Getting old

[batskeets]

So the date for Berzerkely is set for 5/1 this year. That's five days after my 30th birthday. OH BOY I'M OLD HOORAY

Wushu has definitely been more of a downer, in recent months. Ever since the knee problems started, really. My knee is marginally better--at least I am able to run once or twice a week now--but it's not *great*. My hip flexors feel tighter than a pair of size 0 skinny jeans, no matter how much I stretch. My ankles pop and the arches of my feet ache. My stance transitions are borked, because the hip joint mobility required to do them WELL? Aggravates my knee. Of COURSE.

And don't even get me started on my hops, or rather, my complete and utter lack of them. You might not think that gaining back 10 of the 20 lbs I lost last year would make that big a difference, but it DOES. My lotus kick 450s are back down to 360s, and the hope of hitting 540 is fading.

Am I seriously getting too old for this? Is it just because I gained some weight back? Is it the fact that other parts of my life aren't going well, either? I'm not sure of any of it. All's I know is, I feel like this battle may be turning into a losing one.

I don't even care about the stupid tournament anymore. I don't care about winning, or even competing. I may not even be in any shape to do so, judging from how my body is holding up.

I just want wushu to be FUN again. And it's hard to get past the aches and pains, and re-find that place where it feels good to simply be doing it.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_dilate_/]

Could you mix it up and do some other sort of similar activity for a while? No matter how much I enjoy something, pole for example, I get burnt out after a while and it starts feeling futile.

[skeets.livejournal.com]

I've never really had the futility problem with wushu. The worst was a few years ago, when I really disappointed myself at tournament and quit going to practice... but even then, I missed it too much and was back after only one week.

I've been trying to mix it up some by doing the running and other stuff, but it's definitely not the same. I still don't really *like* running that much--partly because I suck at it--and I'll probably never love it the way I love wushu.

I did try to get into a tap class, but the place is apparently not having it yet, even though it's listed on their website. ::eyeroll:: I should try more classes, though, it's just a matter of finding some that actually work with my schedule.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_dilate_/]

Yeah I'm having that same struggle.. I'd like to take a class or start swimming more regularly but I have the dog and house to take care of. Adam beat me to it and now he's always gone at the gym or work so if I'm not home the dog would just be alone all the time. It's hard to work anything else into my schedule that isn't at Watson's expense.

[madeofmeat.livejournal.com]

Short-term notwithstanding, I can't help but think back to one day when I worked in the computer service department at Fry's. A 50ish couple came in to get something done to their machine. They had more joint wraps and athletic stabilizers on than I've ever seen--a wrist, an elbow, a knee, etc. But they were also the happiest folks I'd ever seen come through the line. They ran a martial arts studio together. They were beat up, sure, but they loved it and had no plans of stopping.

So I suppose that you're only too old for it if you stop enjoying it.

I'm too old for prose writing. I'm too old for backpacking. Other stuff, I know I'll never outgrow.

[skeets.livejournal.com]

So I suppose that you're only too old for it if you stop enjoying it.

Yeah, that's pretty accurate. :)

[cmsunflash.livejournal.com]

Don't give up! I know I love it too much to quit and I know you're the same. :) I'm going to try and shoot for competing at CMAT but yeah, like you said...it's more about really enjoying it more than anything, right?

[skeets.livejournal.com]

Yeh, you're right about that. It's just been particularly hard to push through all the aches and pains over the past few months, and that's been taking a good bit of the fun out of it. :/ I just hope it'll pass before too much longer.

(and really, even if all my joints were borked, I still wouldn't *quit*... I'd just switch to Taiji, hahaha)