Last night our instructor was an older black belt. The young black belts (under 35) who usually teach us must of had commitments so they arranged for an older guy to teach us.
It was a great class. Finally someone that understands that older guys don't bend as well or move as fast as younger guys and don't expect them to. Finally someone that showed us moves using limited movement, and concentrating on control instead of athleticism and quickness to beat the guy to the spot. I know the young guys who teach the class will swear that the moves are based on technique and not strength, flexibility and quickness but I can tell you that working the moves they require all the above. I have noticed that many times during my sparring sessions I know what I need to do and my brain is telling me things that my body just can't quite get to in time. It becomes very frustrating to me to know that if I beat the guy to a grip or position I would have the advantage but not being able to achieve that because of slowed reflexes due to age.
One of the reasons I now prefer Gi to Nogi is that the Gi really does Slow things down. When you get older and you slow down a little (something that just happens) you appreciate having a little more reaction time. The key here is everyone slows down some when they get older. The younger guys need to understand it and especially the guys that are teaching the classes need to understand that there are some moves we are not going to be able to do. It is not us being difficult, negative, insubordinate, argumentative or thinking because we are old we know more then the instructor it is just a fact of life. When I am being reprimanded for trying to think of a better way to do the move that fits in with my abilities I always think to myself "talk to me when you are over 50 and see if you have the same opinion as you do now."
I have a good friend who is about the same age as me. He is a Tae Kwon Do Champion. He competed all over the USA in high level tournaments in his age group and won most of them easily. He is in great shape and has maintained this over many years. He decided he needed a little more competition and he dropped down to fight the guys in the 30-40 year old bracket. So most of these guys were 15-20 years younger then him. What he found out was that even though his mind could identify what he needed to do his body did not respond quick enough whether making a strike or defending it and he got smacked around.
I guess all I'm saying is I get frustrated sometimes when the instructors expect me to do the same moves that a much younger guy does and I cannot replicate them to my satisfaction.
On an ending note it is not just instructors. It is sometimes the other athletes. Last night I got frustrated with a guy who told me to pick up the pace during warm up. He wanted me to do more sit ups and more push ups, run faster etc. He was really getting on me a nd I was not in the mood to take it. I basically told him that if he kept barking at me I would just not leave. I don't come to practice to get barked at by a 21 year old Blue Belt who thinks, because he is in perfect shape that everyone in class should be able to keep up with him. Give the guy 30 years and if I'm still alive then he can tell me how his body responds to what his mind wants him to do.
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