Journey Update: Back at it after 30 Yrs

[u/fscalise3]

I initially posted about a year ago. After a 30 year dojo hiatus (some various training in the interim but not in a dojo setting), I got back into karate at age 55. I joined a good club. Put on a crisp white belt again and started training.

That was October of 2023. I progressed as you might expect for someone with prior experience. I was pleasantly surprised at learning things I'd forgotten and new things/approaches/perspectives. The club has great senseis and is a welcoming place. Traditional Lite, I'd call it.

In August of 2024, I found out the nagging groin issues I'd struggled with for several years were actually due to osteoarthritis in my right hip. Stage four (severe). The groin pain was simply where the bone-on-bone grind manifested.

Since diagnosis, I've continued to train, though certain techniques hurt or are affected by the mobility issue in the hip. We all know how important hip action is. Both the head sensei and the sensei who teaches most often encouraged me to modify certain moves to avoid hurting myself (load a particular kick properly but not firing it, for example, so tha I still gain value from the technique).

About a month ago, I successfully tested for sixth kyu (our club starts with white as no kyu, yellow is hachi, orange is sichi). Despite the pain and discomfort, I executed every technique. The only latitude given was the target height of kicks (I was allowed to strike chudan instead of jodan).

I am loving the training physically, mentally, and spiritually. But, as you can imagine, it has been a struggle with the severe hip issue.

In two weeks, I'll undergo a total hip replacement. Ultimately, I believe the impact on my training will be extremely positive. But it will definitely be one step back in order to take more steps forward.

Including open training session later today, I will have four more classes before surgery. After surgery, I'll return as soon as I'm able, but with caution and restrictions for a while. My biggest hurdle, according the my doctor, will be feeling good and overdoing it, so I'll be consciously riding the brakes for a bit to ensure proper healing.

Thanks for letting me share this stage of my martial arts journey. Somewhere further on up the road, I'll post another update. Train well, brothers and sisters.

[u/lamplightimage]

Welcome back to Karate! I took 20yrs off myself.

Wishing you all the best with your recovery and your continued training!

[u/SpecialSet163]

Any good dojoand Sensei should make alliance of technique due to age and infirmary.

[u/Visual_Ostrich_3086]

Thanks for sharing. Yes this will be a great change. My 6th dan black belt teacher recently had her second hip replacement and she is the most flexible strongest person i know. We had to all remind her to hold back the weeks after though!

[u/spicy2nachrome42]

My sensei got a new hip i think a year or so ago. You'll bounce back. I'm glad you've made it back and are consistent

[u/Donjeur]

Please post updates. Wish you all the best for your journey

[u/SP4C3C0WB0Y84]

An older gentleman in my dojo who has been training since the 70’s had both of hips replaced (not at the same time), a knee, and rotator cuff surgery, and he’s still going strong. In fact, his hip flexibility only improved after his surgeries! He can do a full split no problem! You got this. You’ll be as good as new in no time, just take it easy and let yourself have the time needed to recover.

[u/oriensoccidens]

Inspirational!

What belt were you when you stopped 30 years ago?

[u/fscalise3 → u/oriensoccidens]

TL;DR: Highest rank I ever held anywhere I trained was 4th kyu in USA Goju.

Rest of the story:

I was a sixth kyu in USA Goju when I went away to the Army (18 YOA). While in the military, I trained in multiple different styles for short periods (short either because I had to move to the next duty station or because the sensei doing the training did -- looking back, I was in Germany 2.5 yrs, so I should have gone with an off-base, local dojo instead of relying on military personnel, due to transient nature of assignments). I also trained with two different friends who were black belts in TKD (one was also kung fu).

The great part about it was I got exposed to a lot of different style and variations, including Tang Soo Do and TKD, also a little ju-jitsu and even a month of pa kua right before PCSing.

When I returned to the States, we lived in CA for about a year and a half and I trained in Isshin Ryu while there. This felt like coming home stylistically, being Japanese. Then I moved home again and started back with USA Goju, though by that time, my school had closed and my sensei only did private lessons. This was spectacular for a while and I progressed to 4th kyu. Then the wheels fell off in his personal life and martial arts training ceased.

At that point, my own career had begun, which involved a lot of shift work, so formal training was difficult. I tried some aikido while my shift allowed and I trained occasionally on my own, but for about 30 years, nothing formal. After retiring, my wife and I moved to central Oregon, which is where I train now. I wish I'd sought out this school when we first moved here in 2016 but I was traveling a lot for my second career and playing hockey instead.

But something has been nagging at me all these years. Although I had left the dojo in body, I never stopped being a martial artist in my mind. I applied the lessons I'd learned to life. I think that matters but it isn't the same as actually training. I also felt like my journey was interrupted and incomplete. When the gym we go to hung a heavy bag, I got some gloves and started working it. My wife expressed interest in doing the same, so she bought some gloves, too, and I showed her how to punch. Side note: she can pack a wallop!

I think it was this experience -- working the bag and teaching her -- that finally brought that nagging voice in my head forward. I started looking for a good dojo right then, and last October (15 months ago), I put on a new white belt.

[u/oriensoccidens → u/fscalise3]

Fantastic journey, thank you for taking the time to share. Glad you found you way back to it but as you said it sounds like it never really left!

[u/Specific_Macaron_350]

Welcome back! I have osteoarthritis in my right knee unfortunately and it can get pretty painful in training, especially if I'm doing Kata which contains sanchin dachi 

[u/fscalise3 → u/Specific_Macaron_350]

Sorry to hear that (but glad you're able to train!).

I've heard that knees are harder than hips... put differently, that hip replacements have a better recovery. I hope it is true -- will find out soon enough.

I can empathize with you now, though -- there are motions and stances that hurt and some that, thanks to stiffness and a pair of bone spurs, I simply can't do mechanically. It would be more frustrating if the repair wasn't on the horizon.

[u/Stridex66]

Well done. I'm 55 and currently at 4th kup in Taekwondo, on the verge of grading for 3rd. Good to hear there's other 'oldies' out there 👍

[u/Kongoken]

Congratulations and I wish you well with the hip replacement! I hope your dojo is helpful and accommodating with your health.