Thoughts on tournament preparation

As I've mentioned in this blog twice before, the Mercer County Nationals will be held at Rider University on Saturday, March 16th.  You can check back to previous posts for all the details.
   Today's topic is related but different: how do you prepare for a martial-arts tournament when you're 55, 65, 75, or older?  The answer is different for every senior, of course, depending upon your exact age, level of fitness, and martial-arts experience.  Oh, and yes, the answer will vary according to what your physician says.  You should not undertake any serious athletic venture until you've been checked out by the doc.
   But here are some general tips that may help you, especially if you've been off the tournament circuit for some time.
   1.  Understand why you're competing.  Tournaments are merely an extension of your formal martial-arts training, so think of them as steps toward your long-term goal of mastering your particular style.  Don't think about the color of a medal or trophy.  Simply do your best.  If you compete, you win.  This is not about capturing awards.
   2.  Know what you're doing.  If you're competing, let's say, in forms, you really do need to know the form.  This sounds awfully obvious, I realize, but you'd be surprised how many competitors simply don't know the form they're supposed to be demonstrating.  Okay, a few people forget under pressure.  But most of those who fail to finish just didn't practice enough.  How much is enough?  In order for a form to become second nature, you will have to perform it hundreds of times.  If you haven't invested that sort of time, save your entry fee for the next tournament.
   3.  Cardio training is essential.  Whether you compete in sparring, forms, or weapons, you need to have the stamina to get through an entire day.  Even though your event may last only a minute or two, you'll feel the adrenaline pumping all day long as you watch other competitors in action.  By the time your event gets called, you'll need all the reserve energy you can muster, because even a one-minute form will drain you if you do it seriously.
   4.  Taper your training.  As you approach the tournament date, you need to begin resting any overworked body parts.  How far in advance you shift into "maintenance mode" is up to your body, but generally you should figure on taking things a bit easier for one or two weeks prior to the tournament.  The goal is to avoid over-use injuries, and you can do that by not going all-out during your practice sessions.  It's important to stretch every day and continue moderate cardio training, but don't train every day at "competition level."  Save that top level for the actual tournament.
   5.  Warm up, warm up, warm up.  Don't plan on getting to the tournament and walking right into your event.  Instead, get there a couple of hours early so that you get a feel for the facility, the crowd, the other competitors, and your emotions.  Once you've settled in, begin a gentle workout: dynamic stretching, static stretching, light kicking, and so forth.  Get your body warm, and keep it warm and loose right up until your event is called.  Maybe some 20-year-olds can just jump onto the floor and fly through their routines without warming up, but you're not 20, and neither am I.
   6.  Cool down properly.  The proper way to cool down after a workout or a tournament event is to stretch.  Remember, a tournament is really just another training session, and you should end every training session with stretching.  The best time to stretch is ALWAYS after your body is well warmed up.
   7.  Search for the next tournament.  If you approach your first tournament as an enjoyable learning experience, you'll find that you'll want to compete again.  Try to get in at least three or four tournaments each year so that you always have an intermediate training goal.  If you approach each tournament as part of your long-term goal of mastering a martial art, you'll add immeasurably to your level of knowledge and self-confidence.
   Hope to see you at the Mercer County Nationals on March 16th. 

