Training over 40

[hamzatu]

I train and teach about 5 hours a day in MMA and I have learned that the key to remaining relatively injury free over 40 is be religious about stretching. I include stretching in all of our pre-class warm up's. About one hour of stretching daily.

[Keith Steinacher]

ALL Are welcome to post any useful info regardless of age. I primarily used the "40 year old" naming as I know that myself, Eddie, some of my training partners and others in our community are either 40 an over, or closing in.
Coach Herzog, you are an honorary chairman of this group due to your synthetic parts.
And in full disclosure, although I have not endeavored to keep it secret, but I haven't really broadcasted it; I have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. So my reasons are somewhat selfish in dealing with this condition. I have used glucosomine in the past, but it doesn't really do anything for me personally, as the big issue is the constant and often severe pain associated with the condition.
I'll post more in the group soon, but what helps me most is stretching/yoga, and my kettlebell routines. However, if I have a REALLY bad day/flare up, I literally can't move out of bed. Not a sob story, just a fact. The last few days have been relatively good ones, so I'm feeling pretty decent today.
Let's keep sharing the info !!

John,

I've heard that chicken cartilage is good for joint healing and lubrication. If you can stomach it, just eat it off the bones whenever you eat some chicken. Hope this helps.

KGS

[John Roderick]

Nibiru Brethren: WOW! I really didn't expect this thread/group to gain this much input this fast! You guys want to know the most ironic thing? I've NEVER had a serious injury. Never. Worst things that have ever happened have been some serious bruises from Muay Thai, but I've never done much more than that-no broken bones, no broken back, not even a broken finger. I've gotten dinged, but always done the "wounded animal" thing and kept training regardless. My Doc actually said my activity and fitness level are probably the only things that have kept it from getting bad more quickly. The irony is my personal pain threshold is high and and often over do it.
There is hope as you get older, you just have to be more intelligent and rest and recuperate properly, as well as adhere to warming up.
Neale, next time you, Kevin, and I roll, I am taking a mandatory 30 minutes to warm up and taking an Oxycodone beforehand!

[FRANK BARCA]

HI Guys,
I will be turning 40 in December and I assure you all here, that I certainly do not feel it.
I train hard twice daily and feel all the lumps and bumps the 20 year olds do. I take glucosamine/condroitin L prolene, fish oil, spiralina, wheat grass and Barley grass as well as Acai berry extract and vitamin C. Ice is my best friend!
I x train very hard regularly using the Tabata training protocol and run long and easy runs regularly to help build capillarization in my legs so I can keep my machine rolling an hour each night on the mat. Conditioning is everything to me and it shows, but take it nice and slow at first and build on your efforts. Never listen to anyone that is not fit or isn't where you want to be. They feel much better about themselves if you are just like them. I stretch all the god damn time where possible but not to harm myself. If I am pushing limits with flexibility, then I leave it for when I have time to warm up well and get piping hot before I try for new gains. My diet is pretty good only eating whole foods as much s possible keeping processed food to a minimum. Eating raw is also helpful as possible and use Protein shakes once per day max. I try to sleep at least 7-8 hours per day and regularly work on my mental aspects of the game as much as possible. I try to stay as happy as possible and worry about things as least as I can. I feel this is key for me. I spend time with positive people and if that means calling my LA family regularly just to feel more alive at times when life starts to bite, then it's money well spent. I too have had my fair share of haters and still do, they fuel my fire and keep me motivated to push on through the difficult and challenging times.
I approach training with confidence and never consider my age at all, some mornings I really feel 189 yrs old, but so do the 19yr olds who try to keep up with me. I warm up really well before I train and listen carefully to my body. Pain is a great teacher, so be receptive and leave your ego down the block. No one gives a fuck when you are busted out of stupidity and ego.
I use a chiropractor every week since I was introduced to doctor Peter Goldman in 2007 and have never looked back since. He changed my life....literally! And if he is ever at legends or in your area I would go get adjusted at all costs. Talk to guys like Conor and Eddie as well and hear what they have to say about him. Conor Heun is my mentor when it comes to my diet and supplement information as he is a genius with his nutrition and vitamin regime. I also see Doctor Joe at LEgends medical when I am in LA to make sure I am on the right track, and I also take notice of what Eddie is doing too and how he approaches his own training practices. I know I have maybe digressed here, but you are all my brothers and sisters. And the 10th Planet family is everything to me, and I will always be more than happy to assist where I can, because there is no other group I would rather be involved with than you all. If there is more you guys want to know, I would be honoured to be of assistance
A really wise guy gave me some great advice once, you gotta keep pushing. Out rep, out number, out drill and out spar every one every day. Being older is no burden unless you let it. Surrounding yourself with the right people who can get the best out of you and who can support you is important too. Giving is getting....so give em hell

[Ron Almeida]

i am over forty and everything hurts all the time, i have just learned to live with it... i like having something me and my son can do together, so i will endure the pain for our father son time... and it also keeps me from getting fat

[Matt Wallace]

Great part above about age not being a burden unless u let it.

Whomever mentioned hamstrings is very on point. Another similarly missed item is water intake. The older I get, the more I can tell from day to day how badly my flexibility takes a hit if I'm lazy with taking in water. The spine is the most critical/telling there. Try stretching one day like normal & the next day after you double your H2O intake- ridiculous gains in many positions. Eddie's emphasis on lower back care has changed how I look at my routine and maintenance.

Thanks for this thread. Fantastic info.

[Lucas Walker]

Great information so far. Not to derail anything, but for those of us not 40 yet, are there any mistakes any of you all made in your younger training days that you wish now you could take back? Anything we should avoid? Any better habits that you picked up later in life when you needed them but wished you'd been doing all along?

[herb rhea]

well I'm 37 and just started jiu jitsu i have trained lots of other martial arts got my Shodan in Shotokan under James Tawatao who got his from Shihan Ozawa a founding member of the Kobe branch of the JKA, I've been taking alpha flex for all my joint aches and pains not sure its worth it..... doctors tell me i have Psoriatic Arthritis, but determined to not let anything stop me from rolling..... bout the only thing that makes my feel good is shots of Tramadol only had it twice but both times i had no aches or pains at all!!

[Ron Almeida]

lucas, yeh, dont get a construction job and dont let people pop your arms... when i get injuries i have a hard time heeling because i have a physical job, so my job aggravates my injuries and it becomes a vicious circle...

[Brian Beaumont AKA Thor]

Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill. Also, "If I'd known I was going to live so long I'd have taken better care of my self " I'm 47 this year and the hardest thing for me to teach a 20 year old is to take care of yourself now. I know your bullet proof but... When I teach my warmups and stretches are easliy twice that of anyone else at our gym. This is a life long project, don't shortcut yourself out of the game early. I wish someone had told me then what I'm trying to teach them now. Keep this thread going because it's encouraging to those of us not in our 20s and still believe in the dream. Fight on my brothers and sisters and heed the warnings of those of us held together with scar tissue and duct tape Hey someone tell Ralf Warneking. (terminator) to tune in here and give us his thoughts. He's one way crazy intense dude.