Old dogs actually can learn new tricks

This 66-year-old dog recently began taking bo staff lessons after seeing some of the amazing things that can be done with this ancient weapon.  The bo staff is one of the most popular weapons used in martial-arts tournaments, and I've got to say that we've come a very long way from the old wooden staff that might have been used, say, a thousand years ago. 
   To begin with, competition bo staffs generally are no longer clunky, hand-carved wooden items.  Most of them are tapered so that they can generate more speed, and they come in a wide range of materials, from wood to graphite.  The more exotic lightweight staffs aren't designed for actual combat, of course; they're meant to be spun, twirled, jabbed, and whipped at imaginary opponents in a formal exercise that's judged for creativity, fluidity, and precision.
   Now I should mention right up front that I'll never be a world champion with the bo staff.  In fact, so far I have countless bruises that give testimony to the difficulty of mastering the fancier bo staff techniques.  But so far I haven't broken anything -- well, no bones . . . but perhaps a few household objects and a couple of wooden bo staffs -- and I'm gradually getting my brain and body to cooperate in the venture.
   This, by the way, is what my bo staff training is all about.  When you cease challenging your body and mind, they figure it's okay to slow down.  And before you know it, you've merged your atoms with those of the living room couch and the TV remote.  Not good. 
   But there's something else about the bo staff that has become quite apparent as I check out my new bruises each day.  Even a lightweight competition bo staff can generate tremendous striking force, the combination of speed and a small impact surface.  Yes, those ancient warriors knew what they were doing when they first began using wooden staffs as weapons. 
   What can you and I do with this information?  As we age and inevitably lose muscle strength, we can substitute a simple weapon in our self-defense arsenal.  Think cane.  Think walking stick.  Here you have two common objects that are often found in the hands of seniors anyway, so why not learn how to use them for self-defense? 
   If you want to see what a simple cane can do, head to Google or your favorite search engine and look for YouTube videos on "cane self-defense," "cane fu," or anything similar.  You'll find lots of videos, some better than others, all of which demonstrate that something as basic as a cane can become a highly effective weapon when used with a bit of skill.  And listen: you don't need to become a competitive athlete to use a cane effectively, nor do you need to hold a black belt in some martial art.  What you need is some basic training and the willingness to say, "If necessary, I WILL DEFEND MYSELF." 
   Seniors are all too frequently the targets of assaults of every description, and in some cases -- depending upon the strength and fierceness of the attacker -- there's not much to be done about it.  But in many cases, perhaps even most, a senior who is mentally prepared to defend himself or herself AND who has some training to back up that willingness can hold off an attack and buy enough time for help to arrive.
   What's that you say?  You don't need a cane for walking?  So what?  Buy a cane, take some lessons at a local martial arts school, and begin carrying the cane whenever you're headed someplace where trouble might be waiting, especially at night.  Knowing how to disable an attacker with a swiftly applied cane or walking stick could one day save your wallet or your life.
   Interested?  Check around for senior-friendly martial arts schools in your area.  You may also find that a local senior center offers a class in self-defense using a cane or walking stick. 
   Be the old dog that learns a highly useful new trick.  It's not too late.

