Aikido for Over 40’s (& 50’s or more)

We came across an insightful post from one of your FaceBook friends (Ben White, AU) on a subject of starting Aikido training after age 40, or for that matter any age.  Ben’s clear insight – “It is a sad thing that people place age discrimination upon themselves and hold themselves out of trying new things because they have this view that things are past them and they they are too old to try a new physical activity. For me, stepping out and trying Aikido was one of the best decisions I have made in my life, the benefits of Aikido training are endless.”2014 April 21-May 3, Vacation (549)

May 22, 2015

Turning 40 was an interesting time in my life, as it came nearer I tried not to really think about it and I really did not celebrate the occasion when it came around. Reflecting on it now, I don’t know what it was that I really expected to happen. What I know is that I soon discovered that I felt no different in any way at all.

Still, it was in my late 30’s that I first made my decision to begin training in martial arts. I did not know a great deal about the differences between them, but knew that I wanted to learn self defense training. I tried Hapkido / Taekwondo first, then on to Krav Maga and then Aikido where I am today. I loved Hapkido but Taekwondo came with it, I struggled with kicking above waist height and found the Patterns or Kata incredibly confusing, It was and is a great martial art system, but it was the beginning of the realization in me that different martial arts suit different people and it is a good thing to try several styles before you find the one that is meant for you. In my case this would turn out to be Aikido.

Taking Aikido as a new student and at over the age of 40 is an interesting experience. The observation that I have made is that the biggest fear that people seem to have is that of learning to break fall. I suspect this is because many people walk into an Aikido dojo and see experienced Aikidoka break falling from waist height and at furious speeds and feel that ‘there is no was that I can ever do that like they do’. Yet as I have seen, regardless of your age or physical ability you discover one day that after practicing under the watchful eye of your Sensei that you can in fact break fall just as well as anyone else and its a great feeling that brings you a great deal of satisfaction and confidence when all that you have been taught suddenly clicks together.

Another observation on break falling is the health benefits that come with it, like weight lifting, break falling strengthens your body. Not unlike Yoga or Pilates it causes your body to develop into stretching positions and flexibility that have an end result of bringing healing to a aching and tired body and again to any one and at any age of your lifespan.2014 April 21-May 3, Vacation (844)

Bruce Lee once famously said that he did not fear the person that knew a thousand techniques, but he feared the person that had practiced a technique a thousand times. Aikido takes you through a series of forms and there are several techniques for each form these beginning with ‘first form Ikkyo’, then on to Nikkyo, Sankyo and others. What I found is that whilst these seem confusing, the point comes where you take one of them and make it your own having practiced it a number of times and you realise that at least for this one technique that you can perform it as requested and you then build other techniques in the same form and other forms onto it and your confidence blooms and continues to grow in your Aikido journey.

It is a sad thing that people place age discrimination upon themselves and hold themselves out of trying new things because they have this view that things are past them and they they are too old to try a new physical activity. For me, stepping out and trying Aikido was one of the best decisions I have made in my life, the benefits of Aikido training are endless. If you would like to try Aikido, take the first step onto the mat in a local dojo, start slowly and have the same experience that I have. Your only regret will be that you did not pluck up the courage to have a go earlier in your life!

Re-print of blog post: dontmakemeangrymrmcgee.wordpress.com

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