HEMA has steadily been gaining in popularity over the years. It's being featured on a more regular basis on a variety of media, and so awareness of it as an organized activity is becoming more mainstream. This obviously means more and more folks are joining in, or at least considering joining; this also means there are plenty of people who are interested in getting involved but fear it is too late in their life to take on such a challenging activity.
If you find yourself stuck in this conundrum, I am here to tell you that it is not too late and you are not too old.
Full disclosure: This post isn't going to be terribly original. In fact, it's based upon a post from another blog about modern sports fencing on the same subject you can read here. However, since this is a perennial subject for anyone who takes up a new skill typically associated more with youth than maturity, and so it is one that is worth being repeated. Also, since I have many of my own personal reflections upon this subject I certainly thought it was worth discussing those as well.
I'm actually going to start with the point the original posting mentions last. Having fun and playing is something we can and should do at any age. We can, in fact, make the argument that as we get older and the burdens of life potentially become heavier we should actively engage in fun with more intensity.
It has been said by some that it is play and not work that gives life its meaning. Others have said that leisure is the very basis of our culture or any culture. This seems to fly in the face of our overly serious, intensely utilitarian modern mindset. After all, things are judged by how "useful" they are, and we are certainly judged by the way we choose to spend our free time based upon this utilitarian metric.
But if we really think about it, this mindset actually flips the truth because work can be viewed as a subordinate activity because it is only ever for a secondary gain. We go to work every day primarily because we need money to pay for the things we want in life. In other cultures or during other times people would work in fields because they need food to survive, or they work to make clothes to cover themselves. Whatever the work or in whatever time period, we work to get something else, not because the work is a value of itself.
But play, unlike work, is something we do for its own sake entirely. We don't play -- however you choose to define "play" here -- because we need to get something by playing. We do it simply for the joy and pleasure incumbent upon the play itself. If you spend your evening going to the movies, reading a book, playing your guitar, or sparring with your mates at your HEMA club, you are doing that entirely for the good that brings into your life. It is play, it is something that has inherent value and worth, and it is, therefore, a good worth pursuing.
So regardless of your age, injecting a little more fun into your life is certainly worthwhile. If you enjoy yourself doing the HEMA activity of your choice then it is time well spent. It doesn't matter one iota if you are ever particularly good, nor does it matter if you can keep up with your younger club mates, nor matter one bit if you win a single medal -- or even compete at all! The only thing that matters is that you enjoy it and you find it fun.
As one of the articles referred to above says, "Our lives are dominated by work...Our lives are spent, largely, doing one thing for the sake of something else, which is in turn done for something else...It might be that most of the things we do in life we do for the sake of something else. But there are still some things we do just to do them -- for their own sake and not for the sake of anything else. If the former category is work, then the latter category is play...In its pure form, play has no external purpose or reward. We play just to play."
So pick up a sword and have some fun regardless of your age!
One of the things I often hear when talking about HEMA to anyone over about age 30 who has never done it before is that they can't do it for fear of going against younger fighters and looking like a fool.
We really cannot argue that younger fighters tend to be faster, lighter on their feet, and typically with greater endurance. There is no doubt of this at all, and though an older fighter can potentially use cunning to balance the equation, that's not even the point here.
The point is, you're not competing against them (even at a tournament), you're competing against yourself.
This is a difficult concept for folks to wrap their heads around because we're in a highly competitive culture, and HEMA is inherently a competitive thing, so how are we not competing against the person trying to hit us with the sword? Because, we are always, ultimately, fighting against ourselves. Have we worked hard enough on this skill or that technique? Have we spent enough time in the gym to get into the right shape? Have we put in as much effort as our competitor has, or are we slacking? All of this in the internal struggle, the competing against ourselves, and not really fighting against the other person.
And this, of course, is from the perspective of someone who chooses to be actively competitive. You don't need to be competitive to still participate in HEMA. You can just as easily come to class, train hard, learn the best you can, but opt out of the tournaments. In a case like that you would even more literally not be competing against anyone, especially someone younger than you, but only competing against yourself. In that case, it becomes a matter of pushing yourself, harder and harder, to get better at these skills with neither care nor concern of how you might do in a formal competition.
Building off the last point, one of the things somewhat older folks give for not getting into HEMA is they don't feel like they're in good enough shape to compete. This may indeed often be true, but it again misses the point entirely. You don't have to compete if you don't want to.
There very often seems to be this implied facet of HEMA that, because there are regular competitions and because many people compete in them, then anyone doing HEMA needs to compete also. This is patently false. If you're older and you honestly recognize you're not going to be in competition shape -- or even just because you don't want to -- then you shouldn't feel compelled to do so. Instead, just enjoy the camaraderie with your clubmates and the joy in learning a new skill, and leave the tournaments to the folks who are eager to do so.
