Lots of people face hurdles in their Karate lives, physically and mentally.
A while ago I remember teaching some advice workers about disability. Many of them weren't aware of the link between physical and mental health. Many medical practitioners view them as very separate areas of medicine. How can they be?
If you live with a mental illness and it affects your ability to get out and do things (Eg work and play etc), over a period of time, the mental illness will impact your physical health because the lack of movement etc will affect your cardio-vascular system, your stamina and your ability to withstand certain illnesses, as well as causing reduced functions in your limbs (decreased walking distances etc).
If you develop a physical disability that stops you doing things that you previously enjoyed, it may lead to mental health conditions such as depression and perhaps stress related illnesses. The link between stress and heart conditions is well known.
I live with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Chronic Pain in parts of my body. I have to be very careful and very aware of the needs of my mind, body and spirit. There are times when I have to stop training for a week in order to allow the pain levels to lessen a little to allow me to get back into the dojo. I've learnt to be flexible and kind to myself; to do what I can, when I can ... but it can be a difficult balancing act.
I know of Karateka that have worse issues than mine to deal with and they carry on fighting the fight within and training at their various dojos; doing what they can, when they can, around the limitations of their disabilities.
Why continue doing something like Karate that can be so taxing?
Exercise decreases stress hormones and increases
endorphins. Endorphins are defined as hormone-like substances that are produced
in the brain and function as the body’s natural painkillers. During
exercise, these endorphins are released, and this can produce feelings
of euphoria and a general state of well-being. The endorphins produced
can be so powerful that they actually mask pain.
Endorphins are chemicals released through exercise, that boost your mood naturally. Exercise also releases adrenaline,
serotonin, and dopamine. These chemicals work together to make you feel
good.
Karate goes further though. It's more than physical exercise. It's a way of life. There's as much to learn outside the dojo as there is within. It's not just a martial art. As a system it looks after the mind, body and spirit ... and once your feet have found it - really found it ... it's a hard path to leave. I'm sure the same can be said of other well established martial arts around the world.
If you have any sort of health problems, pop into your nearest dojo and have a confidential chat with the Sensei (teacher) there and assess them. If you feel that they understand disability issues and can be flexible toward you ... start training with them. If you feel uncomfortable with them, go and see a different Sensei until you find one that will accommodate you.
If you're in the Nottingham area, please feel free to pop in to either of our venues for an informal chat before or after the lessons:
Wednesdays 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Snape Wood Community Association
Snape Wood Road
Bulwell
Nottingham
NG6 7GH
Tel 0115 975 3299
Fridays 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Sundays 10:00am - 11:30am
Bestwood Estate Community Centre
Gainsford Crescent
Bestwood Estate
Nottingham
NG5 5HT
Tel 0115 976 2391
All the best,
Villayat 'Wolf' Sunkmanitu
Meiyo Shotokan Karate Club
Karate is a system of self defence that originated in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. The term 'Meiyo' (pronounced Meh-yo) means 'Honour' or 'Honourable' depending on how it is used in the Japanese language.
Showing posts with label Karate and disability. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Karate and disability. Show all posts
Sunday, 1 September 2013
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
For the older potential Karateka...
I've spoken with so many of you that are in your 40s and 50s now, that have tried martial arts when younger and miss it now. Many of you have been Karateka, are older and some of you have injuries etc. I know from listening to you that you really feel 'the call' and would like to train again.
Don't worry about what you can or can't do nowadays because of age, injury or disability. Just do it! Find a dojo and give yourself some free reign to do something that will make you feel better about yourself. If you feel that your Sensei can't accommodate your disability issues, find another.
I sometimes make a wrong move or turn the wrong way because of my mental health problem ... and some moves hurt my body so badly that I literally lock up. Some Senseis don't understand these issues and so don't understand that the act of practising Karate can be an ongoing internal battle ... on top of all the others that some of us fight on a daily basis where any kind of health problems are concerned. Yet you'll find many Senseis that do understand disability issues and will accommodate your needs.
