The "Duh" Stretch

Back around 1971 I was unceremoniously introduced to what I would now call the "Duh Stretch."  I was in a martial-arts class sitting on the floor with my legs spread as wide as I could get them.  Every few seconds I would lean forward and attempt to pull myself forward, stretching the groin and hamstring muscles.  An assistant instructor, who thought he knew a lot more than he actually did, came up behind me and without asking if I wanted some help just pushed me down from my upper back.  Well, I did go lower, but I tore a hamstring muscle in the process.
    Ever since then I have considered stretching to be a solitary activity.  I believe in static stretching: you extend a given stretch to the point of your personal limit, then hold that position for roughly 30 seconds.  Holding the stretch for less than 30 seconds may not increase your flexibility over time, while holding the stretch for more than 30 seconds can possibly damage the muscle in question.  So it looks as though the proper length of holding the stretch is about 30 seconds according to all the scientific literature I have been able to find online.
    The next logical question is, "Should I stretch before or after exercise?"  The best answer seems to be the following: do a serious range-of-motion warm-up for at least 5 minutes -- riding a stationary bike if you plan to stretch your legs, for instance -- and then stretch gently.  Then go gently into your martial-arts routine; keep the kicks and punches light at first, and gradually build up intensity.  Finally, do your serious stretching after the full workout, when your body is completely warmed up.  You'll notice two things in this bit of advice: 1. the word gently is key; you score no extra points for injuring yourself by playing Bruce Lee during the warm-up phase.  2.  You need to invest a fair amount of time to stretching each time you train.  How often you train is a function of many things: how old you are; what sort of shape you're in at the time; whether you still work outside the home, and such.  As always, the best answer is do all you can with what you've got.  If you're 60 or 70, your flexibility won't be what it was at age 25.  That's just how it works, folks.  But your flexibility at 60 or 70 can be radically better than that of someone who spends 14 hours a day in front of the television set.  

    Do you know a senior-friendly martial-arts school in your area?  A school that welcomes senior citizens and recognizes their common training limitations?  Let us know about the school, and we'll gladly tell others about it in this blog.  

What's the right martial art for you?

Today's question has two right answers.
     1.  If you're a veteran martial artist, your current style is right for you.  Debating which martial art is better than another is like arguing over how many angels can fit on the head of a pin.  Now, if you want to begin learning a second or third martial art after age 50, by all means go for it.  Learning new things helps your brain stay young.  But don't drop your current style because someone told you it's not "right."
     2.  If you've never tried the martial arts, then the "right" style is the one that feels most comfortable for your over-50 body.  Many martial-arts schools will offer low-cost or even free trial lessons, so you should check out several styles before you decide what feels best.  In addition to assessing how welcome the head instructor and students make you feel, you should look to see whether the training seems to favor hand techniques over leg techniques, or leg techniques over hand techniques, or jumping/spinning kicks over . . . well, you get the idea.  If your upper body is relatively weak, maybe a style that favors kicking is best for you.  But if you've got a powerful upper body and poor hip flexibility, then maybe you should look for the school that focuses on punching, grappling, and the like.
     When I first began dabbling in the martial arts back around 1968, I tried several styles before settling on taekwondo.  At the time I weighed about 140 pounds soaking wet and didn't think that trading punches with muggers would get me very far.  What I found in taekwondo was a martial art that emphasized strong kicking techniques.  This meant that I could keep attackers at leg's length rather than arm's length, and it suggested that my kicks would deliver more force than an opponent's fists.  Had I been 6'4" and 220 pounds, maybe I would have made a different choice.
     Something else that you absolutely must consider if you're over 50 -- and especially if you're perhaps 60 or 70 -- is the intensity of the training involved.  Does the school offer a class for seniors only, or will you be mixed in with students who are 18 or 20?  Trying to keep up with 20-year-olds, especially if the training involves sparring, can be a losing game.  Related to this is the school's schedule.  If adult classes are held exclusively at night -- around 8:00 p.m., let's say -- you should ask your doctor whether an intense workout at that time of day is something your body will accept.  As it happens, mine won't.  I can tolerate high-intensity workouts early in the day, but the same workout at night will generate heart-rhythm problems.  There's no point in fighting nature on this.  If you're 65, not 25, learn to adapt.
     Bottom line: The right martial art is the one that gets you off the couch and into the training hall.  If you've got a how-to story you'd like to share -- something that will inspire other seniors to either resume or take up the martial-arts life for the first time -- please share it with us.
  

