By: Joelle White

Joelle White — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 06:01:00 +0000

Ossu! [bow]
44, six months and one day into training in Shindo Jinen-Ryu Karate. Loving it, and I don’t feel my age at all when I’m in class! Thanks for sharing!
[bow]

By: Mary Moonen

Mary Moonen — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 22:21:00 +0000

Andreal that really resinated with my experiences. I am 48 years young…and have returned to the Martial Arts and getting re-involved with teaching self defense. I hadn’t done that since my 20’s when I earned a brown belt in Karate/Shaolin Kempo Kung Fu. Then, after many physical issues that I couldn’t do anything about had to stop. I had a few surgeries..etc. I thought my life in the Martial Arts was over. I was so sad, because I loved it all so much, and thought “Well, I USED to be able to do kicks, strikes, etc. but I cant any more…and GAVE away all the belts I had earned, my uniforms, and any gear, it was too depressing to keep around. ” I have severe asthma…very severe. I had to be on 2 inhalers a day, many meds, any time I traveled, I would have to pack a nebulizer(machine that makes medication mist that you breathe in). I felt like I was 90 years old. That along with having arthritis, and a shoulder injury (3 tears in rotar cuff, torn bicpet muscle..) I thought….well….see, it’s all over now there is NO way I can return to this sport. “But WAIT..there’s MORE!”… I had some improvement in health issues, I started getting a certain medication for the asthma that is done in a shot once a month called Xolair. This medication is a miracle. I havent needed ANY inhalers, rescue inhalers, or nebulizer treatments..AT ALL..it is essentially in full remission. Moving along in my story…so I met a new instructor inmy area, who suggested I could come in and train at my own speed, and he had every belief that I could do it all again, despite any health/orthepedic problems…He said ” You have created a sword, now you can polish it.” made sense… so…I NOW go to classes three times a week, I am back creating and teaching Self Defense Classes. I feel YEARS younger, I have lost about 20 some odd pounds..I can do ALOT of things! My kicks arent as high..but then I am told in reality, keeping kicks lower if in a real street defense situation is better. I can sparr pretty damn good I have to say. It is keeping my memory sharp learning Katas, and I have received the BEST compliments ever… one little boy a student looked at me after class with this incredulous , puzzled look. He said “How old are you?” Well, I am a silly preankster sometimes and was messing with him and said..Go ahead..guess.” Well…(poor kid) goes 30??? I laugh..nope higher…35(now he looks MORE anxious) I said KEEP going….he nearly gasps and says tenatively…40????? OMG Finally we got to 48. Then his jaw dropped and a huge smile came over his face..he said YOU ARE INCREDIBLE!! I laughed and said Why? He goes “I have never seen a woman yoiur age doing this stuff!” it was a sweet compliment, and I thought YEAH, “I AM A NINJA!” The other part of me sighed, and wished other women wouod join me… there is something for EVERYONE to do…in your OWN way, or to adapt it…People with disabilites etc can benefit from this.. I wish more people would join. Excellent writing Andrea, and from your pictures here I can see how beautiful and lively you are:) BOWING…OUUSSS

Comments on: Take Martial Arts In Your 50’s, 40’s, or 30’s? The Answer? Yes!

By: Joelle White

By: Mary Moonen