What you can learn at tournaments

On Nov. 10th I had the privilege of competing in the 38th Annual U.S. Open Championships, sponsored by Grandmaster YB Choi and held at Rutgers University.  Although I was fortunate enough to be named grand champion in the men's senior forms division, this was hardly the highlight of the event for me.  If that seems odd, read on.
   Every tournament I have attended this year begins with the message -- and the message was delivered especially clearly by Grandmaster Choi -- that everyone who competes is a winner.  For every child or adult who steps into the ring at a tournament, there are thousands who could but don't.  And that's understandable, especially for the youngest competitors, who may be 5 or 6 years old.  It's not easy to stand in front of hundreds of people and be judged on your abilities.  So when you take that deep breath and step before the judges, you've already won.  Carrying home a medal or trophy is not the measure of your worth.  Having the courage simply to try your best is all that matters.
   I was extremely pleased to find that almost without exception, the competitors who didn't capture a trophy were respectful of the judges' decisions, were pleased to have competed, and applauded the children or adults who took first, second, or third place.
   I was also delighted to see so many youngsters exhibiting respect for those who held higher-ranking belts as well as for their elders.  The martial-arts world is one in which humility and respect are paramount, and it heartens me to know that each year America's training halls are turning out students who will be better citizens and neighbors for having trained in Taekwondo, karate, and other disciplines.
   Once again I was overjoyed to find a level of camaraderie that I have never found among competitors in other sports.  Two of the competitors in Grandmaster Choi's tournament -- one 14, the other 18 -- had flown in with their coach from Colombia, South America.  Nationality simply didn't matter.  They performed beautifully and were cheered on by all those who knew outstanding technique when they saw it.  These two young Taekwondo students each left with trophies for every event in which they participated, and they made friends among those who will compete with them for years to come.
   I was knocked out -- not literally, I'm pleased to report -- by a 49-year-old guy who had recently earned his 1st-degree black belt.  In addition to  having become a formidable competitor, he told me that his Taekwondo training had helped him lose 50 pounds.  That's five-zero.  So if you're 40-something and thinking you need to get off the couch and get in shape, think about Taekwondo.
   These are just a few of the things that struck me about the tournament, and I mention them because they may help you either begin training or come out of "retirement."  Whether you're 50, 60, or older, you have a future in the martial arts.  Find a senior-friendly school near you, and become part of the growing and extremely supportive family that is the martial arts.
 
    

A joyful tournament

In my last post I mentioned the Oct. 20th New England Open Taekwondo Tournament that was taking place in Tewksbury, Massachusetts.  Well, the event has come and gone, but the joy lives on.
   Joy?  If you're not familiar with martial-arts tournaments, you may have something ruthless and brutal in mind.  Just the opposite, in fact.  What I found at Grandmaster Young A. Kwon's tournament was the usual healthy dose of friendship and camaraderie that outweighs the serious competition.  In this case what you would have seen, had you been there, was one large Taekwondo family joyfully applying the most important of rules: good sportsmanship, discipline, and respect.  Was there stiff competition?  Sure.  But the winners were all those who stepped onto the mat and tried their best . . . not just the ones who walked away with medals. 
   Grandmaster Kwon's tournament drew 300 competitors from ages 5 through 66 in a variety of events: poomsae [formal routines], breaking, and sparring.  It was especially encouraging to see so many youngsters displaying skills that you simply wouldn't expect to find at ages 9 or 14 or 17.  Since Taekwondo is an Olympic sport, it's great to know that several generations of American athletes are already training seriously.
   Here's another bit of good news.  While I sat in the stands chatting with other competitors, I bumped into guys in their sixties who were just beginning their Taekwondo training.  Taekwondo isn't just for the young or for those who have been training for decades.  If you find the right senior-friendly school, you can begin Taekwondo at any age and benefit from the total mind/body fitness program that comes with it.  There's no upper age limit.  This is a lifetime activity that asks only for you to do your best.
   If you already attend a senior-friendly school, please tell me about it so that I can write something for "Seniors in the Martial Arts."  No charge.  I just want to help other seniors find their way into the exciting and beneficial world of martial arts.
   In the meantime, I offer my sincere congratulations and appreciation to Grandmaster Young A. Kwon for a fine tournament.  I know that several hundred of us are eagerly awaiting the 21st New England Open Taekwondo Tournament in 2013.
   

