Who’s That Old Man?

    

Me & My Instructor, Master Jerry Lindsey

There is something exciting and a little crazy about being the oldest student.  At 42 years of age, I know that there are older men and women training in traditional taekwondo, but on that particular Saturday, none of them showed up.  So what did I do?  I got out there and tried my best.  Could I do everything like the 18-year-olds?  No… Not even close.  I had waited until 34 to start my training.  And, when I began, I weighed in at 260lbs.  At 5’11”, that is not a good weight.  So, what could I do compared to the “kids” on the floor?  I could only do what any of us are capable of.  I tried to give 100%.  By the end of the morning, my uniform needed to be wrung out because of the sweat.  Was I the best on the floor?  No, but I gave it all that I could. 

We should never be intimidated to work out because of our age.  A healthy lifestyle can begin as a child, at 34, at 64, or even 84.  It is never too late to get out on the floor and train.  Now, taekwondo may not be your cup of tea.  You may cringe at the idea of throwing a punch or kick, but you need to find something that gets you moving.  And guess what?  You may even hear the question, “Who’s that old man?”  If you do, be proud and shout, “I’m that old man!  Try to keep up.”