Warming up

Okay, so when you were 21 you could just start kicking the heavy bag without warming up.  It wasn't a great idea even back then, but your body was willing to accept the stress.  If you're now 55, 75, or 95, attempting to kick even thin air is a bad idea unless you've warmed up properly.  So here are a couple of tips to keep you in training and out of the doctor's office.
    Begin by gently riding a stationary bike -- preferably a recumbent or reclining bike [much easier on the lower back than a traditional bike] -- for at least five minutes, but longer as you get older.  This slowly warms up all the core muscles and joints you'll be using when you do your forms or practice kicks.
    Next, devote at least 30 minutes to gentle stretching.  DO NOT use the old ballistic stretches that we were taught in high school -- you know, bouncing up and down to generate extra stress on the muscles.  When you stretch these days, you should use what's called "static stretching" -- that is, holding a particular stretch for 30 seconds without bouncing, pushing, or pulling in order to generate extra stress on the muscle or joint involved.  Your sequence of stretches should include the hamstrings, quads, hip joint, and lower back.  If you plan to do some punching, then you need to warm up and stretch your upper body as well.  As with leg and hip stretching, the key word is gently. 
    Once you're fully stretched, begin your forms, kicks, or punches easily.  For example, begin with low kicks at 50% of max power and speed.  Do 10 or 15 reps before switching legs.  Then go back to the other leg, this time kicking at perhaps 70% of max power and speed.  In my own training I rarely kick at 100% of max power and speed unless I'm an hour into my routine.  Listen, I'm not training for the Olympics; I'm training to stay fit and to enjoy the lifelong benefits of martial-arts training.
    Without a doubt, I spend a lot more time warming up and stretching than I did 20, 30, or 40 years ago.  But my goal is to avoid injuries that could knock me out of training for weeks or months.  Sustained, moderate training is better than short bursts of crazed training followed by months of rehab.
     You should be able to find lots of tips on "stretching for seniors" by searching the web.  If not, or if you want a custom-tailored program, I strongly recommend that you invest in a visit to a qualified physical therapist who is experienced in working with martial artists.  Let him or her build a comprehensive stretching program that sets you on the path to martial-arts training for a lifetime.
     Please feel free to share your own training tips.  And if you know of any senior-friendly competitions coming up in New Jersey, please share the information here so that we can help spread the word.

How long does it take to get back in shape?

Okay, today's question assumes that you've abandoned your martial-arts training for some time -- perhaps decades -- and are now wondering what you're in for as you begin training at 50, 60, 70, or older.  And it's a fair question, because many of us have to leave training while we juggle the usual components of adulthood: holding a job, raising children, mowing the lawn, and all the rest.
   Let's begin by defining what you mean by "in shape."  If you wonder whether you'll be as capable at 65 as you were at 25, the answer is no.  I've never met a serious martial artist who has gained speed, flexibility, and stamina in his or her 60s or 70s after laying off for long period.  So in all likelihood your goal should be to maximize the potential of your body as it is currently configured.  Losing weight if necessary and beginning a reasonable strength-training program can help, but don't expect your flying side kicks to take you above the clouds.  A "high kick" at 25 is generally quite different from a "high kick" at 65 or 70. 
    But, hey, does this really matter?  Even when you were younger, did you really need to put a side kick on the chin of a seven-footer?  No.  It was smarter to aim for the midsection -- a larger and less mobile target.  So if at your current age your side kick doesn't go higher than someone's midsection, what the big deal?  And note that we're talking for the moment only about the practical matter of self defense.  If your goal in resuming your martial-arts training is simply to get healthier, the height of your kicks doesn't really matter.  Again, your goal is to maximize your current potential.  Do as much as you can with what you've got.
   So let's answer the question: how long will it take to get into the best possible shape at your current age?  Answer: months, not weeks.  After, say, three or four months you should be able to ease your body back into  those old martial-arts moves as long as you don't rush the process.  Rushing the process will lead to injuries, and injuries could persuade you to quit for good.  If you're taking up your martial art after years of "vacation," you should speak with your physician.  He or she may decide that your fitness program should incorporate some physical therapy treatment BEFORE you injure yourself.  Trust me, a trained physical therapist can be a tremendous ally in your comeback program.
   If you don't rush the process and give yourself a chance, you will likely find that you've made substantial progress after 4-6 months and are well on your way to "my best shape for age X."  That's not a long time for something worthwhile, especially when we're only talking about an investment of perhaps an hour a day -- most of it spent stretching and working on whatever forms/poomsae/katas you remember.  And if you don't remember any of them -- a strong possibility -- just search online for your martial-art style.  Chances are you'll find tutorial videos for every style and every form, whether beginner or advanced.
   If you're a Senior in the Martial Arts, please share your advice on how to either stay in shape or get back into shape once you've passed 50.  Your photos and videos are most welcome if they can help inspire other seniors to get back on the martial-arts path.
 

