Some of us come to karate, especially as adults, carrying existing long-term injuries or niggling pain. When we first start training, the unfamiliar movements required in karate can make us aware of muscles, tendons, and ligaments we never thought about in the past. And sometimes this can make us think we need to stop training to let our bodies heal.

However, there is an enormous difference between an injury that needs to heal and the discomfort/pain which is the body’s natural response to being asked to do things it hasn’t done before.

But how do you know the difference, and how do you decide whether to train through your discomfort/pain or whether to give your body a rest?

When to train through discomfort/pain

Ultimately, you know your own body best, so you’re the only person who can determine whether to train or not. Often, training through some discomfort/pain is the best way to proceed. As your body gets used to the movements of karate and your feet get better acquainted with the training surface, you’ll find some common ailments eventually subside. This can include:

• muscle soreness, especially in the arms, back, thighs and calves – everywhere really!
• tenderness in the shoulders, especially as we are still learning to use our body to punch properly
• bruises, especially on the knuckles and forearms
• plantar fasciitis, which is soreness on the underside of the feet, especially when we’re still getting used to working out in bare feet
• sore Achilles tendons and ankles as we develop flexibility in our joints
• sore elbows, especially as we learn how to punch properly without putting strain on our joints.

Sometimes, we wake up the morning after a training session and feel quite sore but, after a hot shower and a stretch, much of this should dissipate.

Too often, we see people quit karate after the first couple of months because they’re worried that these common ailments actually signify a more permanent injury. But, with perseverance, you can work through these issues and develop a stronger, healthier body. As time goes by, you’ll notice you don’t bruise as easily, or that your ankles no longer hurt, or that you can maintain a low shiko dachi for longer without your thighs being sore the next day.

When to ease back from your training

If you love karate, it can be disappointing to have an injury that prevents you from training. The good news is that you can still train with most injuries. You may just need to modify the way you train.

Let your instructor know
The first step is to let your instructor know that you’re carrying an injury. This will let them help you find activities you can do within the class without aggravating your existing injury. You should also mention your injury if partnering with someone so they know to take care.

A word of caution, though: when you’re in the dojo, try to avoid talking too much about your injury to avoid getting into a negative spiral and, potentially, bringing others down with you. It’s fine to ask others if they’ve had a similar experience or to seek advice but try to keep the conversation focused on the positives.

Modify how you train
Your body might not let you train at full intensity all the time. For example, arthritic knees and hips are commonplace as we age. If you have bad knees or hips, you may want to keep your kicks lower or use less intensity when you kick. If you have a chronic shoulder injury, you may want to punch slowly and smoothly instead of looking for power. The important thing is to keep your body moving in a way that won’t cause additional harm.

Train in a different position
When you’re injured and unlikely to be able to join in with most activities, you should bow into the class in your normal place, then move to the back or the junior position in the line. This means you won’t get in the way if you’re going slower than the others. This way, they can still go hard rather than modifying their pace to match yours.
As senior students, we are often aware that others in the class are watching us closely. Moving to the back signifies that you’re not at 100 per cent and that your training shouldn’t be used as an example.

Talk to a professional but beware
It may be worth seeing a sports physio or a specialist to gauge the extent of your injury. They can often help you understand your limitations as well as your potential to push a little harder. Be aware that some medical professionals don’t understand what we do at karate and assume it’s a high-contact, high-risk sport. These professionals are likely to advise you not to train; however, as any karateka knows, training isn’t about smashing each other. You can train smoothly and slowly with zero contact and still get a massive benefit from karate, so don’t be discouraged.

Take time off but not too long
If you have an acute injury such as a pulled muscle, torn ligament, fracture, or dislocation, then you may indeed need to take some time off karate to let your injury heal. But that doesn’t mean you have to stay away from the dojo altogether.

When you’re ready, you can come to the dojo and train at your own pace. This means letting your instructor know that you may pull out of certain activities, or you may go slowly even though the instruction is to go fast. If you have a lower limb injury, you may want to stand (or even sit) in the corner and practice punching and blocking. If you have an upper limb injury, you can still join in with stepping and kicking exercises without doing any punching or blocking.  And at all times there is some stretching you can do to help maintain your body as you heal.

If you can’t move at all, you can still benefit from coming into the dojo. You’re always welcome to come in and watch the class, take photos or videos, and help out where you can. You can learn a lot from watching and listening.

