

From my 33 years experience, at 20 you train through injuries, at 30 you train around injuries, at 40 you need rest to recover injuries, and some injuries you just learn to live with, and work around. That’s hen that broken wrist from your teens comes back to remind you, or your ruptured achillies tendon gets stiff every morning (as opposed to other elements of your anatomy), or when niggling back injuries become constant.

I think in your mid 40’s you reach your prime, as in, you may not be able to do all the athletic things the younger ones can, but what you do, you do so much better than they do, and you know the ins and outs to get the game into your paddock. Mid 40, its more about maintaining not increasing athletic skills.

And like Gene said, some arts change what they offer as you mature, as you get older, you discover the next level.

Problem is, if you start too late, you’ll never get enough of the training to take you there.

In my school, we let anybody, any age train with us for fitness. If they’re 40+ we tell them upfront that they probably won’t ever learn the full skill, but they will learn some, and get some fitness as well. But that holds true of some 20 year olds as well, they just don’t have the “stuff” to learn Pak Mei.

I know this is pretty much sweeping strokes, everybody knows an exceptional athlete of any age that can outperform their peers, but the facts seem to be that about 40, your body chemestry changes, metabolism and growth rate slow (injury repair), joints get worn out, things begin to break down in general. The chickens come home to roost.

13

Some women started learning tae kwon do in their 80’s, one was even 89. I also read about an 83 year old karate guy who could still jump kick. I believe I once even read about a 60 something kyokushin karate guy doing well at a full contact karate tournament. Helio Gracie still does Bjj at 92 years of age. You will have some limitations, but I think you could still learn quite a bit of valuable stuff.