Judo as a national cultural treasure should become accessible to elderly people, in the combination of a suitable mat and specific innovative training and play regimes.
Together, industry partners and judo experts from Japan and Germany develop an optimal outdoor judo / exercise mat by choosing the right materials, manufacturing methods and permanent feedback loops. The mats are being continuously tested by judo experts of all proficiencies in Japan and Germany and subsequently optimized. In parallel, new judo practices suitable for elderly are being developed in Japan.
The first challenge is to develop a mat that meets the requirements of traditional tatami, has more damping and less weight and can be used outside at the same time.
The second challenge is to develop suitable judo practices for elderly that are motivational, fun, safe and embody traditional Japanese judo culture.
The importance of experimentation and the use of prototypes, especially in distant settings. If we can build on common experiences communication becomes much easier. This effect is amplified if a diverse team with different expertise is testing the prototypes, offering synergies in experience and interpretation.
Intercultural synergies work. Neither Japanese nor German partners alone have been able to achieve the actual results, maybe would not even have defined the topic as we did together. This is especially true if it includes experimentation: Having the same prototypes and experiences even video conferences become more fruitful, as there are real shared objects and shared experimentation as the basis of productive discussion.
If you are interested in this topic in general or the project in particular, please feel free to contact us.