Returning to Taekwondo After 40 Years

Can a 60 year old learn Taekwondo?  Some people would say that a 60 year old is too old to be taking such an energetic and dynamic sport such as Tae Kwon Do.  A sport which requires good amount of balance, stretch and leg strength, which older people lack. You can build muscle, balance, and flexibility at any age. It may be harder but that's the wonder of the body, it response positive when placed under the proper level of distress.  I believe in fighting aging not giving myself over to it.  I'm a runner and I do a handful of half marathons every year, and a lot of people would say I'm too old.  I say "don't tell me, what I can't do!".  I believe much of the statistics of deprecation of health are based on people listening to the experts - getting a retirement attitude in their head (I deserve to sit around on a beach somewhere).  I say, my best years are in front of me, and I will fight my lose of balance, my loss of strength, and my loss of flexibili...

  There are 12 belts from white belt to black belt.  Right now I am white belt - which was not just given to me, but instead I had to pass my first belt test.   The white belt meaning is purity, basically an empty canvas which to be written on by the teachers.   White it's humbling to be a white belt again for the third time you need to remember the Chinese Proverbs that "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".   For me being a white belt is exciting not because it's a first step, but that I have the adventure of the next thousand miles!

I'm 60 years old and one thing I can't do is stretch, but when trying to be good in TKD is be very important to be flexible.   So I have decided to work on my stretch and see if I can improve my hip flexibility in the next month .   Below is a picture showing where I am today.  Not very good.    So starting in 2023 - I will do 45 minutes of stretching 7 days a week, and see where I am at that point.  When I was a teenager I could almost do a complete split.  I hope that old me can be encouraged to come out!   Some of the stretching will be:  Lateral Lunge Single Leg Split Butterfly Vertical Leg Swings Lateral Leg Swings Middle Split

 Last week on December 14th I had my first belt test.   The belt test was for a white belt - which is the first step through the belts.   We had 15 minutes of warming up, with 15 minutes of form and one step sparing, and then 15 minutes of braking boards.  The judges were Grand Master Kang (9th degree), and a 7th degree black belt lady that travelled from New York (GM  Erica Linthorst).  After the test, they provided the new belt, certificate and trophy to each person that passed the test.   Their focus was energy and power and mentioned it several times.   Here a few pictures: Afterwards they celebrated with pizza - but since I was to be at prayer meeting, I took off immediately after the belt test.  Hopefully my test belt test will be in February. 

  I had my flags sewed onto my uniform and attended my first real class.   I'm a bit excited because, I was told by the instructor that I could take a belt test this mid-December.  I think my practice of the first form paid off, because they went over it with me and seemed surprised that I knew it so well.  My only concern is the drills, which there are two.  1) ready my left arm to do a high block, step out with my first leg into a horse stance - high block and then punch. 2) feet together, front kick with left leg, Axe kick with right foot, dropping into a long step, then left punch.  At least that's what I believe he said.  I have a couple weeks to figure it  out.  ;p   I was paired up with a fellow named Robert (green belt, grey hair).   He hurt his foot doing a round house kick.   There was another kid there that is India, his name is Ethen - he'll be testing with me. 

 I attended my first (trail) class this last Monday.   I thought I did quite well - however I don't remember the forms and my stretching was a bit underwhelming.   Let me start with the stretching.   My front kick could only go 5 feet to the upper chest, but no higher.  Some of the stretching on the mat would not go far, for example the Sitting Feet-together Adductor Stretch was not good.  Also the stretching of my knee and hip was not to good.   One last thing was sitting down on top of my legs - I just couldn't do it.  :p The forms I was doing poorly on.  I would go the wrong way, and I would not throw out a punch at the right time.  I was a good effort, but not up to speed.  At the end of class Master Kang invited me to sit at the front of the class and introduce myself.  I was not ready for this - and gave a summary of my life (my work, marriage life, & TKD history with Ki Chung Kim) and with an...

 It's been a while.  The reason is that a few months ago I discontinued going to very local TKD school since these classes were not traditional TKD classes - but were more of a high breed program of aerobics/TKD.   I have since talked to TKD school in Dover (one town over) and I have added to an introductory class on Monday, November 28, 2022.    If I join this will be a traditional class, which will require me to attend at least twice a week.  Very excited! and at least I have a week to stretch and throw some kicks to prepare.