Today is launch day for "Seniors in the Martial Arts," a site for New Jersey martial artists who are 50 and older.  If you're a practicing "senior," you've noticed that some things don't get better with age: your stamina may not be what it was at, say, 25.  Your "high" kicks may not be as high as they once were.  And you may not choose to break as many boards and bricks as you once did.
   And yet you continue to train, and maybe you still compete.  The trick here is to choose your spots wisely.  Training with 20-year-olds may be exhilirating for a while, but eventually some of your aging body parts may rebel.  [For the record, my second home is the physical therapy clinic.]  And when it comes to tournaments, don't feel compelled to compete in the Open division unless you're truly a world-class specimen.  Hey, runners have been competing for decades in age-group events.  This makes perfect sense.  So why don't more martial-arts tournaments actively pursue older athletes?  It's great that kids 6 and over all have narrowly defined age groups for tournaments, but if you're 60, you may find yourself having to compete against folks who are 40.  And let's face it: 20 years can make a big difference in serious competition.
   So there you have a few comments to get the ball rolling.  Please share your thoughts on how to remain active in the martial arts when you're 50, 60, 70, or older.