Personally, I look forward to a day, when we see more research studies about the benefits of martial arts to personal health. For example, why is it that the Okinawa people (the birthplace of karate) have the lowest frequency of coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer in the world; and why is it that Okinawans are less likely than Westerners to get dementia?
Part of Okinawa longevity is likely related to hara hachi bu, eat until 80% full (ever see a Okinawa Walmart shopper?), but other factors related to Okinawan longevity likely include diet, happiness, family values, lifelong meaningful activities. They keep their brains active, eat healthy, and exercise daily. Thus, any research needs to focus on all of these factors and others we have yet to think of.
On average, the Okinawa people spend 97% of their lives free of disabilities. I've also heard Okinawa has a high percentage of centenarians per capita - now remember, this is Okinawa, which is only a tiny island that developed separately from Japan for much of its history, and later was invaded by Japan.
In search for Okinawa health answers, researchers need to include studies on exercise. Personally, I feel that the Okinawan martial arts (karate, kobudo, toide) are part of the centennian equation, but I admit, I'm biased. But keep in mind, karate was created on Okinawa and has some very important distinguishing characteristics than the karate practiced on mainland Japan, much of Europe, the West and even taekwondo from Korea.
After Japanese martial artists were introduced to Okinawa Shorin-Ryu karate by Gichin Funakoshi in 1922, they went on to develop a different brand of karate which they labeled Shotokan karate a brand of sport karate that is more regimented and is competitive, unlike much of the Okinawa karate which is traditional focusing on self-improvement, self-defense and the individual. Sport karate contests, until recently, were not part of Okinawa karate. Over the decades, I personally have trained in both types of karate, and I'll take traditional Okinawa Shorin-Ryu karate training over Japanese Shotokan any day. Shotokan is a good form of karate, but there are things that I personally don't like about it - one is that it reminds me of military boot camp (as do the other styles of Japanese karate I trained in during the past). There is little creativity, and all karateka train by the numbers - the best analogy I can think of is the Cobra Kai method we saw emphasized on the Karate Kid. Then there is the Miyagi-Ryu Karate-do that was emphasized by Miyagi san - more typical of the training methods of Shorin-Ryu karate.
The research published in the recent past on Okinawa longevity, mostly focuses on diet. So, why doesn't the research focus on physical activity, and in particular, the type of physical activity that is part of Okinawa - its karate, kobudo and toide? There are some hints that exercise is important in keeping humans healthy.
For example, in a book about cancer treatments by Connie Strasheim (2011), she quotes Dr. Finn Skott Andersen from Humlebaek, Denmark -
“Several studies on cancer and exercise have proven that exercise is of utmost importance when fighting cancer”.
“Cancer patients should do three things to improve their chances for recovery. First they should seek to attain a good quality of life that has purpose and meaning, Secondly, they should adhere to a cancer-fighting diet, and thirdly, they should exercise”.
"In a major study done in Heidelberg in 1992, researchers tracked 2000 vegetarians for 10 years and found they had 50% less cancer and cardiac conditions than the general population”.
and Dr. Andersen also provides a very interesting argument in support of physical therapy and battling cancer that people with this disease should keep in mind.
“Exercise is the most important therapy for cancer in my opinion. Cancer patients don’t die from cancer of from the size of their tumors. I all of the patient’s tumor tissue were placed on a table, it would weight perhaps on a kilogram (2.23 pounds) or less, and might amount to the size of a fist. So how is it possible for a person to die from something so small the answer is: because cancer is an energy vampire! It steals energy from people, so that they become increasingly tired, and finally end up bedridden. They die from fatigue which is the most common cancer symptom".
Additionally, Dr. Mecola (2016) reports: (1) "Your health, mobility, and freedom from pain in older age depend on your dedication to moving frequently and wisely; (2) Addressing poor posture is a useful strategy to optimize you health; (3) Traditional cardio exercises are highly inefficient and can be radically improved; (4) Shorten busts of high-intensity interval exercise several times a week offer powerful rewards that conventional cardio doesn't; and (5) Strength training and stretching round out a compressive fitness plan".
What is suggested in number 3 and 4 directly apply to traditional karate. Traditional karate is a very powerful form of cardio exercise using focus and power with periodic lows in energy seen in forms known as kata, as well as bunkai (self-defense applications). Few other forms of exercise produce such dramatic energy bursts!
- Connie Strasheim, 2011, Defeat Cancer: 15 Doctors of Integrative and Naturopathic Medicine Tell You How, by Connie Strasheim, 2011
- Mercola, Joesph, 2016, Effortless healing: 9 simple ways to sidestep illness, shed excess weight, and hope your body fix itself: Harmony Books, NY, 308 p.
