I Started Practicing Martial Arts at Age 65—and Won Seven Medals at 72

Why did I start at such a late age? When I moved to Fayetteville, N.C. in 2012 at the age of 65, I looked for a gym where I could do some weight training, like I had been doing in Miami. I couldn’t find a good gym that was conveniently located, but I did see a sign for ATA Black Belt Academy in a shopping center. I stopped in, interviewed, and they gave me a month of free lessons. At the end of 30 days I had to decide whether to continue. The exercise was helping me get in better shape, so I joined. In other words, I wanted to