Staying in Shape

[emattson]

One important aspect of karate is health. It gives man more options in a stressful situation. Walking alone is one of the best exercises possible. In according to a study published September 6, 2022, by JAMA Neurology, people who walked 9,800 steps per day were 51% less likely to develop dementia when compared to the sedentary couch potatoes. Disclaimer: the study conclusion came from observations only; it does not provide conclusive proof that walking prevents dementia.

Barry Franklin, director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, commented that walking reduces risks of cardiovascular disease, reduce obesity decreases weight from fat, improve blood sugar levels, modesty improves lipid profile, and reduces chronic stress.

Walking is also cheap; budget one pair of sneakers every year and you’ll good to go. The miles of pounding the pavement are hard on footwear. As one who consistently walk over 10,000 steps a day on average every month since June, 2021, I consider myself as a good enough authority on walking. My cardio fitness level, VO2 max, is roughly at the level of somebody a decade younger than I. My resting heartbeat often falls at athletic level. Walking has certainly improved my health.

One wonderful tool for walks is a smartwatch which can track steps as well as the heartbeats during walks. I use Apple Watch, but others may prefer a more inexpensive monitor or an unobtrusive health tracker ring. Seeing graphs displayed is a fun way to see how your health is improving. Just remember that the line never goes up consistently. On some days I walk only 3,000 steps. Holidays are hard on one’s health. Occasionally I manage 30,000 steps. My VO2 max also varies, in ways I’m still trying to understand why. Think of your health tracker as a 24 hour coach.

[emattson]

Uechiryu Karate Do, by George Mattson, has several interviews with great karate masters on appendix 2. Master Katsuya Miyahira commented that he cares most about his students’ health. To succeed in rugged training, they need to be in excellent shape. I agree. I attended one Chinese martial art lion dance academy as a guest for the hour. At first, they were concerned that I was out of shape because of my age, but I reassured them that I’ll do fine. That was back in the days before I began my 10,000 step average daily walk program. Their running, planks, and other aerobics were brutal and we were sore for days. Certainly dangerous for obese men. I couldn’t keep up. Master Katsuya Miyahira felt that great teachers improve their students’ health through training, then develop power through better toned muscles, better discipline, controlled strength.

Excellent health gives more options, in my opinion.