When teaching I have to be mindful of your safety and your training needs and balance the two. I have to have more than one style of teaching because I know about certain disabilities first hand. In some dojos you may be shown a new kata twice and not have it broken down at all - then be expected to perform it . This may be fine if you don't have a learning difficulty and/or a short term memory problem.
If I'm teaching a new kata, I like to break it down so that students can learn it in manageable chunks - eg do five moves and practise them until they're firmly embedded into memory and then build onto that foundation until the whole kata can be performed to the best of that student's ability.
We have to be realistic when we train with regards to our limitations through any disability ... we also have to be clear about one other thing - as mature students of Karate with disabilities, we are the ones responsible for setting our limitations - no one else. So we are the only ones that can push our boundaries, endure the pain or difficulties and try to improve ourselves ... but we must be realistic about it and not worsen our conditions/symptoms.
There is no upper age limit in Karate, a man in Nottingham proved that by achieving his Shodan when in his 60s.
The first lesson is free. You will need to have purchased a licence by your third lesson. You can train in a tracksuit and t-shirt until you can afford a 'gi' (Karate suit) ... but you must have a gi before you attempt a grading (an examination to gain a different coloured belt) - which will be about three months after you start training ... providing you're comfortable doing so.
We train on the following days:
Fridays 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Sundays 10:00am - 11:30am
Bestwood Estate Community Centre
Gainsford Crescent
Bestwood Estate
Nottingham
NG5 5HT
Tel 0115 976 2391
Don't worry about what you can or can't do nowadays because of age, injury or disability. Just do it! Find a dojo and give yourself some free reign to do something that will make you feel better about yourself. If you feel that your Sensei can't accommodate your disability issues, find another.
I sometimes make a wrong move or turn the wrong way because of my mental health problem ... and some moves hurt my body so badly that I literally lock up. Some Senseis don't understand these issues and so don't understand that the act of practising Karate can be an ongoing internal battle ... on top of all the others that some of us fight on a daily basis where any kind of health problems are concerned. Yet you'll find many Senseis that do understand disability issues and will accommodate your needs.
When teaching I have to be mindful of your safety and your training needs and balance the two. I have to have more than one style of teaching because I know about certain disabilities first hand. In some dojos you may be shown a new kata twice and not have it broken down at all - then be expected to perform it . This may be fine if you don't have a learning difficulty and/or a short term memory problem.
If I'm teaching a new kata, I like to break it down so that students can learn it in manageable chunks - eg do five moves and practise them until they're firmly embedded into memory and then build onto that foundation until the whole kata can be performed to the best of that student's ability.
We have to be realistic when we train with regards to our limitations through any disability ... we also have to be clear about one other thing - as mature students of Karate with disabilities, we are the ones responsible for setting our limitations - no one else. So we are the only ones that can push our boundaries, endure the pain or difficulties and try to improve ourselves ... but we must be realistic about it and not worsen our conditions/symptoms.
There is no upper age limit in Karate, a man in Nottingham proved that by achieving his Shodan when in his 60s.
The first lesson is free. You will need to have purchased a licence by your third lesson. You can train in a tracksuit and t-shirt until you can afford a 'gi' (Karate suit) ... but you must have a gi before you attempt a grading (an examination to gain a different coloured belt) - which will be about three months after you start training ... providing you're comfortable doing so.
We train on the following days:
Wednesdays 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Snape Wood Community Association
Snape Wood Road
Bulwell
Nottingham
NG6 7GH
Tel 0115 975 3299
Snape Wood Community Association
Snape Wood Road
Bulwell
Nottingham
NG6 7GH
Tel 0115 975 3299
Fridays 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Sundays 10:00am - 11:30am
Bestwood Estate Community Centre
Gainsford Crescent
Bestwood Estate
Nottingham
NG5 5HT
Tel 0115 976 2391
All of the training fees generated at these two dojos go straight to the Community Centres listed above so that they can run services for the elderly and other members of their communities. The instructors are unpaid volunteers. Meiyo Shotokan Karate Club is a Not-for-Profit organisation.
Please feel free to pop in and try a lesson without obligation.
Villayat 'Wolf' Sunkmanitu
Image by Will Huggins
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