I'm retiring from martial arts

[Steve Rowe]

I had both knees replaced and am still training and teaching, one of my 6th dan Karate students had a hip replacement and was back kicking and training with no loss of mobility in months. I won't pretend it's easy, but it's certainly do-able...

[somatai]

best of luck with it all......i know a few guys who have had their hips done and still move quite well!

[Andy_S]

As noted, even those with hip replacement can still do heavy MA practice. (Shotokan is full of 'em).

OTOH, if you take the combat side of MA very seriously - and so can't stand doing MA without getting seriously banged around - then perhaps an exercise or body system without a martial component might be better, as you won't always be thinking, 'Dammit, I really want to go and slap around these whippersnappers, but..."

Good luck either way.

[Ron Panunto]

Buddy, do you think that your MA practice has led to, or is the primary cause of, your hip problems? Some of the posts seem to indicate that it's fairly common for martial artists to have hip replacements, on the other hand, a friend of mine just had his hip replaced and all he ever did was play golf. I am just starting to get some deep seated pain in my left hip and wonder if I will eventually be in line for replacement surgery.

[Darthwing Teorist]

Good luck Buddy! I really hope you will be able to get through this and keep your practice.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

Out of curiousity, were you given any idea of how the degradationof your hip occurred?

was it prolonged sitting? diet? stresses from something?

This is the top elective surgery in canada with people getting hip replacements more than any other part.

I wonder what it has to do with our lifestyle if anything.

thanks and good luck with it.
Keep a strong attitude about being strong and you will be strong.

[Michael Babin]

Hi Buddy
I wish you the best with your surgery. I had a total hip-replacement on my right side at age 53 and it wasn't a great experience for me but I am glad that I had it done. I hope you will be as well.

In martial terms, you do have to be careful after recovering from the surgery and some exercises will be gone forever if you want to get the maximum life out of your prosthetic [I know I do] so no more impact to the affected side which means little or no kicking heavy bags or running or skipping rope or lifting heavy weights but that still leads lots of "fun" stuff in terms of martial training.

Maybe it will give you the impetus to try new directions in your training; but it may be premature to retire completely.

Again best of luck from someone who has been there.

To Everyone
Wear and tear is a sad part of reality and every long-term martial artist that I know in Ottawa has had major damage of some kind [hip and knee replacments are the most common] but so are rotator cuff injuries/arthritis as well as chronic lower back pain. If you train long and hard, you may get skill but you may also get injured...

[Ron Panunto]

To Everyone
Wear and tear is a sad part of reality and every long-term martial artist that I know in Ottawa has had major damage of some kind [hip and knee replacments are the most common] but so are rotator cuff injuries/arthritis as well as chronic lower back pain. If you train long and hard, you may get skill but you may also get injured...

I thought this stuff was supposed to make you healthier? I never heard of any of the old CMA masters like Chen Fake, Sun Lutang, Yang Chenfu, etc getting hip replacements. Maybe we're doing something wrong.

[nianfong]

good nutrition is also important. I've started taking liver pills like jack lalaine, and they are a godsend!

[Bär]

Yeah - sorry for hijacking, Buddy.

[edededed]

Good luck, Buddy - hope you can find ways to continue training afterwards, too.

[gzregorz]

Hi Buddy,

You can still teach without getting banged around.

There are a lot of trainers in MMA, boxing and judo (for example) who are older and no longer spar but still have a lot to offer the world.

You don't have to give it up unless you want to.

Greg

[bailewen]

To Everyone
Wear and tear is a sad part of reality and every long-term martial artist that I know in Ottawa has had major damage of some kind [hip and knee replacments are the most common] but so are rotator cuff injuries/arthritis as well as chronic lower back pain. If you train long and hard, you may get skill but you may also get injured...

I thought this stuff was supposed to make you healthier? I never heard of any of the old CMA masters like Chen Fake, Sun Lutang, Yang Chenfu, etc getting hip replacements. Maybe we're doing something wrong.

There but for the grace of god go I. . .

In theory, yes, but I always knock on wood. It's a tricky path and I having had the occasional brush with injury or knee pain, I find the sort of 'tyrrany' of the mythology can be a bit much at times. Overall, I seem to have dodged all the bullets and only grown stronger but the path has not always been clear. On several occasions I have had to meet with Shifu to discuss an ache or a pain and examine my movement to see where the problem is. I never take the idea that "proper training only increases health" for granted.

So many damn factors at work. Genetics, diet, rest, stress from work, over training, a slight spinal irregularity, a gait that is ever so slightly off...the list goes on. If it isn't a physical injury, sometimes it's physiological and all the same issues apply. I always have sniffles in the park. The locals all criticize my choice to not bundle up like it was arctic cold when it's only in the mid 60's F or about 13 or 14 C. I personally blame the amazing air quality in China as I do not suffer from such sinus problems when I am stateside. But no....if I was training correctly I would be immune to all disease.

BS.

Good luck with the hip.

[Steve James]

So many damn factors at work. Genetics, diet, rest, stress from work, over training, a slight spinal irregularity, a gait that is ever so slightly off...the list goes on.

There's also age and just plain luck. But, no matter what, don't make plans for a healthy old age based on your training. Any day that you wake up, you might not be able to use something you had the day before. Pick a body part --knee, ankle, toe, eye, ear, spine-- and it might stop working for no apparent reason. Those 90 year old guys in videos doing cartwheels and high kicks 1) have probably been doing them since they were youngsters and 2) have been very lucky genetically and in ordinary life. They aren't examples; they're rarities. That's why we applaud them. I think that they can serve as inspirations, too.

On a separate note, some of the most rewarding times I ever spent was when I gave free tcc lessons at a senior center. I think that one of the best things a person can do for himself (his well-being and his health) is to help someone else --especially someone who is apparently worse off.

[neijia_boxer]

Buddy- you learned Dzogchen before? who was your teacher? I saw Namkai Norbu in Mass. once. my teacher is Tenzin Wangyal rinpoche a Bon teacher.