(This brings up a quick caveat: Be aware of clubs or schools that all but force you to compete. It's fine if a school has a strong competitive ethic, and they have a curriculum designed around preparing people to compete. It's even acceptable if the instructor shares the opinion that you are more skilled than you think you are and encourages you to compete if you want to, but it's a bad sign if the club leaders or membership try to compel you to compete. That's a sign of an instructor or a club more interested in competition glory than in teaching people properly and supporting their goals, and is a club you want to get away from as quickly as possible!)
This is personally one of the things I've come to simply accept. I wish I would have become involved in HEMA about ten to fifteen years earlier than I did so I could have competed more effectively. As it is I do compete on a somewhat limited basis, but I know I've missed my best potential competitive years. And yet, I compete anyway, because I want to! I'm not made to feel like I must, and I'm supported regardless of how many tournaments I miss in a year.
So, compete as much or as little as you wish to based upon your age and ability, but don't let that be a factor in not doing HEMA.
There is no doubt in my rather biased opinion that HEMA collects together some of the finest people out there.
As I've written about before, the HEMA community is personally very important to me, but I am not the only one to hold our people in such high regard. Those of us in HEMA have sometimes previously occupied fringe positions in the larger society, the one where we're always the slightly off one, the oddball, the stranger looking in...yet here, within our HEMA circle, we are made to feel welcome and accepted, surrounded by folks who have also been felt to be the outsiders.
We are typically a very accepting, welcoming group, and that is a gift to be cherished at any age. So, not only does a person open themselves up to the wonderful relationships that can develop from being part of a HEMA group, they also can find the acceptance that can sometimes be lacking when an older person wants to join in a physical activity.
Don't miss out on the chance to become part of what I personally consider to be the best group of people around. You won't regret getting to know HEMA folk better.
I can't say this any better than the original post does, so I'm just going to copy the whole thing:
"We know that in order to stave off mental decline, it’s essential that we keep our brains activated. In a world where we spend most of our time using just our hands and our eyes, fencing offers the chance to engage the whole body, which in turn engages the whole mind. Need more proof? How about this incredible study from the Journal of Neurophysiology that showed improved cortical elasticity after just five days of learning a new skill. You can make your brain healthier just by learning new physical skills! And the great thing about fencing is that the new skills can keep coming for years as you advance!"
Hope you've enjoyed this discussion about getting involved in HEMA at any age. If you're reading this there is already a very good chance you're involved in HEMA, but if you have friends who, despite their age, think they're "too old" or that it's "too late" to take up HEMA, please feel free to show it to them. I know they won't regret getting involved in HEMA!
Stay loose and train hard.
-- Scott
If you find yourself stuck in this conundrum, I am here to tell you that it is not too late and you are not too old.
Full disclosure: This post isn't going to be terribly original. In fact, it's based upon a post from another blog about modern sports fencing on the same subject you can read here. However, since this is a perennial subject for anyone who takes up a new skill typically associated more with youth than maturity, and so it is one that is worth being repeated. Also, since I have many of my own personal reflections upon this subject I certainly thought it was worth discussing those as well.
It's Fun!
I'm actually going to start with the point the original posting mentions last. Having fun and playing is something we can and should do at any age. We can, in fact, make the argument that as we get older and the burdens of life potentially become heavier we should actively engage in fun with more intensity.
It has been said by some that it is play and not work that gives life its meaning. Others have said that leisure is the very basis of our culture or any culture. This seems to fly in the face of our overly serious, intensely utilitarian modern mindset. After all, things are judged by how "useful" they are, and we are certainly judged by the way we choose to spend our free time based upon this utilitarian metric.
But if we really think about it, this mindset actually flips the truth because work can be viewed as a subordinate activity because it is only ever for a secondary gain. We go to work every day primarily because we need money to pay for the things we want in life. In other cultures or during other times people would work in fields because they need food to survive, or they work to make clothes to cover themselves. Whatever the work or in whatever time period, we work to get something else, not because the work is a value of itself.
But play, unlike work, is something we do for its own sake entirely. We don't play -- however you choose to define "play" here -- because we need to get something by playing. We do it simply for the joy and pleasure incumbent upon the play itself. If you spend your evening going to the movies, reading a book, playing your guitar, or sparring with your mates at your HEMA club, you are doing that entirely for the good that brings into your life. It is play, it is something that has inherent value and worth, and it is, therefore, a good worth pursuing.
So regardless of your age, injecting a little more fun into your life is certainly worthwhile. If you enjoy yourself doing the HEMA activity of your choice then it is time well spent. It doesn't matter one iota if you are ever particularly good, nor does it matter if you can keep up with your younger club mates, nor matter one bit if you win a single medal -- or even compete at all! The only thing that matters is that you enjoy it and you find it fun.
As one of the articles referred to above says, "Our lives are dominated by work...Our lives are spent, largely, doing one thing for the sake of something else, which is in turn done for something else...It might be that most of the things we do in life we do for the sake of something else. But there are still some things we do just to do them -- for their own sake and not for the sake of anything else. If the former category is work, then the latter category is play...In its pure form, play has no external purpose or reward. We play just to play."
So pick up a sword and have some fun regardless of your age!
