If you’re over fifty and still training — or thinking about starting — you’re not alone.
Iron Past Fifty is about strength, skill, and longevity in martial arts and physical training after midlife. It’s for people who refuse to accept the idea that aging means becoming fragile or inactive.
This site explores what it really means to keep training — physically and mentally — after fifty.
My Path Into Martial Arts
My awareness of martial arts began in the early 1960s, long before martial arts schools were common in the United States. Like many kids of that era, my first exposure came through television, magazines, and the cultural curiosity surrounding martial arts.
But curiosity alone doesn’t create skill.
My actual martial arts training began in 1973 and has continued through decades of practice, injury, recovery, and continued learning. The journey has included traditional martial arts, combat sports, conditioning, and the constant challenge of adapting training as the body changes with age.
What You’ll Find Here
Iron Past Fifty explores several themes:
• Martial arts training after fifty
• Strength and conditioning for longevity
• Injury management and recovery
• The history and evolution of martial arts in America
• Personal reflections from decades of training