Mleake has given the best point in the whole thread, IMO. Difference is what it takes to heal as you're growing older.
At 37, I'm already realizing that when I get any kind of injury, it already takes longer to heal. I need to stretch and warm-up more when I workout. Before, it was just a matter of stretching a bit, warming up joints, etc... No longer like that.
But, keeping to the thread's thing. I don't think, in any way, that after 40 you're already an "old fart". It's just about in what shape you keep yourself. I have fellas at work who are well over forty. Go and try to wrestle them, and you'll find out.
I myself find that, at my age, I'm wiser to avoid trouble than I used to, but whenever confrontations are unavoidable, it would be fair to say that I'm more effective at applying force than I used to be. Experience is the difference. And this comes from a street cop who is no big guy (5 ft 9", athletic built, 190 lbs) but has seen some different situations involving differently built people. My experience is, NEVER think an adversary as an "easy" one. You can always be taken by surprise by that one you thought you could handle easily. I've found myself rolling on the floor with guys heavier than me whom I've eventually managed to handle and handcuff (though taking bruises) and had a hard time with others who were lighter, but moved quickly and viciously, and have taken bruises too. Never give anything for granted.
At 37, I'm already realizing that when I get any kind of injury, it already takes longer to heal. I need to stretch and warm-up more when I workout. Before, it was just a matter of stretching a bit, warming up joints, etc... No longer like that.
But, keeping to the thread's thing. I don't think, in any way, that after 40 you're already an "old fart". It's just about in what shape you keep yourself. I have fellas at work who are well over forty. Go and try to wrestle them, and you'll find out.
I myself find that, at my age, I'm wiser to avoid trouble than I used to, but whenever confrontations are unavoidable, it would be fair to say that I'm more effective at applying force than I used to be. Experience is the difference. And this comes from a street cop who is no big guy (5 ft 9", athletic built, 190 lbs) but has seen some different situations involving differently built people. My experience is, NEVER think an adversary as an "easy" one. You can always be taken by surprise by that one you thought you could handle easily. I've found myself rolling on the floor with guys heavier than me whom I've eventually managed to handle and handcuff (though taking bruises) and had a hard time with others who were lighter, but moved quickly and viciously, and have taken bruises too. Never give anything for granted.
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