My name is Frank Hofer, and I am a retired software engineer. I spent the first dozen years of my career operating scientific satellites then moved on to more software-oriented jobs; at first writing software tools then later testing flight software for a number of different satellites.
On the personal side I have several dogs and cats, I’m a pretty good cook, and I’ve written a fantasy novel with my brother.
Some of you may have noticed that I’m slightly older than the others testing today. Seven years ago, I celebrated my 59th birthday and took a good look at myself. I knew that I needed to do something, or my weight would continue to increase, my conditioning would worsen, I would have trouble with balance, and other age-related problems would surface. I briefly considered joining a gym, but I knew from past experience it wouldn’t work for me. I would soon come up with some excuse to miss a session, then one more, until eventually I just wouldn’t go. Then I remembered that long ago I was in a Kung Fu class, I had stuck with it, and I did okay.
My first exposure to Kung Fu was when I was about 21 years old. I was in the Air Force at my first duty station in Misawa, Japan. I was never very athletic, and I looked the part. Some of my new friends had just joined a Kung Fu class being run by another Air Force member and they suggested I join them. I thought I was going to pass out during the first class. It was really hard, but I kept with it. Soon I was in the best condition ever. After about six months different groups from the Air Force Base started inviting us to give demonstrations. Someone like me, who had never been good at any kind of sport was now in front of audiences doing hand forms we had learned, sparring, and performing with the three-section staff. That three-section staff is the same one I use today.
I had to put Kung Fu aside after I left the Air Force so I could complete my college degree. After graduation I got my first job in Dekalb Illinois, a little town of 30000 people just outside of Chicago. While in Dekalb, I decided to try Kung Fu again. This time the instructor was a professor from Northern Illinois University who taught Library Science. I had been away from Kung Fu for about 2 or 3 years, but I picked it up again fairly quickly. Within a month or two my health had improved, and I was again doing demonstrations with my new class. The audiences seemed to really like when I was sparring with the instructor, and they especially liked my three-section staff routine. I don’t think anyone in rural northern Illinois had ever seen anything like a three-section staff.
Less than a year after I arrived in Illinois, sometime in 1986, I was hired for a job I had wanted for most of my life and moved to California. Unfortunately, I just didn’t have time for Kung Fu, or really much of anything besides working.
Jump ahead more than 35 years. I hadn’t done any Kung Fu for decades, but I knew that I wanted to lose weight and get into better condition. I knew that as I got older my weight would continue to go up, my general fitness would get worse, my balance would be an issue, and I needed to try new things for my mental health. I made an appoint to try Shaolin Kung Fu Zen. At 59 years old I became a white belt.
Being an older student with at least some experience brings on its own challenges. My mind insists that I can do whatever I used to do in my twenties. Many times, my body refuses to fully cooperate. But I continue. I just have to accept the fact that I don’t bend the way I used to and I’m not as flexible as I once was. I work around that and do what I can.
I eventually joined the San-da (Chinese kick boxing) class. It’s not for the sparring part (although that can be fun) but for the conditioning and flexibility work. The regular Kung Fu classes help with the San-da, and the San-da has helped improve my regular Kung Fu classes.
Overall, I feel like my general conditioning has improved, my balance is better, and I have a healthier mental attitude. There have been many times over the past several years that I wonder if I’m getting too old for this – especially during the San-da class – but I haven’t stopped yet and don’t plan to. Thanks to everyone, especially Sifu Andy and Sifu Vincent who have helped my get to this point in my Kung Fu development.
