adaption with time

Paula Lydon · 03-01-2003, 08:56 AM

~~This question is more geared to those who have trained for a number of years and are in their late 30's+: What adaptations/alterations in your training have you made, if any, as you aged? And were those changes more because of aging or the change our training focus takes as we evolve through a MA? Just thinking aloud...Thanks!

erikmenzel · 03-01-2003, 12:10 PM

Well, I am in my early thirthies so my experience probably doesnt count.

Only change I found is that when I was in my early twenties I just wouldnt think and rush in to do be uke. Nowerdays I think "O sh&t" and rush in to be uke.

That's all folks.

Jonathan · 03-01-2003, 04:14 PM

I didn't really give myself any healing time as a twenty-something aikidoka. Now, at 35, after a herniated disc, two groin tendon tears and a dislocated left shoulder (all of which occurred after I turned 30), I am very careful to ease up if something is persistently sore. I can still fall as well as ever, just not quite as much.

When I am not nursing an injury I train as hard as I ever did, though with rather a different focus than when I was a mudansha. My focus during training revolves around my state of mind more and more these days. I am finding that the subtleties of Aikido technique are inextricably linked to my thoughts and attitudes.

What changes are taking place in your training, Paula?

SeiserL · 03-01-2003, 08:48 PM

Learning actually seems to go faster. Healing is slower.

Until again

Lynn (52)

Paula Lydon · 03-01-2003, 09:04 PM

~~For me, at 40+ and 16 years of MA training, I've evolved through a number of phases. Happily the smash and bash years are behind me! I started a few years ago really focusing on ukemi--mostly to save my butt as I don't heal as fast as in my younger days--and this shift opened up an incredible vista of sensations and understandings I had only glimpsed previously. I became more interested in the principles behind the techniques (maybe just happens in time anyway?) than in 'getting' my partner or seeming to be the tough martial arts lady.

~~I became more internally focused which allowed me to quiet down, relax, soften, connect, feel and listen to the dynamic between my partner and myself (I'll be working on this forever). After training for so many years it was hard to give up the ego of winning...or at least appearing to do things well or correctly. To allow myself to try a new concept over and over even though I missed the connection or timing or positioning over and over and got dumped on the floor (hence the much improved ukemi). To put on a white belt again and enjoy it.

~~Yes, a shift in state of mind and focus. Sensing my alignement and breath and how this moves with the other and then suddenly, amazingly, the technique shows up and works wonderfully well. But, no longer with a rush of "Yeeha, I gottcha!", just wanting to keep moving, keep feeling.

Bogeyman · 03-02-2003, 06:26 PM

I am just in my early 30's but I find I am training more and harder than ever. I don't let injuries slow me down more than necessary but I do let them heal a little more. I agree that I tend to understand things more quickly but that may be more a matter of experience.

E

aubrey bannah · 03-02-2003, 11:33 PM

Being able to train smarter. Going with the flow easier. When a partner is throwing vigorously or roughly being able to say thank you for the training. Being able to do the technique properly and then giving myself fully to receiving the throw with the lease effort [age & experiance] I find this help's me protect myself from injury or just being able to continue training in the session. This also inhanced my training by being able to be thrown by Sensei and feel the full strenth of the technique, so then it was like a hole new learning experiance for me. A bit of a circle don't you think.

The oldest person to start Aikido in our dojo was over 60. With consideration the technique's only took a little longer to perform and receive, this gentleman went on to earne his dan ranking with small consideration for his age & continue's to train.

Aubrey [46]

happysod · 03-03-2003, 02:52 AM

Changes to MA? - definitely become gentler with uke where possible, I've found it also annoys the hell out of them if you can manage to get it just right...

Changes through age? Sometimes wince when getting up from ukemis and I avoid as much knee work as possible - it's just too painful these days. I've actually found tai-chi more painful than aikido in this area.