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To: lee martell

I took judo at 16-17, tried again with kempo karate at 29-30 and the. Finally hapkido at 46. I earned my first dan black belt at two weeks after my fiftieth birthday. It is very different at that age. The physical challenge is tough but the mental effort it tough too. I made it to third dan at 57 before the right knee gave out. Following surgery it’s okay but my next front snap kick will have to be when I run out of ammunition; practice (at this age) makes brittle.


18 posted on 04/13/2014 2:41:47 AM PDT by muir_redwoods (When I first read it, " Atlas Shrugged" was fiction)
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To: muir_redwoods

You’ve accomplished quite a bit over time. As you said though, martial practice impacts the body more heavily at this age. Luckily, my teachers seem open to allowing for ‘modifcations of the classic forms’ depending on physical ability. I was encouraged to try with this group now due to my memories of them working with clients who have Cerebral Palsy. So I knew this Dojo should be open to compromise here and there.


33 posted on 04/13/2014 11:36:16 AM PDT by lee martell
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