Martial Arts in Seniority
In order to judge something, you must have something relevant to compare it to.
Why then, have I chosen to train Pentjak Silat for almost a year?
Well, because I have a need and a reason for it.
Table of Content
Turning 69 years old, and you need energy
A couple of weeks ago I turned 69 years old.
And a couple of years before I faced a choice, I had come to a watershed.
Either I could let it go downhill and live the lazy, happy days of life with high blood pressure, obesity and welfare diseases.
Or I could pull myself together and start working out and push the effects of old age ahead of me.
There is so much I need to have the energy to be able to do.
And I think life is too long to go around feeling bad and not being able to do what I want.
But I knew what I must go through in terms of training pain and sweat.
40 years ago, I was agile as a cat after 5.5 years of Kyokushinkai training.
But unfortunately, vigor and strength are a fresh commodity that slowly disappears.
I could, if I wanted that, start a beginner karate course again.
But to gain breadth and experience, I started with two semesters of Krav Maga training.
Very good training that I was very happy with.
But it led me on to new adventures.
Even though it had been 40 years since I quit karate, it had made a deep impression on me.
Self-respect, humility, and respect for others had stuck for good.
But Krav Magan had prepared me for something new.
Self-defense against evil forces that do not want you well.
And continuation followed…
Wisdom, Self-control and Merciless violence
When the path of life of an event crossed Jo Augustsson‘s, I felt that what he said was something I recognized.
It was recognition of Asian wisdom, discipline and ancient ancestry.
It connected both to the discipline of karate, technique and self-control, and Krav Magan’s awareness of merciless violence.
Before I took the step to enter Naga Kuning‘s training gym in Kungälv, I carefully found out what ethical standards the group rested on.
I didn’t want to hang out with, or start training with, people with sunky and violent values.
When the group’s members had passed my review by a wide margin, I took the plunge.
A secure person is a better person for those around them
Today I am in the middle of the process of getting rid of 40 years neglect which had resulted in “old man stiffness”, easy to feel dizzy and imbalance etc.
My ability to pick up a dropped item, or even worse, coping with a fall onto a patch of ice, etc. has been significantly improved.
And I live by a motto that says that a scared person is a cowardly person, and a cowardly person is a dangerous person.
Conversely, a secure person is a better person for those around them.
I feel good from Pentjak Silat.
But you don’t get anything for free in life, you have to offer.
But if you just keep going, what was difficult and painful can become fun, and even become habit-forming.
And one day, all the training days you put in can be what saves you from being abused and ruined for life.
And then what you put down cannot be valued in money or possessions.
And I have my own experiences of this very thing, I can relate to it. But we’ll talk about that another time…
Roger Gustafsson
NKI Student – Kungälv (Sweden)
