When you get old...

[Dash Iros]

is there a way to keep your skills sharp even when you age a lot? I heard that Kung Fu masters can live longer and better without loosing their abilities trhow meditation and energy management? Anyone knows a good book about it ?

[IronFist]

Weight training will help prevent muscle loss, especially as you get older. You'll also be stronger with denser bones than if you didn't lift, which I assume may help prevent injuries. ie. typical old man falls and breaks his hip. You fall and laugh about it and then get back up and finish walking over to your squat rack and lift some heavy weights :D

I know that's not really what you asked, but it was kind of related. Welcome to the forums.

[bung bo]

Weight training will definately make your bones dense, and that rocks. Also, when you're stronger, you will be able to expend less effort on physical tasks.

Iron mentioned old people falling and breaking hips. The fall is a result of loss of equilibrium and the weakness of the body to correct in mid-fall. These happen to people when they get old. Since you practice MA, you have a good sense of your equilibrium, and as you get better so will your equilibrium. This a MAJOR reason old people who practice taiji don't fall. (The slowness helps, try it) I once saw two x-rays side-by-side of the hip joints of two 80-year-old males. One was a taiji master and the other was some dude. The dude's joint was really fragile looking while the taiji master's was dense and healthy. I read this in a book by Dr. Wang Zee. He practices Wu style taiji.

Check out the book "Qigong empowerment" by Shou-yu Liang. Also read a lot on the subject from varios authors and you will gain a lot of knowledge.

[Dash Iros]

thanks a lot!

[Serpent]

And don't forget the chi kung or similar. You need the soft side too - it's essential for the longevity of all things physical and martial related as far as I'm concerned.

;)