Training with less joint stress

Back in the late sixties and early seventies the gold standard for kick training was the 70 lb. or perhaps 100 lb. heavy bag that hung from the ceiling in the training hall.  The heavy bag certainly helped you develop powerful kicks, but it also involved a jarring "dead stop" that put significant stress on your joints -- from your ankles right on up through your hips and lower back.  This was fine when you were, say, 23, but if you're now in the ranks of Seniors in the Martial Arts you probably should take better care of those aging joints.  You'll have less pain and help avoid the cost of knee and hip replacements if you find a less jarring alternative to the heavy bag. 

What I have turned to is a relatively inexpensive free-standing bag that a) is softer than the traditional heavy bag [when you make contact, the striking surface feels more like an opponent's midsection than a concrete wall and b) flexes as you hit it, further reducing the stress on your joints.  In the photo sequence below I'm on my back deck practicing a crescent kick.  The kicking dummy offers sufficient resistance to let me know I'm generating some power, but it doesn't produce the dead stop that my aging hips really don't need.

I happen to be using Everlast's version of a free-standing bag, but there are numerous similar products on the market.  My bag cost about $130 at Dick's Sporting Goods.  If you shop online, you can probably find what you need at a reasonable price.  The reason the bag stays in place when you kick it is that the large black base is filled with water.  If I want to move the unit, I simply drain the water, move the relatively lightweight parts, and refill with water.  The manufacturer also says you can fill the base with sand, but then what?  How do you remove the sand when you want to move the whole unit?  Forget that idea.  Use water.

One major lesson I learned while using this device on my deck is that -- duh -- the deck is a really bad surface from which to be launching kicks, especially spinning kicks.  The surface is quite irregular because of all the individual boards, and this increases the likelihood of injury -- as when your pivot foot gets hung up on the half-inch difference between one board and another.  I think I need to invest in a high-quality mat.  With the mat and the new kicking dummy, I should be able to practice my kicks and build additional power without overwhelming the old bones and joints.  Listen, this is all about compromise.  If you want to stay active in the martial arts at 60, 70, or 80, you have to be willing to compromise on the training.  Do as much as you can for as long as you can.  If you push beyond your capabilities, you'll learn quickly that there is indeed a difference between 25 and 65.  Happy training!

If you're seeking some martial-arts inspiration today -- something to get you back into training or to keep you going as a 50+ practitioner -- check out this video of taekwondo Grand Master Kyu Hyung Lee demonstrating 8th Dan form Hansu.  Notice especially the gray hairs.  This Grand Master is one of us.
   Obviously this is a man who has devoted his life to taekwondo, and the rest of us mere mortals -- born with either less natural ability or less drive -- can't expect to sustain this level of proficiency when we're 60, 70, or 80.  But we don't need to.  The simple rule of thumb is "do whatever you can with whatever ability you've got."  Practicing your martial art will improve your attitude and your health, even if you have to work around arthritic hips and diminished stamina. 
   If you're just getting back to the martial arts after a long layoff, begin by seeing your family doctor.  Also consider working with a physical therapist to help get you stretching the right muscles and joints the right way.  It's quite possible that stretching techniques you learned, say, 30 years ago are no longer considered state of the art. 
   Okay, enough talk.  Let's watch Grand Master Kyu Hyung Lee in action.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_DRKUJsNCk&feature=endscreen&NR=1

The pollen count in NJ keeps climbing, as your yellow driveway indicates.  So I'm not sure how much longer I'll be doing my forms out on the back deck.  But I've found that training outdoors is helpful.  To begin with, you kick fewer tables and lamps than you do in the living room.  Best of all, you're out there enjoying the sights and sounds of nature, all of which help to keep you focused on the training at hand. 
   Here's a backyard YouTube video of Taebaek, the 3rd Dan form required by the Kukkiwon.  If you're 50 or older and want to share a photo or video, please send it in.  All comments and attachments are reviewed before posting, just to make sure we keep "Seniors in the Martial Arts" in touch with the intended audience.
   Have a great day.  http://youtu.be/Y2WA743_KIg