Just keep training!
Although having an injury can be annoying, upsetting, and frustrating (not to mention painful!) it doesn’t have to mean the end of your karate journey. You can still train, you can still progress, and your injury doesn’t need to hold you back.

You will almost always find a way that you can join in with a class without making your injury worse. And, by doing so, you can continue to learn and develop your karate and get all the mental health benefits that come with training regularly.

2020 Budoka of the Year – Merryn Jaffers

Merryn’s amazing attitude has been evident throughout her training this year and, as a result of this attitude, Merryn’s technique has been maturing rapidly. She always sets a fantastic example whether as a leader for the younger students or in her own classes, and she is always willing to help others.

Dojo instructors and leaders are constantly impressed by Merryn’s technique and ability. She is a strong leader capable of running warm-ups and small groups in class, which is a huge help to the instructors. However, instructors have been even more impressed by Merryn’s attitude.

Merryn’s selfless and dedicated approach to karate has seen her give up her Saturday mornings to help Sam Sensei run classes while injured, return from family camping trips to attend key seminars and training opportunities, and continue attending classes even when her family members were no longer training. This willingness to make sacrifices, set a strong example, and help others embodies the Budoka spirit and makes Merryn an extremely worthy recipient of this year’s Budoka of the Year award.

2020 Senior Karateka of the Year – Kazumi Tominaga

Kazumi Senpai achieved her shodan (black belt) ranking this year and it was a well-deserved reward for her dedication to karate through significant adversity. She balances karate, studying, working, and family life and finds creative ways to achieve her goals.

For example, Kazumi Senpai trains at home consistently even when she can’t make it into the dojo. While she is already one of the most flexible people in our dojo, Kazumi Senpai stretches every single day to maintain her flexibility. She works hard to improve her karate and weapons technique and doesn’t let any class go to waste, working hard at all times and thinking deeply about techniques and underlying concepts.

Kazumi Senpai also acts as an invaluable liaison between Adam Sensei and the Sohonbu in Japan. She has built many strong relationships with Soke, Sodai, and other members of the Sohonbu. She has earned the respect of these senior karateka during training trips to the Sohonbu and by trying her hardest in classes when the senior instructors visit Australia. Kazumi Senpai’s consistency and commitment have led to her being named 2020 Senior Karateka of the Year.

2020 Junior Karateka of the Year – Tahlia Boyd

Tahlia is known as the quiet achiever in the dojo. She is the hardest working student in every class she attends, no matter what the exercise. She consistently displays a determined spirit. For example, before any class, Tahlia can be found practising her kata and refining her techniques. Through this effort, she has begun to develop a very good technique and will continue to progress.

During her time as a karate student, Tahlia has learned to harness any self-doubt or disappointments into hard work to achieve her goals. She doesn’t waste time talking or standing around to see what others are doing; she gets straight down to training hard.

As a result of her deep commitment, hard work, and excellent etiquette, Tahlia has well and truly earned the award for Junior Karateka of the Year.

2020 Little Champions Karateka of the Year – Erika Baritchi

Erika moved into the Juniors training program even though she is still a Little Champion due to her maturity in both attitude and technique. She stands out as an exceptional student even in classes with the Juniors who are much older than she is.

Before class, Erika practices rather than playing games or talking. If her friends want to talk to her, they’ll have to join her in practicing and stretching before class. This attitude extends throughout the class, with Erika making a point to try to set the best example in whatever exercise is happening. Erika sees setbacks as a chance to improve and learn, not an excuse to get upset.

The most upset we’ve seen Erika in the dojo is when she was exhausted after doing two classes each day for some time. Her mother decided to take her home after the Little Champions class one day as Erika was nearly asleep on her feet. Erika was devastated to be told she needed to go home and rest; she wanted to do more karate even though she knew she was too tired to continue.

This commitment and effort made Erika a clear choice as our 2020 Little Champions Karateka of the Year.

Congratulations to all our worthy award recipients. The single theme underlying each person’s achievement is hard work. None of these karateka are content to go through the motions at karate. Instead, they put their entire effort into being the hardest working students with the right etiquette. As a result, each of these students has seen their karate continue to improve. They are terrific examples of the key guiding principles of Chito-Ryu: with peace, perseverance, and hard work, we are sure to reach our goals.