You're Only Competing Against Yourself
One of the things I often hear when talking about HEMA to anyone over about age 30 who has never done it before is that they can't do it for fear of going against younger fighters and looking like a fool.
We really cannot argue that younger fighters tend to be faster, lighter on their feet, and typically with greater endurance. There is no doubt of this at all, and though an older fighter can potentially use cunning to balance the equation, that's not even the point here.
The point is, you're not competing against them (even at a tournament), you're competing against yourself.
This is a difficult concept for folks to wrap their heads around because we're in a highly competitive culture, and HEMA is inherently a competitive thing, so how are we not competing against the person trying to hit us with the sword? Because, we are always, ultimately, fighting against ourselves. Have we worked hard enough on this skill or that technique? Have we spent enough time in the gym to get into the right shape? Have we put in as much effort as our competitor has, or are we slacking? All of this in the internal struggle, the competing against ourselves, and not really fighting against the other person.
And this, of course, is from the perspective of someone who chooses to be actively competitive. You don't need to be competitive to still participate in HEMA. You can just as easily come to class, train hard, learn the best you can, but opt out of the tournaments. In a case like that you would even more literally not be competing against anyone, especially someone younger than you, but only competing against yourself. In that case, it becomes a matter of pushing yourself, harder and harder, to get better at these skills with neither care nor concern of how you might do in a formal competition.
You Don't Have To Go To Tournaments
Building off the last point, one of the things somewhat older folks give for not getting into HEMA is they don't feel like they're in good enough shape to compete. This may indeed often be true, but it again misses the point entirely. You don't have to compete if you don't want to.
There very often seems to be this implied facet of HEMA that, because there are regular competitions and because many people compete in them, then anyone doing HEMA needs to compete also. This is patently false. If you're older and you honestly recognize you're not going to be in competition shape -- or even just because you don't want to -- then you shouldn't feel compelled to do so. Instead, just enjoy the camaraderie with your clubmates and the joy in learning a new skill, and leave the tournaments to the folks who are eager to do so.
(This brings up a quick caveat: Be aware of clubs or schools that all but force you to compete. It's fine if a school has a strong competitive ethic, and they have a curriculum designed around preparing people to compete. It's even acceptable if the instructor shares the opinion that you are more skilled than you think you are and encourages you to compete if you want to, but it's a bad sign if the club leaders or membership try to compel you to compete. That's a sign of an instructor or a club more interested in competition glory than in teaching people properly and supporting their goals, and is a club you want to get away from as quickly as possible!)
This is personally one of the things I've come to simply accept. I wish I would have become involved in HEMA about ten to fifteen years earlier than I did so I could have competed more effectively. As it is I do compete on a somewhat limited basis, but I know I've missed my best potential competitive years. And yet, I compete anyway, because I want to! I'm not made to feel like I must, and I'm supported regardless of how many tournaments I miss in a year.
So, compete as much or as little as you wish to based upon your age and ability, but don't let that be a factor in not doing HEMA.
You Meet The Best People
There is no doubt in my rather biased opinion that HEMA collects together some of the finest people out there.
As I've written about before, the HEMA community is personally very important to me, but I am not the only one to hold our people in such high regard. Those of us in HEMA have sometimes previously occupied fringe positions in the larger society, the one where we're always the slightly off one, the oddball, the stranger looking in...yet here, within our HEMA circle, we are made to feel welcome and accepted, surrounded by folks who have also been felt to be the outsiders.
We are typically a very accepting, welcoming group, and that is a gift to be cherished at any age. So, not only does a person open themselves up to the wonderful relationships that can develop from being part of a HEMA group, they also can find the acceptance that can sometimes be lacking when an older person wants to join in a physical activity.
Don't miss out on the chance to become part of what I personally consider to be the best group of people around. You won't regret getting to know HEMA folk better.
Improve Brain Health
I can't say this any better than the original post does, so I'm just going to copy the whole thing:
"We know that in order to stave off mental decline, it’s essential that we keep our brains activated. In a world where we spend most of our time using just our hands and our eyes, fencing offers the chance to engage the whole body, which in turn engages the whole mind. Need more proof? How about this incredible study from the Journal of Neurophysiology that showed improved cortical elasticity after just five days of learning a new skill. You can make your brain healthier just by learning new physical skills! And the great thing about fencing is that the new skills can keep coming for years as you advance!"
⚔
Hope you've enjoyed this discussion about getting involved in HEMA at any age. If you're reading this there is already a very good chance you're involved in HEMA, but if you have friends who, despite their age, think they're "too old" or that it's "too late" to take up HEMA, please feel free to show it to them. I know they won't regret getting involved in HEMA!
Stay loose and train hard.
-- Scott
Greetings Scot ! greate article! i'm from Argentina and i have a study group that i'm trying to grow, would you let me translate to spanish your article and publish it on my facebook and instagram pages? i will give due credit and links redirecting people to your blog, thanks in advance .
ReplyDeleteSi, con mucho gusto!
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