Karate cuts 10 - 15 years of your lifespan

[xo-karate]

Karate Styles: Surprising Links to Shortened Lifespan

Jason Amstrong just published a book that karate does not make you live longer - it cuts years of your life - 10 to 15.

I'm old all ready so more training won't harm me:-)

[Lupin1]

I'd like to see his research methodology...

That doesn't sound right to me.

[Nevinyrral]

It might depend on the style. Full contact styles of karate might be bad for ones body in a long run I think

[Harkon72]

After observing that many high grades need joint replacements and traditional karateka have heart trouble after taking hits to this vital area for many years, I can see why. On the other hand, an Okinawan diet would let you live longer.

[mal103]

I would say the opposite is true, the number of people i see who are wrecked by 70 due to lazyness and neglect. So long as you practice properly then you should have a more active for a longer time.

[sensei8]

For me, respected and proven research and all won't ever deter me from what I've dedicated my life to for 49 years; my journey will continue nonetheless!!

[mal103]

My previous post almost made sense....

I've heard of people who have trained for many years having joint problems but there are plenty of them without problems, I look at the aging Japanese Sensei who are still kicking well past our pension age.

My Sensei and I are 58 and 43 - most people guess our ages as many years below that so we either look young for our ages or are keeping young by exercising regularly

This sounds like some of those dodgy poll's that are made by twisting certain data or a brief study with a few people, it's like saying Elvis died early due to his MA training - nothing to do with junk food and pills or whatever it was that got him.

[andym]

It just doesn't seem a correct out come to research, alright I'm biased. Anyone got a link to it ?

[blacknebula]

I'd like to see his research methodology...

Ditto!

[RW]

Excluding the full contact styles, I have a hard time believing this.

Not that the study is wrong, it's just flawed.

Say yes, karate DOES shorten someone's lifespan for 10 to 15 years. But being a couch potato may as well shorten it for 20 years, weight lifting may shorten it for 18 years, and competitive cycling may shorten it for 19 (I'm just making this up). So in that context, a 15 year "cut" is actually a 5 year GAIN when compared to being a coach potato and 3 years over weight lifting... it's all about perspective.