Solo Training 3: 50 And Older

I am fifty four with a military, law enforcement and security background. Martial arts wise I have done a bit of Krav Maga, Khmer boxing (similar to Thai) and whatever defensive tactics was mandatory at the agency I was working at required. I also had a messed up back caused by being on the computer too much due to my job. But with gradual exercise and physiotherapy is improving.I found the book very useful in its sections on recovering from injury. Of course as Loren Christensen say you want to get good medical advice before starting any sports program. But you can have difficulty with doctors who don't understand the benefits, and who overstate the risks from martial arts. As it says on the Australian State Government of Victoria Health Department website "Martial Arts - Preventing Injury" "The [actual] risk of injury from martial arts is low compared to other contact sports. Most injuries are to the limbs and are usually mild to moderate such as bruises or cuts." I was lucky here in Phnom Penh in that I have two good Dutch expat physiotherapists who are active in sports and understand sports injuries.The key thing is to inform your instructor and any training partners this is my injury and don't do anything you think is unsafe. Then you can train around your injury.You have to accept it takes longer for you to heal.One final tip. A lot of us these days work in jobs spending long hours with computers. I recommend using a pomodoro timer which gives you an audible signal to get up and walk away from your desk and stretch. In addition to saving your back and neck, the Pomodoro Technique enables you to learn better and do focused work like writing and computer programming. Google with the keywords "pomodoro technique app" and you'll find lots of apps for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, etc.A detailed look at the Podmodoro Technique and its use in learning (math, science, languages, etc) can be found in  A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science (Even If You Flunked Algebra) .For motivation for us old-timers I recommend a few books: The Pyjama Game: A Journey into Judo About a guy who begins to study Judo when he is fifty years old and gets to black belt level.In the US the same book sometimes has the title: Falling Hard: A Journey into the World of Judo Angry White Pyjamas: A Scrawny Oxford Poet Takes Lessons From The Tokyo Riot Police Robert Twigger is only thirty nine, but he studies Aikido with the Tokyo Riot Police. Survival Of The Fittest: The Anatomy of Peak Physical Performance Mike Stroud, who advises NATO on human performance has written an interesting book on the effects of aging on athletic ability.

I started martial arts just at the end of my 40s and have recently earned my 2nd degree black belt. It has been sitting in the back of my aging noggin that the day may be soon approaching when I might need to move to something easier, lighter and more gentle on my mellowing physique. So I was quite interested when I picked up "Solo Training 3: 50 and Older" by Loren W. Christensen, 8th Dan in American Free Style Karate, retired Law Enforcement Officer (LEO), and senior citizen. This 316 page self-published paperback goes right to the heart of what I've been thinking, and gives a resounding "No!" to my question.Christensen lays out a rationale and regimen for starting on martial arts or continuing your training even beyond 50, 60 and into the 70s. It's a motivating read with helpful practicalities and reasoned purposefulness. The book contains truck loads of descriptive information sensibly fitting for those 50 and older on ways to enhance a reader's martial arts training alone, at home, and back in the dojo. There are even training exercises for ending a fight quickly and hitting a downed attacker, with some levelheaded warnings. It's obvious that the author's LEO experiences keeps his karate real - it is a martial, or combat, art."Solo Training 3" has a few typos and grammatical faux pas here and there and could have used an outside editor, but none of those are show-stoppers. This is a readable, usable, employable volume good for anyone 50 and up. It would make an ideal addition to any martial art school library. But more importantly, it should be in the hands of anyone over 50 who is either beginning martial arts, or wants to keep what they've worked so hard to obtain. I highly recommend the book.

I found this book to be an optimal means of working out for my present physical condition. I am 70 years old and have multiple joint problems and a lack of balance needed to defend myself. Solo Training 3 has shown me a viable way to work with my physical problems and still remain in good shape. The book is well written and gives some excellent advice on tailoring workouts to meet your abilities.While not a book geared primarily toward motivation, Christensen stated that there was no reason for anyone to stop exercising just because they were "too old" or "too busy" or "too beat-up." He points out the obvious that exercise maintains life function and improves quality of life. That got me thinking and I realized I had turned into a couch potato and needed to get back to a routine that put some life back into me. His advice and personal stories motivated me to restart my training in earnest. I am now working on getting my strength back as well as improving my balance and speed.Thank you, Loren, you have revitalized me by reminding what it is to me a martial artist.

I love Christensen’s solo training series. This one is aimed at the baby boomers and while I’m much younger than the target audience, I liked the author’s information on training intelligently so I can keep doing it for many years. There are lots of drills and exercises, but the real emphasis is on training smartly to preserve joints, tendons, muscles and the heart.There is no chest pounding display of testosterone here but rather wisdom gained from the author’s many decades of training. If something is too easy, he explains how to make it harder; if it’s too hard, he tells you how to back off the intensity but still stay on track to maintain and to progress, even into your 70s. I loved the chapter on the best targets to hit to get results, even though your strength might not be as great as it once was. There is even a chapter on training for surgery and training again to recover quickly.As always, Christensen’s crams the book with tons of info, nuggets, and ideas to keep you enthused and training smart.

Loren Christensen é um notável escritor e praticante de artes marciais e defesa pessoal, há décadas. Neste livro ele transmite sua experiência sobre as modificações do corpo e das necessidades de treinamento próprias ao envelhecimento, preenchendo uma importante lacuna na literatura.

OK

Este libro da un nuevo punto de vista a los entrenamientos, a los que añade el cuidado de las articulaciones y consejos muy interesantes.

Haven't read it yet, but skimmed through, plenty of good tips and ideas from a guy who is honest and used all his stuff patrolling the streets as a US cop

Great book for those of this age group and still doing martial arts. Highly recommended for advice and understanding. Oss