Staying healthy

I suppose you can teach a middle-aged dog new tricks because I have learned a few things from being a taekwondo athlete at my age besides keeping tight fists while sparring. In a sport that has a large number of flexible young people in it, I am keenly aware that I am not as young nor as flexible. So, I need more stretching in my life to maintain or increase my flexibility. Stretching at night while watching TV or even reading helps unwind any kinks I may have acquired in taekwondo class, increases my overall flexibility, and it relaxes my body and mind before bed.

Core strength, I have found, is very important for me to stay active and healthy in taekwondo, especially considering my desk-based job. I have a standing desk, and I do daily exercises to keep my back limber, but I’ve found nothing better than good ole fashioned core strength to help stave off back and spine issues. Planks, mountain climbers, pushups, and regular workouts that include other core balancing exercises not only make my kicks faster and more powerful, but also help me avoid injuries.

A good diet high in vegetables and low in sugars and preservatives keeps my older body fueled and stocked with plenty of energy for those multi-class days. Maybe in my teens or thirties, I could eat fast food and go exercise like a beast. My amazing wife is largely in charge of the food at the house, and she keeps me and the kids loaded with healthy calories and good proteins to keep us going through the hardest of sparring classes. I cannot thank her enough for her constant comestible vigilance and duty to keeping her family healthy and happy.