KEY POINTS:
His shaven head glistening with sweat, Jeff springs from a lunge position and rams into my stomach.
I hit the ground with a "ka-thunk", and he drops onto my chest. We tussle. He cocks his right leg (the one with the scorpion tattoo on the calf) and stabs his knee into my ribs.
I let out an "oomph", and retaliate by clasping my hands behind his neck and squeezing down as hard as I can. We've been at it for nearly three minutes. Sweat seeps from every pore, soaking the mat. My heart is pounding, and I'm gasping for air. Jeff breaks free of the headlock. He jumps up, lunges again, crashing into me like a 100kg brick. We roll several metres, arms and legs flailing, each trying to tie the other in a knot. Just as I think I can't go another second, the bell rings. We take a one-minute break. Then start all over again.
I know darned well I'll have a hard time getting out of bed the next morning.
I'm not asking for pity. I do martial arts, which includes grappling, of my own free will. For whatever bizarre psychological reasons, I like it. So what if my regular opponent outweighs me by 10kg? I have 20 years on him. Fair is fair.
Sometimes though, seriously, I wonder just how hard a 50-year-old, father-of-two, sometimes financial planner, sometimes book author and magazine journalist, should be pushing himself. My inevitable injuries don't seem to be healing as fast as they once did - I have a shoulder that's hurt for two months now, ever since Jeff bent that arm into a pretzel. My breathing isn't what it once was. And when my dad was just a few years older than I am now, he had his first balloon angioplasty. Perhaps what I'm doing doesn't only look idiotic - maybe it really is idiotic.
Should I give up the martial arts and perhaps take up tennis? Shuffle board? B-I-N-G-O?
First, some research and be warned those of you born prior to 1965 or so.
"There are inevitable degenerative processes that occur after a certain age. That's why you don't see many professional athletes over 40; the body simply can't take the abuse," says Dr Gerald Varlotta, director of sports rehabilitation at the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases and the Rusk Institute in New York.
Those degenerative processes include (I'll keep this list short so older readers don't get too depressed).
* Muscles shrink and lose mass
* Joint tendons lose water, making them less flexible and more susceptible to stress
* The heart becomes less able to pump blood quickly
* Bones become less dense, more breakable
* Cartilage starts to break down, and knees, shoulders and elbows become more easily inflamed
"The good news is that much of this process can be delayed with regular exercise - although exercising in the wrong way can backfire," says Varlotta.
Uh-oh. So do I need to give up martial arts?
"It's okay to have a 25-year-old mind in a 50-year-old body, but we sometimes need to lower our expectations," Varlotta soothes.
Here are tips on smart exercise for those 40-plus:
Check your heart.
Visit your GP before embarking on any vigorous exercise programme _ especially if there's any family history of heart disease.
Don't jump the gun.
An hour a day of unaccustomed exercise will almost certainly result in some kind of problem. Start any new exercise programme gradually.
Plan to be consistent.
Getting into shape and staying in shape usually requires a commitment of three to four days a week, every week.
Put the glory days behind you.
If you were an extremely sportive 20-year-old, you might be better off forgetting about that six-minute mile as you may only get frustrated trying to relive your great athletic feats of yesteryear.
Shake it up!
It's especially important for older adults to cross-train.. If you do kick boxing or weight-training one day, do yoga or Pilates the next.
Seek gain without pain.
"No pain, no gain," is not a good mantra, says US fitness professional Joan Price. "It's not healthy for the older exerciser whose body is more prone to injury."
Slow and steady
The great majority of health benefits derived from exercise can be had with moderate, regular exercise.
Engage in the right sports.
Bad knees? Forget running. Bad elbows? Tennis is out. If you're still interested in competition sports, consider your body type.
Count to six.
If you experience any sharp pain while exercising, see a doctor. Even modest pain should be checked after six weeks.
Play with people your own age.
Just as you shouldn't compare what you can do at 55 to what you might have done at 25, it's discouraging if you surround yourself with athletic youngsters.
- Detours, HoS
