As we age, we lose strength, vitality, and muscle mass. This is one of the many reasons why a consistent exercise routine for over 55-year-olds is recommended by doctors. Not only does regular exercise keep muscles in use and bone density higher, it also promotes healing and releases endorphins to keep us in a more positive and stable mood.
Another issue as we age, is the increase likelihood of being physically assaulted. Often people who are looking for weaker people to take advantage of, will target the elderly due to their inability to fight back. “We’ve seen an increase in assaults on the elderly over the last 6 months” said one criminal defense lawyer, “as the economy worsens it seems like more and more people are turning towards crime to make ends meet.”
Elderly Assaults Gone Viral
We’ve all seen the videos on YouTube of elderly men who are picked on or bullied for whatever reason, with the assailants not knowing of their targets’ history as a trained fighter. These videos usually end with the criminal attackers being brought to justice in a very harsh and sometimes humorous way. Lesson learned.
However, we can’t all be fortunate enough to have spent year and years training in a fitness gym or at some sort of fighting school in preparation for a potential assault or robbery in our old age. What we can do however, is keep our minds sharp and our bodies strong, so that if something unfortunate does happen, we are able to thwart the attempted assault.
Due to both of the above issues, self-defense training is often a good habit for aging people to get into. Not only does it keep them active, strong, and healthy, but it also keeps their mind sharp and teaches them about potential dangers and how to spot a potentially dangerous situation.
Avoiding Difficult Situations
Hand to hand combat is not something most people want to have anything to do with, so if we can learn how to predict such situations, it is more likely we can avoid them. Self-defense training not only keeps the body strong, but also the mind. It’s great for seniors to keep in shape, keep their minds sharp and also helps them stay social and make a new circle of friends, which is also important for people as they age and have less and less people around them to support them and keep them company.
There are many different types of self-defense training, from the very aggressive such as Krav Maga and Muay Thai, to the calmer and more peaceful Kung Fu and Aikido. All of these offer benefits for the elderly, and all of them are a great way for you or the seniors you care about to stay in shape and keep a healthy body and mind regardless of age.
Learning New Skills
If you or someone you care about is getting on in age, joining a local martial arts/self-defense class is an option worth exploring. Better to learn how to protect oneself and not need to use those skills, then to become a victim and regret not learning later on.
Senior Outlook Today is your go-to source for information, inspiration, and connection as you navigate the later years of life. Our team of experts and writers is dedicated to providing relevant and engaging content for seniors, covering topics such as health and wellness, finances, technology and travel.
