The chicken or the egg

Michelle · 01-04-2006, 22:21

AKA.... how old/injured is too old/injured.

Requesting feedback.

Am in a strange spot in life right now.... injuries have had me out of the game for a bit now. These are the typical "old injuries" that resurface from time to time and each time they resurface, they resurface with a little more viciousness.

The thing is, each time they resurface, the common denominator seems to be its because I've slacked on my PT. 2005 was a year I slacked big time.... training went out the window... the gym went out the window... my usual routine got changed up. So now I pay the price.

OTOH, I've had several people tell me the bottom line is more about age, and the deterioration process inherent to injuries that is taking its toll. That's a sad thing for me to swallow. That I need to chill out a bit... it's part of life, and dealing with a damaged body.

What are people's thoughts on this? The title of the thread is because I view it in that way. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or to put it in terms regarding this issue, does training hard cause functional breakdown of the body over time, or is it the cessation of training hard that leaves us vulnerable to the body going sideways?

I know which answer I WANT it to be. But I also fully realize I am quite possibly coming from a case of denial.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks.

m1

**The Reaper** · 01-04-2006, 22:43

M:

I hate to tell you this, and I am a little older than you, but I wish that I had learned earlier the difference between healthy muscle-exertion pain and damaging my body pain.

Many time, I just gutted it out, and now I realize that was usually a mistake. I have several pain meds, depending on the severity, and it takes me a while to get moving in the mornings. This sort of musculo-skeletal damage will get worse over time, and will manifest itself by neat things like arthritis. There are many on here in worse shape from that than me.

If you are fighting for your life, you can suck it up. Otherwise, if I do not know it to be simple pain from exertion, I stop and figure out a way to do it pain free. Sometimes, pain is really nature's way of telling you to stop that. There are plenty of conditioning exercises that will not injure you in the process. You aren't getting any younger, start treating your body decently.

I hope that you know the difference and apply the knowledge before you get to this state.

TR

Michelle · 01-05-2006, 09:48

Thank you for the wise words Sir Reaper. I understand what you are saying.

I understand that there are things I can't do anymore, and I'm okay with that. White water rafting and jousting aren't part of my future anymore and I can deal with that.

I'm just having a hard time with how much I need to sacrafice. A very wise person recently said to me "we train as we fight". That's important. And being faced with people telling me "you really need to quit the dojo and take up water ballet" is something I find myself not wanting to accept. I don't see myself training to beat someone about the head with a swim cap. Then again, a life of permanently being on vicodin is not on my list of goals either.

I guess I'm just stubbornly fighting for a happy meduim.

Thank you again. I will read and heed.

m1

**The Reaper** · 01-05-2006, 10:04

M1:

No one can answer that for you, but you.

I would suggest asking some older people who have skills that you admire and who seem to be in good shape how they do it. It may be that they are lliving as compromised lifestyle and you are unaware of it.

All of the stuff I have broken over the years, whether for sport, work, or fun hurts now. I do not plan to add to the list any more than I have to. At the same time, I believe that I have sufficient skills to defend myself against most likely threats except old age.

How do you think you will be doing in the dojo at 70? 80? If you quit before that, how will you know when to quit?

In the immortal words of Toby Keith, "I ain't as young as I once was, but I'm as good once, as I ever was."

As we have told many people here, good SA and run-fu will get you out of most fights without having to be a participant in them. As you get older, you learn to avoid dnagerous situations. An old guy told my brother one time, "Son, you will never have to run from a fight if you start walking away soon enough."

True words.

Is hard training and combatives part of your preparation, or part of your lifestyle? If it is fun for you and is part of your conditioning program, you might want to start looking for alternatives that you enjoy. Tai Chi looks like good low-impact exercise.

Best of luck to you regardless. Once I hit 40, it started taking longer to prep and recover every year. Of course, I also know three guys in their mid-70s still working hard every day and jumping with students, so what do I know about aging?

TR

**Kyobanim** · 01-05-2006, 11:17

There's a ton of truths in the Reaper said.

Quote:

"you really need to quit the dojo and take up water ballet" is something I find myself not wanting to accept"

Then don't accept it.

These are probably things you already know but they're worth repeating . . . Take longer warm ups and spend more time stretching than you used too. When you go to work out the plan isn't to kill yourself but to stay in the best shape you possibly can. Vitamin suppliments will help as well as a diet that fits your body's needs. You Doc probably can give you an assist since he/she know's your body's shape the best.

I opened my school at 50. I noticed 2 important things when I did that. 1. You hurt a lot more training 5 hours a day 5 days a week verses training 3 days and 2 hours a week, and 2. I actually got better after I started spending more time preparing for classes. My doc helped a lot with that. I plan on going until I can't stand up any more.

This is a good subject, I hope others chime in here.

**The Reaper** · 01-05-2006, 11:58

IAW Kyo's comments, my general thoughts would be, as we get older and more experienced, stretching/range of motion/reps good, straining/impact/excess/max weight lifts bad.

TR