Oct. 20th New England Taekwondo Championship

If you're a Taekwondo senior and live within striking distance of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, now's the time to sign up for the 20th Annual New England Open Taekwondo Championship.  The event is being hosted by Kwon's Taekwondo, which has two schools in the area, and the tournament's chairman is Grandmaster Young A. Kwon.
   The tournament's events include forms, sparring, breaking, and power breaking -- in other words, something for everyone.  And the great news is that the top age division is 53+.  Since many tournaments list a top age group of only 35 or 40, I think it's important for us seniors to support events that recognize that 55 or 60 isn't 35.  At 66 I don't mind competing in forms against someone who's as young as 53 -- and I'll definitely be competing at Grandmaster Kwon's tournament -- but I'm not interested in competing against 35-year-olds.  Yes, the rumor is true: flexibility doesn't improve with age.  So my high kicks aren't quite as high as they were 30 years ago.  I definitely need the "old guy" division.
   If you can make your way to Tewksbury, MA, you're welcome to participate in this major Taekwondo tournament.  You don't need to be a Massachusetts resident, and you can hold any Taekwondo rank whatsoever.  Each area of competition offers both age and rank divisions.  Although the top age group is 53+, some of this blog's readers may fit into the 43-52 age group.  Either way, it's time to get out there, make some new friends, and challenge yourself in a way that only a tournament can do.
   You can pre-register [and save money] or register on the day of the tournament.  For all the facts, all you need to do is click over to http://www.kwonstkd.com/newsletter/2012NETKDPoster_InfoPacket.pdf, where you'll find a registration form, fee schedule, and other useful tournament information.
   Ready to compete?  Then sign up today.  But if you're still thinking about learning Taekwondo or perhaps "unretiring" after a long layoff, then just come out to watch the tournament.  For a small admission fee you'll enjoy hours of competition featuring students ranging in age from under 5 to . . . well, at least 66. 
   Hope to see you on October 20th!  
  

Where are you?

Yesterday I competed in an important New Jersey martial-arts tournament [sponsored by UMARA, the United Martial Arts Referees Association] and was pleased to take home a silver medal for empty hand forms.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that I competed in the 50+ category, which meant that I was giving away as much as 66 years to those who were actually 50.  I was, in fact, the only 60+ competitor who showed up. 
    Instant replay: last March in a large Mercer County, NJ, tournament held at Rider University I was also the only 60+ competitor, so I had to drop down to the 50+ division.  Now a question: given the size of this state, and the likelihood that there are hundreds of 60-something black belts around, why are they not entering competitions?
    Let me say something else about the two recent tournaments.  In both cases I met competitors who were there for the same reason I was: to stay in shape, to challenge themselves, and to honor the commitment that they had made many years ago to their martial art.  I made new friends and experienced the joy of competing with like-minded folks who cared more about the camaraderie -- the spirit, if you will -- of the martial arts than about whether or not they carried home a trophy.
    Here's why I'm writing today.  If more 60+ martial artists don't get in the game, we'll all be out of the game soon.  Did you know that many tournaments now have a top "old guys" division of 35+?  Seriously.  Try giving up 31 years in competition.  Not fun.  Look, I'm not competing because I expect a medal every time out, but it would be nice to be reasonably competitive.  And it's tough to be seriously competitive when you're required to give up 25 or 30 years because of the tournament rules.
   Okay, so what to do?  If you're a New Jersey black belt in any style [or a black belt anywhere in America, for that matter], get back in the game.  Search the Internet for tournaments.  A great place for you to begin your search is http://www.karatetournaments.com/index.asp.  See what's available near you.  Then speak with the tournament director to ask whether there's a 60+ division.  If not, suggest that he or she add one. 
    If I were a tournament director and couldn't find 60+ competitors, I wouldn't bother offering a 60+ division.  What's not to understand?  But if 60+ martial artists are willing to compete, I'm betting that tournament directors will be glad to accommodate us.
    If you're a 60+ black belt who has "retired" to the couch, get back in the game.  And if you're still training but don't attend tournaments, rethink the idea.  The tournaments are fun.  You'll make a few new friends.  And you'll challenge yourself to push just a little harder than usual.  Hey, that's a good thing, isn't it?

