Effects of an 8-month intergenerational adapted taekwondo training on functional fitness in senior novice practitioners

Background: Aging is commonly associated with declines in functional fitness that can be effectively attenuated through mid-to long-term, multifaceted physical activity. However, physical activity performed by older adults often aims to maintain, rather than improve, physical fitness. Martial arts are increasingly recognized as suitable multimodal interventions for older adults, as they integrate balance, flexibility, motor control, and cognitive engagement. Within this framework, taekwondo may represent a feasible activity to preserve and enhance functional fitness. Moreover, intergenerational approaches (combining younger and older participants in shared training sessions) may further support adherence, motivation, and social-cognitive stimulation. Despite this potential, long-term programs involving novice older adults remain largely unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of an 8-month intergenerational adapted taekwondo training program for older novice practitioners.Methods: This single-arm pre–post observational study used a volunteer convenience sample without a control group. Twenty-one seniors (14 females and 7 males: 63–83 years) participated twice-weekly 60-min taekwondo training for 8 months with one weekly session performed together with 21 children (6–13 years). The “American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance” test battery was used to assess the seniors’ functional fitness before and after the intervention based on flexibility, upper-body strength, aerobic endurance, agility/dynamic balance, and coordination. Linear mixed-effects models for repeated measures examined time and sex effects.Results: Significant (p < 0.05) improvements were observed in aerobic endurance and coordination, with normative compliance increasing from 14.3% to 33.3% and from 66.7% to 95.2%, respectively. No significant changes were found in upper body strength, agility/dynamic, or flexibility, though males outperformed females in the Chair sit-and-reach and endurance tests.Discussion: Despite the limited sample size and the lack of a control group, which limit causal inference and generalizability, the program was associated with improvements in selected functional fitness domains, particularly aerobic endurance and coordination, whereas flexibility, agility/dynamic balance, and upper-body strength did not change significantly, suggesting that intergenerational adapted taekwondo may represent a feasible long-term physical activity option for novice older adults.