To suggest that this particular form of "karate" (agree that karate is a Japanese art) has some magic for slowing aging is seriously missing the mark. All forms of martial arts provide these benefits, most significantly the original one, Shaolin Kung Fu (which I have practiced for 10 years). Those monks figured out many of the secrets of health centuries ago, that we are now "discovering." You can pretty much look at any article published by Well regarding health in the last 10 years, and say check (high intensity), check (learning new skills to enhance brain), check (meditation (in motion in this case)), etc.
I studied Gōjū-ryū (剛柔流) karate at a small native dôjô in Naka-no-Machi outside Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, 1958 -1959 for about a year, five or six nightly two-hour sessions a week. As far as I am concerned, "karate" can be a generic term applied to similar martial arts, be they savate, capoeira (here in Brazil), krav maga, etc.
Besides my snorkeling in the East China Sea and clambering among the mountains there, it was a wonderful beginning for a healthful lifestyle with a very strong, lean body that I still maintain at a gym.
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For healthy aging get your information from Gretchen Reynolds' articles which preach the benefits of vigorous exercise. The latest research indicates the goal is to get rid of senescent cells by vigorous exercise, dieting or hopefully by drugs in the future. It is why the advice in the book "Younger Next Year" is beneficial.
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When I was on the karate and judo teams in college & law school, we occasionally had visits from grand masters from Japan. They were all elderly and in incredible shape; they abilities were astounding. It is not one particular style that keeps you in condition, it is a way of life.
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It is not "karate" I know, since I have a black belt.
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I think the most important piece of advice is to start slowly, SLOWLY, and not push yourself. That comes much later, as your body's capacity recovers. Too often, we have internalized the idea of "no pain, no gain". The result is that we push ourselves and pay the price the next day or the day after. This just discourages people. If more of us would get up and out the door, and go for a walk for 40 minutes, we'd feel much better and after 30 days, we'd be in measurably better shape - our digestion would improve and we'd sleep better. If 40 minutes is too much, start at 20 minutes, and increase it gradually. Results are guaranteed!
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"Greek karate"? This sort of illiteracy reminds me of one of the reasons I gave up on the National Geographic site. An article described the excellent acoustics in an old church. The author wrote that it was almost like stereo.
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Karate is also excellent for one's balance which deteriorates with age.
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First, "Greek karate"?!? I get that "Crazy Rich Asians" is the movie of the weekend but come on. I'm sure the Greeks have a word for "cultural appropriation".
More seriously, this passage bothered me:
"But Dr. Daffner said he thinks Mr. Gonis’s continued strength — he can still outlift students who are decades younger — is about more than luck. Mr. Gonis’s parents and sisters all died in their 70s."
OK, so Mr. Gonis probably wasn't blessed with great genes. But there is a huge selection bias here - there are surely plenty of ninety year olds who were outstanding athletes and paragons of physical and mental fitness for decades and then fell apart in their 70s or 80s. They aren't getting any coverage as fitness buffs who outlasted Father Time even though they were on the same path as Mr. Gonis for seventy years.
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Kudos to Dr Daffner for his dedication to his mentor, and for continuing his study and practice. Clearly the teacher - student bond is strong, perhaps a nod to the ancient Greeks and the sacred trust required for a relationship of so many years.
The fact remains that this martial art practice is difficult, practical, ancient, and keeps Dr Daffner and his pankration brothers and sisters in great shape!
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I thought I posted a comment, but I don’t see it.
As a retired physician who has experience in clinical trials, my thought is what is the data on the whole group who entered training with Mr. Gonis in the teens or twenties.
It might suggest some general benefit if all were still participating, and alive and high performers.
Probably, there would have been many dropouts and possibly many who did not maintain a particularly vigorous life into the sixties and beyond.
Mr. Gonis story seems like a more interesting topic than that of the student.
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The real secret is not about fancy exercises, but choosing a fitness regime that you can maintain for 20-30 years. Whether it be karate, yoga, or a strenuous walk every morning is of less importance, stick to it is.