Taekwondo: Mind, Body, and Spirit

For those who have never studied Taekwondo, or who have studied only briefly, it probably seems to be nothing more than a powerful self-defense system or an exciting Olympic sport. It is both these things, of course, but to have the story end there would do a grave injustice to those who over roughly 5,000 years have nurtured Taekwondo and carried it to its present stage of development. To all of the masters who systemized, preserved, and modified this elegant Korean martial art over the millennia, Taekwondo was and is a way of life -- a way of becoming a whole person whose mind, body, and spirit operate in perfect harmony.
     During my 40 years of Taekwondo training I have learned that the mind and body account for only a portion of what most of us would think of as a complete life. Some people are wise but physically weak. Others are physically strong but mentally weak. Yet even those who are strong both mentally and physically may not understand who they are or why they are on this planet. What they lack is an understanding of the spirit, the essential life force that resides within each of us and whose power waits patiently for us to harness its full potential.
     A computer can be programmed to analyze and process billions of bits of important data, but it doesn’t live. A large boulder rolling down a mountainside can generate tremendous force, but it doesn’t live. Likewise, a man who believes that his capacity to think and his ability to move about from one place to another are all that matters is missing the great lesson of Taekwondo: if we truly wish to live, we must unify mind, body, and spirit. Developing a full life -- bringing mind, body, and spirit into harmony -- is not at all easy. But the Taekwondo Life can get us there.
    To begin the journey, visit a Taekwondo school near you.  Remember, it's never too late.

 

Easing into the martial arts

If you're 50, 60, or perhaps 70 you have already figured out that your body behaves somewhat differently from the way it did when you were, oh, 25.  You may still feel 25 at certain times, but reality comes creeping in now and then -- especially if you decide to take up some new physical activity.  So there's a right way and a wrong way to begin a new training program if you're a "mature" 66, as I am.
     Let's begin with the wrong way.  I love taekwondo and have studied this Korean martial art for over 40 years.  But if I hadn't trained for, let's say, five years, I would be a fool to walk into a school and attempt to pick up where I had left off.  That's a prescription for multiple potential disasters: lower back, hamstrings, hip joints, shoulders, and just about every body part you can name.  Yes, you could lay off and bounce back quickly when you were 25.  But you're no longer 25.
     So let's consider the right way.  First, see your primary care doctor and let him or her assess your body's preparedness for serious training.  If you've been working out regularly at the gym, you're probably ready for a martial-arts program.  But check with the doctor anyway. 
     Now here's an important consideration.  If the doctor says it's okay for you to begin the martial-arts program, ask for a referral to a local physical therapy clinic.  Why wait until you've damaged something before seeing a physical therapist?  Isn't it smarter to have a qualified professional assess your strength, flexibility, and stamina?  That's what physical therapists do on a daily basis.  Your primary doctor does not.  He or she knows all about your blood pressure, heart rate, medications, and such, but your doctor is not generally well equipped to assess the "active ingredients" of a training program that calls for strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance.
     For those of us who were born "flex challenged," the first thing a physical therapist can do for you is gently prepare you for kicking.  A "high kick" is one thing when you're 25 and something else when you're 65 -- at least at the beginning.  Can you achieve greater flexibility when you're a senior?  Absolutely.  But if you don't ease into the stretching program under the watchful eye of a professional, you stand a great chance of injuring yourself.  And this could result in a long recovery or a decision to quit training.  Avoid both: see the professional first.
     A physical therapist can also provide you with written directions -- complete with photos -- on how to do your stretching or strengthening exercises properly.  Working hard but wrong is a common problem and the cause of many unnecessary injuries.
     So you've seen your doctor, and you've had perhaps 10 sessions with a physical therapist.  What now?  Visit some martial-arts schools in your area to see which ones seem to care most about helping seniors achieve their fitness and self-defense goals.  I'm partial to taekwondo, because it relies heavily on kicks rather than upper-body strength.  This is an important consideration for seniors.  You don't want to be grappling with a 20-year-old mugger when you could be remodeling his groin with a well-directed front snap kick instead. 
     If you've "retired" from the martial arts, "unretire."  Get back with the program.  And if you haven't trained before, there's no time like the present.  It's not too late.