Let's Go? Let's Go! Parenting and the martial arts

I was thinking through my reasons for why I want to create a website for martial arts parent and older athletes. Here are my initial thoughts.

These days, two of my favorite pastimes are writing and Taekwondo. Writing has been a necessary skill through many phases of my life that I, thankfully, have enjoyed. However, while my kids have been practicing Taekwondo for many years now, I only recently decided to try it myself. My initial motivation was primarily to spend more time with my oldest daughter, who was graduating from high school.

The shock of being older…

I have prioritized healthy living and being fit most of my life; however, I’m embarrassed to admit that around the time I hit 40 I decided that maybe it wasn’t as important anymore. An ache here—a pain there told me that this thing called “old age” had found me and I may as well accept it gracefully. Despite that, I was still shocked at how much more difficult it was for me, at 47-years-old, to attempt the kicks and spins and punches that define Taekwondo than it was when I was younger. My choice to be “underactive” had caught up with me.

Not long after starting Taekwondo, I aggravated an old knee injury, and it took MONTHS to recover. This was a wake-up call for me. Gone were the days where I could just “rest” for a week and then be fine. My body was having none of it. So, I promised myself that if my knee healed, I would take this aging thing more seriously. I lost 30 pounds. I started doing strength exercises that were designed for function rather than just vanity. Then my daughter received her black belt, and I knew I wanted a black belt too.

So, I started writing…

Surprised as I was about how much I would love Taekwondo, I decided to write about it to hopefully encourage other “older” athletes to know that they can do it as well. My goal is to compete nationally this year in the “ultra” division as a 50-year-old crazy woman. I want to share the journey and learn from other older athletes who are still “kicking.”

Being a martial arts parent

Taekwondo is important for me as an athlete, but it has also played a very important role in the way my husband and I have raised our children. Being a martial arts parent has its own rewards and challenges. I have witnessed numerous events, both in my own children and in other kids on the mat, that I think are worth sharing. It is my goal to share what I’ve learned and, hopefully, hear from others who would like to share as well.

What I call my inner grrrrr…

Lately, I’ve become aware of an interesting benefit of my decision to compete. As comical as it sounds, I have been enjoying a re-awakening of what I like to call my inner “Grrrrr.” It’s that “bring it on” mentality. Try me. Go ahead. I dare you. My inner warrior, who has been slumbering, is shaking off the cobwebs and reminding me to stand tall and maybe even defy the world. Looking back, I believe I had a lot of that “inner warrior” when I was young. I see it in my daughter. Necessarily, the trials of life have refined those instincts—made me softer and less confrontational overall. Still, I’m enjoying my “Grrrrr” again. So now, as our coach is fond of saying, Let’s Go!