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Old 08-16-2009, 09:09 AM   #13
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Dojo: Team Combat USA
Location: Olympia, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,376
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Re: Aikido for older beginners ?

I have seen alot of older folks come into martial arts over the past few years. Most if not all don't last. I think a big part of the reason is due to physical conditioning and the accompanying frustration level of trying to learn something new like aikido.

My recommendation is to go to a competent personal trainer or sports medicine specialist and get a comprehensive assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. They should do an assessment based on coordination, balance, fexibility, and strength. The assessment will show you what your weak areas are, and they will prescribe exercise in order to improve those imbalances.

If you read through the boards alot of us that are in shape and have been doing this for a number of years are proponents now of solo training and conditioning and going back to the drawing board to improve our conditioning and core strength in order to improve our aikido.

There is alot to this art if trained correctly and slowly.

The problem in alot of dojos is that we through beginners into these big huge off balanced movements that frankly, even I at my level of conditioning, years of experience and age are not comfortable handling.

There is alot of room for injury...and if not injury...frustration over not improving because you have to compensate for an imbalance in your body.

Take your time, go slow, breath and use easy natural movments. Again, at 50 and starting new, with a weak knee...i'd get an assessment if you are serious about this stuff.

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