When I re-launched my martial arts training at age 50, it was a result of deep thought. My search for a fitness regimen to control weight and help improve agility and mobility led to Aikido at a local Newmarket club.

First, a short history.

Some 38 plus years ago (1971), I had a major car accident that fractured discs in my neck and vertebraes in my back. I was off work for a total of six months.

This started off a chain reaction of severe back and neck pains for the next three decades.

It was very easy to set off a flare up in my lower back and I paid for it with pain and frequent and regular visits to chiropractors and physiotherapists. I listened very carefully to their instructions and started an active pain management program to relieve the pressure on the lower back vertebraes (especially L4 & L5). I also started using my upper body and leg muscles (with a straight back) to lift almost any objects.

Over the years this worked out well, but as you can guess, I didn’t get much exercise. My weight climbed over the years. On two occasions, I went on a major diet and lost a lot of weight, but it always came back.

The wake up call came during a snow flurry. As I waited out the whiteout conditions at a truck stop, I read an article on Type 2 diabetes that shook me up. As an IT consultant, I had the same type of lifestyle as a trucker: sedentary (sitting most of the time), poor eating habits … it all leads to Type 2 diabetes with no known cure.

I decided to do something about it. I did a lot of research on spas, gyms. I ruled those out fairly quickly though. I had tried gyms many years ago and found the programs did not suit me. I had never really exercised in the past – joining a gym meant that I had an initial consultation with a “personal coach” who designed a program for me, and then I was on my own to implement this. That really was not for me. What I really wanted was something like my pre-accident kempo karate training. I enjoyed that because it was a class environment led and monitored by an expert, a sensei, at every step. Any assistance or corrections were fairly instant.

Over the past several years, I have enjoyed training primarily in Aikido and Daitoryu Aiki JuJutsu. I have also trained in Jiu Jitsu and Kempo Karate. I found Jiu Jitsu and Kempo Karate to be “hard” martial arts involving kicks, and strikes (plus a slant towards MMA style fighting). Aikido and Daitoryu Aiki JuJutsu are “soft” martial arts involving joint locks, blending and unbalancing the opponent, and pressure point manipulation. Daitoryu Aiki JuJutsu also involves some “hard” aspects, however, they are not the primary portion of the technique or defense. Both Aikido and Daitoryu Aiki JuJutsu are both non-competitive.

Whatever your age or health, you owe it to yourself to get involved in a regular fitness regimen. If you are able to motivate yourself to achieve this at a regular spa or gym, great. If you prefer a class environment or wish to participate in a group setting, consider martial arts.

In addition to fitness and agility, there are many other benefits to a martial arts program. The benefits include: increasing calmness, enhanced breathing and lung capacity, improved stamina, and the self confidence of being able to defend yourself.

The clubs that I highly recommend are:

Aikido:

Hokuryukai Aikido, located on the north side of Finch between Keele and Dufferin in Toronto. Jim Barnes Sensei and Yumi Nakamura are superb instructors.

JCCC Aikikai, located west of Hwy. 404, Wynford St. exit, on Garamond Court in Toronto.

Daitoryu Aiki JuJutsu:

Daitoryu Aiki JuJutsu, located at the Legends Centre on north Harmony Road in Oshawa. Norm Harrison Sensei is a great and knowledgeable instructor.

Jiu Jutsu and Kempo Karate:

San Do Jutsu Karate, located Main Street in Tottenham. Joe Hamilton Sensei is a wonderful instructor, himself a former competitor and keen coach in MMA style competitions. Joe Hamilton also owns CANFIGHT.com, a supplier of competitive martial arts equipment and martial arts clothing.

My current status:

I am currently semi-retired from training. Unfortunately, I had a recent incident where a strong partner threw me upwards instead of downwards and I ended up falling flat on my back. The pain is in the same location as my original back problems. Rather than risk long-term problems, I am following medical advice and stopping training in Daitoryu Aiki JuJutsu (hopefully I will be able to return). There are no similar risky throws in Aikido, so I plan on returning to Aikido training in Feb. 2010.

Ranks:

1. Daitoryu Aiki JuJutsu, January 16 2010, Shodan.
2. Aikido, September 28 2009, Ikkyu.
3. Jiujutsu & Kempo Karate, August 26 2007, ShiChiKyu (yellow belt).
4. Jiujutsu & Kempo Karate, 1971, Sankyu (blue belt).