Too old

What the hell was I thinking?

I returned to karate last night after very spotty atendance for about three months and it just happened to be sparring/grappling night to help prepare some of the dojo members for an upcoming national-level ju-jitsu tournament. The dojo at which I train is a combined martial arts facility, incorporating karate, judo, ju-jitso, aikido and a little kung fu. So the entire two-hour session was devoted to tuning these guys and girls up for the weekend tourney.

It turns out most of the work was on grappling. Now I'm a big guy in fair shape, 6-5 and 220 pounds, but I'm more of the basketball/tennis/volleyball mold. I look like a claymation figure from a Tim Burton film. A grappler I am not. I also just turned 45 years old.

But since I'm big, I get paired with the big guys in class. The roster of who got to twist me into a pretzel last night included: current police officer, 34, 6-2 and 240 pounds; stunt man, 27, 6-0 and 240 pounds (looks like an NFL running back); and a high school wrestling coach, 37, 5-11 and 220 pounds. There were joints cracking and popping last night that I didn't even know I had.

And I'm feeling every one of those cracks and pops this morning. I have the feeling its going to get worse through the day...I hope it leaves me enough mobility to perform well in the play tonight.