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Today, optimal fitness for anybody who has the discipline to practice exercise routines are can be had by anybody.
But as far as optimal longevity is concerned, our genes have much to say about how long we live.
I would have love to have the mentor Gonis stand side by side the doctor, this way we can find out if Gonis who is in his 90's is still enjoying the fruits of these exercise routines. Instead what we get is like an ad for a skin product where the models have unblemished skin. And what's with the colored glasses...light sensitvity?
I’m 48, plant base diet and exercising hard 5 days a week adding mild cardio exercise everyday. I have been going to the gym and yoga and will start Krav Maga in a few weeks. The idea for me is to practice a martial art and get the mind trained as hard as the body.
My experience is that training hard creates a virtuous circle as it becomes a purpose in itself. Doing better today than yesterday is highly satisfying. What I see as the main risk for mature people is injury. That’s why it’s important to start slowly and with a coach if possible.
Also, standing upright at all time proved beneficial to me. It chases away negative thoughts as it focuses my mind.
I think that the fact that this guy can do these exercises at 61 is a real testimony to the practice because these movements aren’t easy even for young athletic people.
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This article left me with a lot of questions as there is no website or book being promoted by Dr. Daffner nor Mr. Gonis. I'm intrigued by the Ancient Greek philosophy of training the mind and body and this article has motivated me to do my own academic research on the subject.
I've been taking Issinryu karate classes twice a week for about a year. There are plenty of 50 and 60 year olds (I'm one of the later) in the class. I'm measurably stronger, more flexible and better balanced than when I started. I also get to hang with a few dozen interesting, generous and fun people. Yes, there's always a risk of injury but everyone in the class is committed to keeping each other safe. So I enthusiastically recommend trying a martial art if you think you'd like it, no matter your age. Just shop around a little for the right "dojo" to suit your needs.
(Note to language commenters: I knew exactly what the author meant when I read the headline "ancient Greek karate style". I think the strict etymologists should go do some kata.)
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@Steve
In real life one is a form that like life itself can be directly traced back for centuries one generation after another from master to student.
The other is made up nonsense.
And even here in the comments the false claim is made the made up thing is older than the one that goes way back. Wayyyyyy back. It is more culture war nonsense.
Strict etymologist? Ha. Time to send you off to the Boxer rebellion and learn the difference in the flesh.
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The original meaning of "kara te" was "China hand," attesting to its origins in that land's martial arts systems.
When the master Funakoshi introduced karate from Okinawa to the rest of Japan, he kept the pronunciation of its name but substituted a different written character for "kara," one meaning "empty" instead of "China."
Funakoshi believed this would not only broaden the art's appeal but present broader philosophical ideals -- a hand empty of weapons, a heart empty of ill intentions, a mind empty in the Zen sense.
This additional history strongly supports what other commentators have written: "Karate" is far too Asia-specific for "pankration" (perhaps best translated as "all powers" in reference to its combination of punching, kicking and grappling techniques) to be termed "Greek karate."
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The doctor looks a bit older then 61. Must have something to do with heredity if he’s been at this most of his life. I’m a decade older, a cancer surviver, and do very well on the French-Spanish diet; eat well, drink well (red or white wine), walk a bit more during the day if you have the time, get some rest between meals, and don’t worry too much about the traitorous GOP clowns as they’ll all be gone soon enough. The evil that they do will catch up with them eventually. Having a good doctor also helps.
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OMG....not another fitness fad. Just buy a good pair of shoes and go for a walk. 30 minites a day. Its cheap....time tested and Doctor approved.
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Walking, even 10,000 steps, is not enough. Strength training (with weights, bands, machines, your own body weight), balance training, and flexibility training are crucial as you age.
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@M. Lyon
30 minutes of vigorous exercise 5 days a week is the most essential factor in staying young. Hiking which raises your heart rate is definitely better than leisurely walking.
Why does the author insist on calling pankration “karate?” It’s wildly inaccurate. Instead of “Greek karate,” which makes a martial art thousands of years old sound like a derivative of another martial art only hundreds of years old (and from a very different part of the world), the author could simply have said “Greek martial arts.”
