Benefits of sticking with it as we get older

The brain and body benefits of holistic practices such as traditional martial arts are clear. While previous research has focused more on sports activities, sports and a race In adults, more recent work has expanded to include adolescents, young adults, and older adults. The key aspect of traditional martial arts training extends beyond simply “empty hand” practice with tools. And by tools, I mean ancient weapons. However, there has been very little study of this aspect, that is, until now.

Tai Chi Chuan and the Final Grand Stick

Longfei Cao, Xiaoxiao Dong, Kai Qi, Chunhui Zhou, and Aiguo Chen, representing universities in Poland and China, wanted to know if the health benefits of Tai Chi Chuan training also extended to something that expands the function of the martial art — the stick. In their recent study in Frontiers in public health“Effects of Taiji Stick Exercise on Strength, Balance, and Activities of Daily Living in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Trial” They noted that “older adults experience an accelerated decline in physical function” but “studies have shown that participation in health Qigong and Taijiquan exercises contribute to improved physical performance and facilitate completion of daily activities in older adults.”

To answer this question, a group of 35 older adults in their mid-80s, both women and men, were “randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group engaged in an 11-week Taiji Stick exercise program” three times each week for 45 minutes per session.

Sticking to it helps in daily life

The researchers noted that the Taiji Stick exercise used a wooden stick weighing about 0.42 kg. “Each training session for the intervention group was scheduled from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays of each week. Each session lasted 45 minutes and was structured as follows: a 5-minute warm-up, 10 minutes of Taiji Stick exercise, and a 2.5-minute rest; followed by another 10 minutes of Taiji Stick exercise and a second 2.5-minute rest; then a third 10-minute Training. Taiji Stick exercise, and finally 5 minutes of relaxation activity to conclude the session…Exercise intensity is determined at 40% to 60%” of maximum heart rate. (I want to point out how detailed the training content is here. This is something that martial arts research publications often lack.)

They also note that training with the Taiji Stick, which “focuses on waist-focused, whole-body movements (e.g., twisting, rotating, bending, extending) is integrated with internal activities (e.g., breathing, Mindfulnessand Spirit), enables practitioners to achieve physical and mental relaxation while practicing dynamic exercises, thus alleviating the impact of negative emotions.

After the intervention, the martial arts training group showed “significant improvements in lower extremity strength…dynamic balance…and ability for daily living.” This led to the strong conclusion that 11 weeks of traditional martial arts personnel training “can effectively enhance lower extremity strength and dynamic balance, maintain upper extremity strength, show potential to reduce fall-related risks, and improve daily living capacity in older adults.”

Go beyond the pointing stick

My martial arts history includes extensive training in weapon-based and empty-handed traditions. I read this particular study with great interest because of this. But also because when I started training seniors exclusively in martial arts, I included weapons training with the long staff in Okinawa. Such training has many anecdotal and measurable benefits in terms of brain and body fitness. Including neuroplasticity in the sensory system. In addition, in context Resilience and Self-efficacyTools are function amplifiers. So, what we can be trained to do empty-handed can be amplified by using a tool like a cane or staff.

Related to this, although most studies rightly focus on health benefits, there are benefits to applying martial arts to training as well. Sticks are the most common weapon found in every tradition in the world, and they can still be easily found all around us – maybe not the official Taiji Stick or Okinawan bo staff, but every home usually has closet bars, and there are often canes, hiking poles, and umbrellas within easy reach.

In summary, the research findings described above are major evidence of the benefits of martial arts training in older adults, which can be supplemented with the use of traditional weapons tools.