Mercer County Nationals: A Senior-Friendly Event

If you're a senior in the martial arts, plan now to be at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J., on March 16th for the 18th Annual Mercer County National Karate Championship.  Under the leadership of Master Ivan Mendez, this year's tournament promises to be an even bigger success than last year's first-rate event. 
   Last year's tournament attracted 550 competitors and more than 700 spectators.  To help accommodate the growing interest in this family-oriented program, the 2013 Mercer County Nationals will operate in two Rider University gyms rather than just one.  Athletes will once again be able to compete in weapons, forms, point sparring, and continuous sparring, in each case according to age and rank.
   The tournament is open to martial artists regardless of style, so for spectators this is a golden opportunity to see top competitors representing a wide range of martial-arts disciplines.  Media coverage for the event will be provided by Action Martial Arts Magazine.
   One of the most important features of this year's tournament is best represented by the words of the director, Master Mendez: "We are seeking female & male competitors over 50 & 60 years old to participate in the event's activities. This year we would love to commemorate SENIORS for their efforts and contributions to the martial arts."  If that doesn't sound senior-friendly enough for you, then you should read the sentences again.
   Many tournaments -- too many, I would say -- have a top age group of 35 or 40, and that doesn't send a warm-and-fuzzy message to those of us who are pushing 70.  So I give Master Mendez two thumbs up for actively promoting the role of seniors in the martial arts and doing what he can to attract older competitors.
   The rest is up to us now.  If you're 50 or older and still active in a martial art, please join me at the 2013 Mercer County Nationals.  It's not about whether you come home with a medal.  It's about staying in the game, doing your best, and making some new friends. 
   See you at Rider University on March 16th.  For more information about the 2013 Mercer County National Karate Championship, please visit http://www.karatetournaments.com/event_pages/mercer.htm 

You just ran out of excuses

If you live in Central New Jersey and have been complaining that you can't find martial-arts programs for seniors, you'll have to find a new excuse for not training.  There are now two ways for you to access senior-friendly programs if you live in or around West Windsor.
   Free workshops for senior centers.  Yours truly is now offering free "senior self-defense workshops" -- either one or two 45-minute sessions -- at official community senior centers in Central New Jersey.  The sessions can cover unarmed self-defense only or incorporate self-defense techniques using a standard cane.  These programs cover a set of basic techniques that seniors can use in the event of an attack.  Participants should be cleared by their physicians to take part in this low- to moderate-intensity program, and all participants MUST sign a liability waiver.  If you're interested in this no-cost basic workshop, please speak with your local senior center director so that he or she can place me on the schedule.  A contact form is available at www.seniortkd.com.                                          
   Ongoing martial arts classes.  Men and women who are 55 and older can enroll in a senior-friendly program offered by my friend and colleague, Master Steven Phillips (pictured at right), owner and head instructor of the West Windsor Taekwondo Academy.  A 5th-degree black belt who has more than 90 championships to his credit -- including world championship belts for kickboxing -- Master Phillips will provide classes for seniors who are either just beginning their martial arts training or for experienced martial artists who want to train with other seniors.  Students of all ranks and styles are welcome to participate in this "fitness and self-defense" program.  For information about enrollment and the nature of the training, please contact Master Phillips.  You'll find his phone number at www.seniortkd.com.  Pictured below is a portion of Master Phillips' West Windsor studio.
 

West Windsor Taekwondo Academy

 

   As I've said in this blog many times before, it's not too late to "unretire" or to begin martial arts training for the first time.  For a fuller discussion of why I believe seniors belong in the martial arts, simply visit "Taekwondo for Seniors" at www.seniortkd.com. 
   Hope to see you before long.

Where to buy your martial-arts equipment

Reader alert: this is NOT a paid advertisement.  It's just some neighborly advice based upon my own experience in shopping for martial-arts gear. 
   If you live in New Jersey or anywhere near Philadelphia, the place you want to visit is Academy of Karate Martial Arts Supplies in Haddon Heights, NJ.  Live in Montana?  Then check out the store online.  If it exists, they have it.  And if they don't have it in stock, they'll get it for you.
   Because I hate shopping for anything, it's not my nature to brag about great stores that I've found.  But the Academy of Karate rates all five stars that I give it for quality, prices, and service.  And get this: I normally drive there [40 minutes each way] rather than order online just because I like the place. 
   Uniforms?  Yes, an exceptional variety.  Weapons?  You bet.  Kicking dummies?  Any kind you want.  Books?  A first-rate selection.  And most of the time when you visit the store you'll bump into fellow martial artists -- often school owners -- who are buying equipment for themselves or their students.  So you often get to strike up a conversation with someone  you aren't going to meet in the dairy aisle of your local food store.
   When I need something but can't visit the store, I just call.  Friendly service that brings the martial-arts equipment to my front door.  What's not to love?
   I don't accept advertising for this blog.  My only goal is to help keep senior martial artists training and competing.  So here's today's simple tip: put Academy of Karate Martial Arts Supplies on your team.  Check out the store online right now to see what you're missing.
   www.martialartssupermarket.com.
  