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I hope Dr. Daffner continues to enjoy good health. But, let's check back with him in 20 years, when he's 81 and not 61, before we decide if his regimen helps him age better.
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Very odd to call this "karate". That word refers to a very particular fighting system originating in Okinawa. You could look it up...
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I'm with Molly on this one. If anything karate is Japanese pankration.
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Karate is a Japanese word for “empty hand”. It refers exclusively to a modern martial art derived from Chinese Kung Fu and indigenous martial arts of the Ryukyu Islands, and especially Okinawa. To describe an ancient Mediterranean sport as “Greek Karate” just doesn’t make sense. To my ears it sounds like “Mongolian Flamenco”.
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As a martial arts practicioner I strongly agree that martial arts or other vigorous exercise, practiced safely, can have tremendous benefits to mental and physical health. But the term "karate" is misused here. Pankration is indeed a Greek martial art that is considerably older than karate, which is a martial art developed in Okinawa under Japanese occupation. It's true that karate is Japanese for "empty hand", but used in the vernacular people don't usually understand it that way.
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For those who are not in the prime of their youth, and would like to have more of what these gentlemen are talking about in their lives, I would suggest joining a tai chi club. There are also 108 moves, which take some time to learn, using the brain. The movements are slow, so it is very meditative. And everyone is encouraged to meet to ‘play’ tai chi together. Google Taoist Tai Chi and see if there is a group in your area. It can be done by anyone, any age, of any ability. I have been a practitioner and instructor for 20 years and highly recommend it!
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@Kathie
Thank you Kathie, you just inspired me to try T’ai Chi.
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I'd love to find a class or dvd that presents the type of program described in the article. I also did an online search and just found the violent, dangerous focus on this type of martial arts
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Those of us in the thick of the aging process are used to hearing suggestions about all the things we could or should be doing, ranging from getting up to do karate to sitting down and meditating. My suggestion is to get more music in your life. Listening to your favorite kind of music on the best possible speaker is a good start. Along with the music, sing along or hum along. For music with a beat, move around, swing the arms, move the legs, clap your hands; no dance instructor is needed as you invent your own moves. And it wouldn't hurt to add a smile, to let yourself know that you're enjoying yourself, rather than struggling through an exercise routine. Music is not the answer to all of life's problems, but it helps in dealing with many of them.
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@William I'm sure this could be good for one's well-being in several ways. But one crucial thing to do as we age is to maintain or improve our strength. Casual movement like this won't do it. The body loses capacities that we don't use. Convincing the body to get or stay strong requires exercise that challenges our strength. Movements like the deadlift and the squat, done with enough weight to be be truly challenging (whatever that is for the individual), require the strength of the whole body and thus make the whole body stronger. This will slow age-related muscle wasting and loss (sarcopenia) and preserve the ability to do things like stand up from a chair or the floor, lift a grandchild or bag of groceries, etc.--as well as making one more durable if one does fall.
Startingstrength.com is a great resource and has lots of free materials and articles specifically related to strength training and aging. (I'm not affiliated, just a fan and trainee.)
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@Tom I had both knees replaced at age 72 and the knee surgeon has forcefully reminded me not to engage in squats or dead lifts if I want the replacements to last. He said that walking and bicycling were all I should do for my legs.
For my upper body I do pushups, pullups, cable rows, reverse machine flyes, and bicep curls.
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Try to walk 5 mi a day...do the physical therapy that’s been prescribed to respond to the inevitable muscular aches and pains. Otherwise go for whatever ya think you can get away with.
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I just googled pankration. I think that the author misrepresents what it is. It is primarily a martial arts that is described as basically a no-holds barred method of fighting that is quite dangerous. Additionally, this doctor has been doing it since he was a young man. Any lifelong commitment to exercise, be it running, Japanese karate, swimming, etc., probably would make us healthier in old age.
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@Molly It would be dangerous if he actually fought other people in full-contact fights. I would read the article to suggest that he uses the drills and practices of pankration as exercise.
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