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Old 11-12-2005, 12:58 AM   #29
Matthew White
Location: OKC, OK
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 28
United_States
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Re: When is long enough to long?

Hooker-sensei,
I've just turned 30 and my body's starting to tell me to slow down (knees and back, etc.) in most things, so I'm trying to fix what damage I've done, mitigate what can't be fixed, and stop hurting myself all-around. The question I have is, what benefit does going "hard and fast" have for young lions? Is it pounding out the ego (or feeding it?) or just burning off excess energy, or teaching us the limits and implications of what our bodies are able to (not) endure? I ask because I look back at some of the stuff I've done (in sports, martial arts, etc.) and wonder, "did I have to do it that way". Though I'm only a shodan, I now feel my responsibility to the mudansha and I'm wondering if it wouldn't be prudent (if possible) to eliminate all this "abuse" we seem so keen to put ourselves through, and, as a result, 40 years down the road have teachers that don't have the issues that you've been speaking of.
Is that possible/advisable/etc.? Or is brutalizing ourselves all part of growing up active?
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