Mercer County Nationals, 2013

The new year has begun, and hundreds of us who live in New Jersey will kick off the tournament season on March 16th at Rider University.  That's when Master Ivan Mendez will host the 18th Annual Mercer County National Karate Championships. 
   I had the pleasure of competing in the 2012 version of this tournament, and I can tell you that it was well run, fairly officiated, and loaded with talented athletes ranging in age from under 6 to over 60.  The event offers competition in sparring, forms, and weapons, and each category is broken into a huge range of age groups and is further refined by the competitors' ranks. 
   Although most of the age groups cover the younger set -- it sometimes seems that every kid in America is currently studying a martial art -- I think it's important to know that Master Mendez makes sure there's room for old guys like me in his tournament.  So you'll also find "Senior" and "Executive" divisions.  "Executive" sounds much nicer than "really old," doesn't it?  Either way, I'll be there on March 16th.
   If you're 60 or older, please plan to compete!  Through this blog I have been trying to locate as many 60+ black belts as possible and urging them to participate in well-run tournaments.  So here's your chance.  Remember, it's not about whether you win a trophy.  It's about showing that older martial artists don't have to be put out to pasture.  In the March 16th tournament you won't have to compete against some who's 21.  You'll be able to show your stuff against martial artists whose ages are close to yours. 
   If you haven't competed in a tournament recently, you'll find the Rider University gym to be an outstanding venue, conveniently located just off
I-95 in Lawrenceville, NJ.  For more information about the tournament, visit http://www.karatetournaments.com/event_pages/mercer.pdf, where you'll find details on the competition itself as well as driving directions and registration materials.
   If you're a senior in the martial arts, now's the time to get back in the game.  Hope to see you on March 16th. 

Train With A Friend

A few days ago one of this blog's followers wrote in to say how much he loves training in the martial arts with his young son.  That may surprise someone who hasn't attended a martial-art tournament recently, but it certainly doesn't surprise me.  I continually find parents -- father, mother, or both -- joining their children in the training hall, and the entire family wins.  Everyone gets in shape, and everyone shares in the same challenges, frustrations, and successes.  And, yes, many of them compete in the same tournaments -- though in different age groups.
    Whether you study Taekwondo, karate, or another art, you can train together in a way that's just not possible with most other sports.  Have you tried joining your child's Little League team or PeeWee Football squad?  Ain't gonna happen.  You get to sit in the stands while your kids have all the fun.  But the martial arts allow families to train together, grow together, and pursue black belts together. 
    But suppose you're 60 or 65 and your "little ones" are married and have children of their own?  If you're interested in learning a martial art, get off the couch and find a friend who's willing to take the challenge with you.  And if you're a "retired" martial artist, maybe bringing a friend to the training hall will provide the extra bit of motivation that you need.  It doesn't matter whether your friend has martial-arts experience or not.  You can train together and support each other.
    Why bother with the martial arts if you're a "senior citizen"?  Put fitness at the top of the list.  There's no better all-around training program available.  And there's a powerful self-defense component that we can't overlook.  The older we get, the more we look like targets to those who are out for trouble.  But you don't need a huge arsenal of techniques in order to survive a street attack.  What you need more than anything is the will to defend yourself, and that comes only from training.  Beyond that, a strong, swift front kick and a palm strike may be all you need to buy enough time to get away from trouble.  If you're in reasonably good health and have a doctor's clearance to begin training, you owe it to yourself to put on that uniform and hit the training hall.
    If you're already training and have found a senior-friendly school, please send me a note.  I'm happy to publicize senior-friendly martial arts schools no matter where they're located.
    Happy holidays to all.  Hope to find you here at Seniors in the Martial Arts throughout 2013. 

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.