Karate Training - Cross Training necessary for Flexibility

 

This Sunday's class is no different from each Sunday class. We have about 20 to 25 regular trainees who come every week and it is a mixed bag from all age groups, genders, and some nationalities.

I am happy to be the current Ken Shin Kai club President and with the guidance of Sensei Chia Kwek Fah (8th Dan Hanshi), we hope ton take part in some National tournament in the near future. We have 6 potential 'players' mainly from the young age group who we hope will step up to represent out club this year and do us proud. I have been practising karate for 22 years and currently hold the rank of Black Belt Dan 3. The reason I chose karate is that a lot of the movements emphasise balance, flexibility and strength which complements my other group of muscles utilised when I run long distance, which is namely balance, strength and endurance. It is the perfect foil for CROSS TRAINING. 

While my body feels its age, the old saying that 'age is just a number' well I can refute that.  

When you reach a certain age, and everything starts to stiffen, ache, and it takes much longer to recover.It was never like that in my 20s, 30s, and 40s. I used to run 10 - 14K PER DAY in the mornings EACH DAY for 5 days per week and after each run, I would go home, wash up and prepare for work THAT SAME DAY. This ritual would be repeated day in day out for years.

Hence, the body recovery for me as an example in the 20s, 30s and 40s are much FASTER than what I am experiencing NOW. Age slows everything down and from recovery, reflexes, and muscle strength diminishes - if not kept in check by CONTINUING to maintain or UP THE FREQUENCY OF EXERCISE EACH WEEK.  

Just remember, the human body is a quite like a  mechanical machine, while cells replicate and are formed daily, the bone structure and muscles will wither over time, so parts replacement is necessary - if there are replacment parts. Intraocular lenses for eyes, teeth implants and titanium plates are but 3 miracles that medical technology has advanced over the last 5 - 6 decades resulting in many people living well into their 90s and possibly 100s years of age - IF they have taken good care of their bodies and minds.