When is the time to retire from the martial arts?
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I’m finally old enough to examine it with some objectivity. The issue, of course, is when one should retire in karate or other forms of budo. No serious martial artist “retires” in the sense that the person ceases to train, study and explore life by traveling along a martial way. Is there retirement from any martial art; or should it represent a lifelong path?
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There is a moment, however, if a budo teacher lives long enough, when he or she must contemplate retiring. Perhaps injuries are taking longer to heal, the aging process is beginning to catch up, thoughts of hanging up your belt and allowing a younger generation to take over enter your thoughts. Is it time to take a step back, to allow a new generation to take over the active teaching role?
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We all begin our training with selfish interests. We wanted to be stronger, more competent in meeting threats and adversity, perhaps become the next Bruce Lee. None of us joined a dojo because we wanted to preserve and refine the art, to pass it down. We didn’t think that far in the future.
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If you’re a younger practitioner, this subject may seem totally theoretical. It’s hard to imagine there will be a day when you must consider such things as retirement.
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In the case of a good teacher, he comes to care about others in the dojo and about the art itself. He’s another link in a long chain, stretching back to the art’s founder and to those generations of teachers who came after.
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A good teacher is aware that he’s forging links for the future. When the time comes, he must complete the forging — or at least be satisfied with his work. He must allow the next links to take their place in the chain. He’ll always be “Sensei” in the estimation of his students and thus always respected. He’ll have the grace, also, to take on the role of “go inkyo sama”.
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(Note: “go inkyo sama” – In old Japan, warriors, nobles and the wealthy often retired from their careers as well as from the hustle of the everyday world. They devoted themselves to the arts, to their hobbies or to their studies. Today in Japan, the term is still used. Business people and other professionals look forward to this period. You can see “go inkyo sama” all over that country: people gardening and pursuing other activities they never had time for as working adults.)
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I will probably always practice my karate. So, am I life-long practitioner? I think the answer is yes. I will always have a relationship with karate, it has been the driving force my entire life…… Teaching on the other hand? 
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With thanks to Dave Lowry & Black Belt Mag
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