AND WHEN YOU'RE OLDER...

 by Phillip Starr

When I was much younger, I thought I understood how one should train when one gets “older.” I was wrong. But now that I've definitely passed over the “older” line, I understand it much better. Generally speaking, athletes start to see physical declines at age 26, give or take (This would seem in line with the long-standing notion in baseball that players tend to hit their peak anywhere from ages 27 to 30.) For swimmers, the news is more sobering, as the mean peak age is 21. For those of us in martial arts, I'm going to say that the peak age is about 26 or so.

The decline is gradual...speed and strength begin to ebb, although oddly enough, timing can continue to improve! But there's no reason to stop training! But you do have to make some allowances and adjustments as you get older.

First, you have to come to grips with the fact that you'll never be as fast, flexible, or as strong as you were in your younger years. You don't have as much energy as you used to, and injuries don't heal nearly as fast as they once did. You can't endure the hardcore workouts that you once did, nor should you try. You can still train hard but not quite like you did when you were 23 with a full head of dark hair! You have to train SMART!

As we age, flexibility is very important; I believe that one of the things that cause older people to “get old” is lack of flexibility. So maintaining flexibility is critical! But be careful when you practice stretching; torn muscles heal very slowly when you get older. Be gentle with yourself.

Maintaining speed is likewise important but again, be careful that you don't inadvertently injure yourself.

Sure, you can and should continue to push yourself... just push a bit more gently.