Mar 18 • Lessons & Reflections
Living Strong: Strength Is My Next Practice
Over the last few weeks I’ve been reflecting on something about my own training.
Many of you know parts of my story.
I’ll be 65 years old this May.
I’ve had two hip replacements.
And today I’m grateful to say that my hips feel strong and stable again.
But life has a way of continuing to teach us lessons.
For me, that lesson right now is about strength.
Not the kind of strength we talk about in theory… but the kind we actually practice.
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My Role in Martial Arts Today
Some people assume that because I’m at the karate school almost every day, I’m still teaching classes.
For more than 20 years, I was the Head Instructor, teaching side-by-side with Master Donato at Dinoto’s Action Karate. Those years were an incredible chapter of my life—teaching thousands of students, working with families, and watching kids grow into confident young adults.
A couple of years ago, our school became part of the Action Karate organization. With that transition, I stepped out of the Head Instructor role and another instructor moved into that leadership position.
Today my primary role is Enrollment Director.
I meet with families and introduce martial arts to them—often for the very first time in their lives. I guide parents and their children through the process of getting started, and once they enroll, they step onto the mats with our instructors who lead the classes.
Interestingly enough, many people still assume I’m the Head Instructor.
And I understand why. For a long time, that was the role I held.
But life evolves, and so do we.
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Where I Train Now
These days, most of my personal training happens on the mats of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Typically once a week on Tuesdays I train two classes back-to-back:
• No-Gi
• Gi
Sometimes I’ll add another day depending on how my body is feeling.
Those days on the mats are important to me because they remind me of something I value deeply:
I’m still a student.
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The Challenge I’m Facing
Even though I stay active, I’ve had to face something honestly.
I haven’t been doing the kind of strength training that my body really needs.
And at this stage of life, that matters.
I live with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and I feel it. The swelling in my shoulders, my hands, and especially my feet reminds me that the body requires attention, patience, and intelligent training.
The goal is not to fight my body.
The goal is to support it.
I want to build strength that will help me:
• improve my jiu-jitsu
• support my joints
• reduce arthritis pain
• improve my overall structural health
Because if we strengthen the muscles around our joints, we can often reduce the load those joints have to carry.
That’s the direction I’m heading.
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What I Realized
Movement alone is not enough.
Walking is good.
Training jiu-jitsu is great.
Staying active is essential.
But after 60, we also need something else.
Muscle.
Muscle protects the joints.
Muscle protects the bones.
Muscle keeps us capable.
And the truth is, I haven’t been as consistent with that part of my training as I should be.
So instead of ignoring it, I decided to take action.
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My Next Practice: A 30-Day Strength Foundation
I created a simple bodyweight program to rebuild my strength foundation.
Nothing fancy.
Nothing extreme.
Just the basics.
Push-ups
Squats
Glute bridges
Core work
Mobility work
And because arthritis in my big toe joints makes lunges uncomfortable, I’ve adjusted the movements so they are joint-friendly.
This is not about punishing the body.
It’s about training with wisdom.
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Why I’m Sharing This
I’m sharing this with my Living Strong community, especially the men who are 40 years old and older.
Many of us reach a point where the body starts talking back.
The question becomes:
Do we slow down?
Or do we adapt and evolve?
For me, the answer is clear.
I want to keep improving.
I want to keep learning.
And I want to keep sharing the journey honestly—the challenges, the lessons, and the practices that help me move forward.
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The Living Strong Way
At this stage of life, strength training is no longer about ego.
It’s about longevity.
It’s about being able to keep doing the things that matter:
Training.
Serving the community.
Learning.
Creating.
And most importantly…
Continuing to grow.
So this next chapter of my training is simple.
Build strength.
Protect the joints.
Stay in the game.
Because as I often say…
You’re never too old, broken, bruised, or beat…
And it’s never too late to Live Strong.
— Peter
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Living Strong: Strength Is My Next Practice
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