# The Geezer Phase of Being A Martial Artist

- Link: https://brianejohns.com/2022/03/23/blog-the-geezer-phase-of-being-a-martial-artist/
- Published: 2022-03-23T11:00:00-04:00
- Author: Brian Johns

Last Friday, I had back-to-back private lessons with a pair of brothers. As always,
I was active with them, pushing them hard and expanding their martial horizons. 
I had a lot of fun with them. However, the aftermath was brutal. My right hip became
quite inflamed and painful, reminding me that I’m entering the geezer phase of my
martial arts career!

![](https://i0.wp.com/brianejohns.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/IMG_0190.jpeg?resize
=480%2C640&ssl=1)

**One of the brothers I trained last Friday. Photo from last summer**.

It was easily one of the worst hip pain episodes to date. It took 48 hours of rest
and several anti-inflammatory pills before settling down on Sunday. I have to say
that the first 24 hours were pretty bad. I now know how pro football players feel
the day after a game! The pain was worse than anything that I’ve had, including 
[joint locks being inflicted on me](https://brianejohns.com/2012/04/04/blog-the-dance-of-pain/)!

Let’s backtrack a bit. I’ve been having right hip pain for a couple of years. Quite
likely, it was the result of too much kicking in my younger days. My doctor says
that I will need a hip replacement eventually. In the meantime, I’ve been taking
prescription anti-inflammatory medication to tamp down the pain. Unfortunately, 
over-the-counter medicines like Tylenol don’t do squat for my hip. I’ve done physiotherapy
at two different places and have helped only marginally. Furthermore, x-rays revealed
arthritis in that joint.

Despite the above, I have continued to teach private lessons. Mostly, I have not
dialled back my intensity during these sessions. The post-lesson pain level varies.
As a general rule, the more advanced the student is, the more intense the session
is. The more intense the session, the worse the post-session pain level is. It is
what it is!

That said, I can’t ignore the fact that I must adjust to the new reality of my martial
arts career. [The truth is that I ain’t no spring chicken anymore](https://brianejohns.com/2023/07/26/400-day-countdown-to-60/).
Instead, I will have to figure out how to work around the deteriorating hip until
after recovering from a hip replacement.

One of my Modern Arnis colleagues suggested I consider teaching from a seated position.
It is similar to what my friend Jason does in the video below. If the hip pain is
too severe, I may do that.

If you are not able to view this video, click [here](https://youtu.be/OgZCz-AKA3k).

Despite the joking nature of the blog title, I don’t view myself as a “geezer” at
this stage. Other than the right hip, I feel pretty good physically. However, I 
am mindful of the appearance of looking like one when I’m in severe pain, resulting
in a horrible limp. Thank god for medication that works.

## Setting aside the physical aspect, this situation has impacted me in one important way.

The hip pain is such that it rules out groundwork or kicking. I admit to jealousy
when I see folks rolling or kicking, neither of which I can do without considerable
pain. On the other hand, sticking to FMAs (pardon the pun) is the best option. However,
a private lesson with a fair bit of footwork and movement will have painful consequences.
But, as I said, it is what it is!

One of the side effects of staying with FMAs is forcing me to delve deeper into 
the art. Otherwise, I might have dabbled in other skills that might have distracted
me from Modern Arnis.

My workload is light in private lessons, primarily due to my clients’ schedules.
However, the pace will pick up dramatically starting the first week of April as 
several clients are due to resume training. As a result, I will have to start planning
my “load management.”

You might ask, “_What is load management?_” It is a term familiar to pro sports 
fans, especially NBA fans. It is the practice of monitoring a player’s physical 
activity to reduce injury risk and keep them in peak shape come playoff time. With
that said, I am not in a competitive endeavour. “_Load management_” is a fancy term
for rest and reasonably spacing my private lessons.

In short, I need to be wise in scheduling my private lessons to manage my pain issues.
Effective load management will lead to a deeper understanding of the art I am teaching.
I will be out of commission if I don’t care for myself. What good is that for myself
and my clients?

## Since I will turn 58 in September, I feel compelled to pass on as much of my 󠀁[knowledge base](https://brianejohns.com/2021/07/05/blog-knowledge-creation-the-internet-and-martial-arts/)󠁿 to my students.

The hip situation reminds us that we all have limited time on this little rock floating
in the universe. While I am interested in promoting students to black belt level,
I am far more motivated to pass along my knowledge. That, to me, is far more important
than rank. The pandemic has heightened my sense of responsibility to my students
and others wanting to learn from me.

## All that said, I can’t wait till I get the hip replaced and be pain-free whenever possible. At the same time, this pain is a gift to me. It serves as a reminder of what’s important.

## Additional Reading

 * [5 Essential Tips for a Successful Hip Replacement Recovery](https://brianejohns.com/2023/03/27/blog-5-essential-tips-for-a-successful-hip-replacement-recovery/)
 * [The Dance of Pain!](https://brianejohns.com/2012/04/04/blog-the-dance-of-pain/)
 * [Amazing Recovery…..So Far](https://brianejohns.com/2023/02/07/amazing-recovery-so-far/)
 * [Friday Recommendation #9](https://brianejohns.com/2021/05/21/blog-friday-recommendation-9/)
 * [A Look Back on 2023](https://brianejohns.com/2023/12/29/a-look-back-on-2023/)

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