The Older Gents and Dames combat & health discussion thread

chrisisall

I'm 53 now, and as I get older I find it harder to do a dive roll comfortably, though kicking above my head is still easy enough. Front handsprings are a thing of the past (last one was 9 years ago, poorly executed at that). Hand strikes are as good as ever, maybe better with all the practice. Close-up vision is problematical without glasses, but Wing Chun is, thankfully, a style that does not depend upon vision.

So what's YOUR combat status? ;)

timmer

My combat status is nil, although I jog regularly. I can breeze 5k no problem. I shouldn't say no problem, but finishing isn't an issue. Sometimes I go 10k. Trick is to avoid inclines.
I hate going to the gym, which is why I run, otherwise I'd be an inactive.
Since I stopped playing hockey though, no more fighting, although hockey fighting is like robocop fighing, one is so heavily padded. Its more like punching with gloves, until ref tosses you from game, and you get first crack at the showers, and more often than not, buy your oppoent a beer at the bar, as you both get there first.

4EverBonded

This is an interesting thread. Hmmm.
I am older than you, @chrisisall. I used to be athletic and into sports (soccer, tennis).
I have worn glasses or contacts since age 14; that is about the same.
Overall, my current combat status is highly diminished - from Status: Active Agent, I am currently a semi-retired Armchair Agent

Used to do: Running and dive rolling over a wall or any basic gymnastics

Am able to do now: Walk fast and semi-jog, could perform a handstand if needed but couldn't hold it for minutes any more. (Never rehabbed correctly from 2 knee surgeries, hence no true running these days) - no more sports :(

Used to do: Balance well

Am able to do now: Balance well, just not as long

Used to do: Swim with some lung power and stamina

Am able to do now: Swim (same form) but without the lung power or stamina

Used to do: Run with my dog

Am able to do now: Walk with my dog

Used to do: Climb trees with agility

Am able to do now: Climb trees with some effort

Used to do: Pick up a child and run with him or her and swing them around like a helicopter

Am able to do now: Carefully lift a child to hug him or her :)

Also still able to do now: Smoothly bend elbow to lift a drink to my lips, read a book from darn near any position or in any location, see well enough to enjoy movies, dvds, nature, people, - watching the many-splendored panorama of my life, So no complaints. Still kicking it, even if not so much literally. ;)

chrisisall

4EverBonded wrote:

So no complaints. Still kicking it, even if not so much literally. ;)

I love your post, and I'm GLAD of your zest for life and obvious love of it despite having a hard time climbing trees so easily (I'm right there with ya).

4EverBonded

Thanks. And climbing trees was one of my favorite things in life.

chrisisall

4EverBonded wrote:

climbing trees was one of my favorite things in life.

I haven't climbed a tree in two years... time to do it again! You as well!

4EverBonded

I know that @chisisall and I are not the only older gent and dame on this forum ... so let's hear from the still active savvy older agents: What are you all up to still? What is your combat status, as chrisisall puts it?

Scuba? Aikido? Mountain climbing? Just dive rolling from one pub to the next? It all counts.

timmer

4EverBonded wrote:

Also still able to do now: Smoothly bend elbow to lift a drink to my lips, read a book from darn near any position or in any location, see well enough to enjoy movies, dvds, nature, people, . ;)

I can do all this too. :D
Can't walk a dog though, mainly because the only dog I try to walk is a relative's poodle, which hates me. It trots along behind, maxing out the full length of the leash, and won't do any "business" either, until we get back and I let it loose in the yard.
Dogs are stubborn creatures.
Not all dogs hate me btw.

@chrisisall You still sound very lethal..... "kicking above my head is still easy enough"

4EverBonded

The elbow maneuver has just gotten constant practice over the years. The consistency helps maintain my fine drinking form. It never had an off season. ;)

chrisisall

timmer wrote:

@chrisisall You still sound very lethal..... "kicking above my head is still easy enough"

In my prime I developed the ability to kick effectively as high as my up-stretched palm, but now in my old age, six feet is my limit. My side-to-side split used to be to the ground; now it's almost a whole foot off.
I keep thinking of Lethal Weapon 4... "We're NOT too old for this s**t, we're NOT too old for this s**t..."
:))