Muay Thai after 25?

[Aimhigher38]

I just started MT about a month ago and im 29...and i think within 1 month I feel more in shape that my early or mid 20's. MT training is quite intense and I never sweat as much doing any other sport than MT... As for fighting or sparring..i havent done enough of that to comment on those topics...

[Khun Kao]

Others have already made the point I was going to contribute...

In this day and age, more and more athletes are able to extend their careers beyond what was originally considered "retirement age" due to more scientific diet and training methods. As mentioned, athletes such as Michael Jordan, Ernesto Hoost, George Forman, Randy Couture, & Darrell Green (just to name a few) are able to not only compete, but outperform their younger counterparts due to smarter training.

As an example, I was a Muay Thai fighter in my early 20's (1993-1994) and won a title. After 10 years of not fighting, I have just recently laced the gloves back up and got back in the ring, and managed to win another title.

When I originally was training to fight in the 90's, the philosophy I was applied to training was "more is better!". If I was having problems, I simply had to train longer and harder. If I hurt myself, I was able to just train though it. More was better!

However, I'm going to turn 35 later this year. I simply CANNOT train the way I used to anymore. My body simply cannot handle it anymore. I'm now having to take a much smarter (scientific?) approach to my training. I alternate the focus of my training from day to day to prevent stress or overtraining. Quality over Quantity.

[grubbogoppoly]

One of our teachers, the head man is 55 years old, he has no phyisical problems apart from a little flab hanging round his gut, he is in good condition and can still kick and knee with better technique than some of the students. Master Sken is also touching 50 and would make some 20 year olds look like beginners, Ernesto hoost is 41 and fights at professional and top level competition. I have met many, 100's literally, of retired Thaiboxers, all but a very few have no problems but the odd scar round the face.

Muay Thai isnt what destroys your body its fighting that does that. 25 years old is a mean age to start competition fighting. 25 to 30 is when you are at a kind of peak of strength, some say its below 25,like 20 - 25, some say that 25 to 30 is a great age to start fighting. Its all about how you feel and how your body feels.

Danger? of course, just as dangerous as playing football or mountain biking. Damaging for the knees? if you take any sport up in a competitive manner you are going to be pushing yourself to the limits so its normal to carry injuries, by the way as you get older your body heels the same speed as when you younger, it never changes. Your Vo2 level drops by a mere 1% every year after the age of 25 and this can be slowed down by keeping fit.

Umm, what does vo2 max have to do with the healing of the body?