LONGEVITY IN THE MARTIAL ARTS: Practicing Smart as you Age

W hen people speak of aging, it is not uncommon to hear them say things like “age is just a number” or “sixty is the new forty.” While it’s true that medical advances have helped us fight disease, improve our physical and mental health, and even increase longevity, nobody is immune to “getting old.” Even for those individuals who have pursued a lifelong commitment to healthy lifestyles and been fortunate enough to have had the right mix of genetic, environmental and social factors, they too will inevitably experience some age-related decline. Physically, it may be in the areas of strength, endurance, balance, speed, or flexibility. Cognitively, it may be a lessening of concentration, memory, or processing speed. Of course, the areas and degrees to which this may happen will vary from person to person. This book addresses these questions. It is not intended to teach specific techniques. Rather, it presents various concepts, strategies and principles on how to get the most out of martial arts practice as we age, execute movements effectively and efficiently, enhance physical and mental health, avoid injury, approach self-defense, face fear, and ensure that we are able to practice as long as possible. Many of the ideas presented in this book apply to martial artists of all ages; however, they are particularly important for older practitioners.