John Evans and Shari Rodgers
(The process of incorporating something that activates or provides a biological rhythm): Why this practice matters!
Why are we practicing karate here in Quail Creek, especially when there’s not much fighting going on? Because the practice itself brings something deeper than self-defense—it brings coherence.
When we move through precise, rhythmic patterns—shifting weight, rotating the spine, balancing, extending limbs with breath and focus—we’re engaging in what’s called neural entrainment. That means the brain, muscles, sensory systems, breath, and heartbeat begin to coordinate. Everything starts to line up. This entrained state improves how we respond to sudden changes, both physically and mentally. We become more aware of how we move and more skillful in adjusting. People in their 80s come to regain strength after health challenges, and we see progress that inspires us.
When we perform kata with full attention, especially as older adults, we’re doing something remarkable: reinforcing signal clarity in the brain. Technically, the motor cortex fires in patterns that cross the corpus callosum. The cerebellum fine-tunes timing. The basal ganglia help us start and sustain fluid motion. The sensory system tells us where we are in space and how to stay upright and balanced. The whole body is part of the conversation. That induces a state of flow that coordinates everything.
That coherence improves how we think, react, and remember. Even mood regulation is affected, because the same neural circuits involved in coordinated movement also support executive function and emotional control.
As we age, that coordination can fade. Signals get noisy. We misjudge distances, hesitate, lose confidence, and sometimes we fall. But kata helps restore that synchrony. It re-teaches the system how to align breath, movement, and attention in sync. That’s what makes it different from casual walking or machine-based workouts. Karate isn’t just exercise—it’s integration.
This is the deeper reward: not just stronger legs or better posture, but a nervous system that’s working in harmony. We’re keeping internal pathways open that aging tends to fragment.
Here in Quail Creek, we practice karate out of respect for tradition, for self-discipline, and for the camaraderie it builds. But most of all, we practice to stay connected, within ourselves and with one another. We’re not training to fight. We’re training to stay whole.
Visit with us at the Anza gym and talk with those who are doing karate, learning karate, and enjoying karate and all the benefits it offers. Classes are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 3 to 5 p.m.
John Evans has been doing karate for over 50 years, is a 6th degree black belt, and holds a PhD in neuropsychology and human performance. John is an integral part of the Anza Karate Group.