Amazing to watch - thank you for sharing! I wish JKA would evolve karate and come up with training for people over 50 especially those trying to return to karate at a later stage in their lives. With most people being over the age of 65, I think Karate needs to evolve and it needs to happen across all organizations. I'm not sure what the best way to do it would be. I can offer some ideas: - I would revise some jumps in katas because the impact is too much high. Some stances are also very hard on the body, I would change to alternate stances. - The kicks can also be damaging like the 2 keages in Kankudai from the zenkutsu-dachi. I always preferred a tiny weight shift there like Heian Yondan - it definitely makes the keage stronger. - "Soften" some stances like kokutsu-dachi with alternate stances that are still effective but gentler and advisable as people train over a certain age. It also varies based on training frequency and intensity. - Special Kihon Exercises that are low impact but maximize technique. - Breathing exercises to increase muscle functionality during training. - Equipment and additional warm up like foam rolling/plantar fasciitis. The warmup for a 60 year old cannot be the same as a 20 year old when the muscles require twice as long to warm up.
Amazing to watch - thank you for sharing! I wish JKA would evolve karate and come up with training for people over 50 especially those trying to return to karate at a later stage in their lives. With most people being over the age of 65, I think Karate needs to evolve and it needs to happen across all organizations.
I'm not sure what the best way to do it would be. I can offer some ideas:
- I would revise some jumps in katas because the impact is too much high. Some stances are also very hard on the body, I would change to alternate stances.
- The kicks can also be damaging like the 2 keages in Kankudai from the zenkutsu-dachi. I always preferred a tiny weight shift there like Heian Yondan - it definitely makes the keage stronger.
- "Soften" some stances like kokutsu-dachi with alternate stances that are still effective but gentler and advisable as people train over a certain age. It also varies based on training frequency and intensity.
- Special Kihon Exercises that are low impact but maximize technique.
- Breathing exercises to increase muscle functionality during training.
- Equipment and additional warm up like foam rolling/plantar fasciitis. The warmup for a 60 year old cannot be the same as a 20 year old when the muscles require twice as long to warm up.