Starting Over

[@MrThalesVaz]

Hello! I am a student of yours in the Udemy courses and wish you all the best in the recovery. I have had two masters who also had knee replacements, one is a karateka/krav maga instructor and the other one is a budo taijutsu instructor. Unfortunately this is the destiny of most martial artists, but they still practice and teach. I am 28 years old and I have been practing martial arts periodically all my life and non stop since my 21 years of age. I have to move around a lot, and because of that, I did not specialize in one style, since sometimes the specific martial art did not exist in the next city, etc. In that aspect, online martial arts have helped me a great deal. Fortunately, I did not suffer any grave injuries up until now, but I had heavy episodes of pain in the lower back, shoulders and knees due to overuse, pulled muscles and impact. So I also felt the impostor syndrome when I had to take time off training to heal, worrying someday those damages would become permanent, taking my favorite thing in the world away. To deal with that I started adapting my training to the state of my body. If I can’t kick, I replace the leg techniques with arm techniques and weapon techniques, or I do the kicking while on the ground to reduce the stress on the joints, the same goes for acrobatics, even If it becomes a very silly movement. If I can't use my arms due to shoulder or elbow pain, I focus on kicks and headbutts. If nothing can be done, I stick with image training. What inspired me were the para archers (some of them practice archery without arms, using only their feet and mouths. Some of them are also visually impaired) and the para martial artists who adapted the katas to wheelchairs. Long story short, focus on what you can do, and adapt what you can't. The important thing is to have fun while developing the control of our bodies, in whatever state they might be. Like I heard you say in one of your videos, once it gets in our blood, we have to keep doing it. Best of luck on creating your new variation of Tang Soo Do!

[@kputala]

@MrThalesVaz Hello Thales! Thank you for your kind words, and for being one of my Udemy students! You worded everything perfectly and sounds like you're on the right path. We continue because it's a part of who we are.

[@brentcole8854]

I know the feeling, foot surgery, 2 left knee surgeries and a back surgery done, now waiting on right knee surgery, I'm trying to get my head around what my training is going to be, or if I'll ever even make it back to training....

[@kputala]

@brentcole8854 Hi Brent, I'm with you on that. I have no idea how much more my knees will improve or if I'll one day have to stop martial arts altogether. I see the surgeon in November for my 1 year follow up and see what he says then. Until then, I'm just taking it one day at a time and being careful not to mess anything up while they continue to heal.

[@MaddogKernan]

I had the same thing with me training in Taekwondo I started it in 2004 and I finally had to give it up in 2018 because both my knee cartilages are worn and I have arthritis in both knees caused by excessive kicking mostly in the air then on pads in classes, they say martial arts is good for health and fitness It maybe so but it's not good on the joints so I had to stop doing tkd so now I train in the filipino martial arts which has helped me alot as there's next to no kicking unless it is filipino pananjakman art of kicking which I don't do.

[@kputala]

@MaddogKernan I agree, I'm positive all of the kicking got my knees replaced, but originally karate didn't have alot of kicks, so I will continue and modify without them. 👍

[@MaddogKernan]

@kputala still I found other ways to improve my martial arts in FMA which is more important now due to the nature of my work as a security officer.

[@dalcassian9098]

Ive done nothing since 1987...

[@kputala]

@dalcassian9098 Did you just stop, or did you have physical issues preventing you from continuing?

[@dalcassian9098]

Regrettably, I lost interest. Was shotokan ,returned 2 years ago at age 55 and started TKD. Went well,but there were no adult classes only mixed adult/teen classes. So I gave up. All the best on your return!

[@kputala]

@@dalcassian9098 Understandable, especially in TKD, as they cater to kids and young adults who can compete and win medals and trophies. Most older adults fall by the wayside. You can always practice what you've learned on your own, for health, etc.

[@dalcassian9098]

@@kputala That's the plan!