Katsura is the name of a tree native to Japan, and then exported in western countries. It is characterized to be very resilient and adaptable to both cold and hot climatic areas. Katsura aesthetics is perfect to be integrated in landscaped parks; it changes following seasons: its foliage offers an array of colour throughout the year. In spring, heart-shaped leaves emerge reddish-purple, changing to blue-green as they mature. In autumn the colour display changes again as leaves turn clear yellow or apricot colour, and the smell of the leaves generates emotions and gives sense to any place. Katsura, in this project, becomes the perfect metaphor of a flexible PA system and holistic approach to lifestyles suitable for all ages and in particular for the young adults and the adults. The starting block and the foundation of the Katsura system is based on Budō. It determines and steers the changes of habits towards longevity and a more sustainable lifestyle. Budō disciplines teach you to develop inner harmony, improve harmonious social relations and live-in harmony with nature, to practice healthy eating, caring for one’s own body and striving toward mental balance when practicing non-competitive forms of physical culture. Generally, as recalled by Sieber, L.; Litwiniuk, A.; Cynarski, W.J. in the paper Ecological education through the ways of martial arts. Ido Mov. Cult. J. Martial Arts Anthropol. (2010) “the ways of martial arts as a way of non-aggression, psychophysical and moral improvement serve well the idea of ecological education. Physical health and internal harmony favour a friendly attitude towards nature, even when the philosophical and ethical justifications for respect for all creation and life are ignored”. Moreover, they can be a form of the wider sport of a lifetime. 

Specific Objectives

QUALITY and Transnational CAPACITIES: to ensure quality implementation and the development of the capacities of participating organizations to work in a transnational environment

KNOWLEDGE To improve the understanding of the reasons of young adults’ inactivity and sport dropout, with reference to: (i) general obstacles already existing before the pandemic, and (ii) to barriers generated by COVID-19, considering also young adults who recovered from the illness and those affected by depression due to isolation.

OMBORDING INACTIVE YOUNG ADULTS: To provide an effective response to the need of motivating young adults to not dropout from sport and to achieve a healthier lifestyle when aging, by defining and prototyping the most appropriate exercises technique (notably the Katsura System – KS) capable to (i) impact on mental wellbeing and selfmotivation and (ii) to reduce risk of injuries often caused by re-approaching sport (after a period of inactivity) without having adapted own musculoskeletal and respiratory systems (iii) to change the approach to food, health, well-being and sport.

NETWORK AND MAINSTREAM To build capacities of the trainers and coaches to implement the KS, while creating a network of qualified sport associations capable to mainstream the KS outside the partnership and after the end of the project, integrating it as new program in the training offer to onboard young adults and adults, and increase the number of members of the club,

AWARENESS To increase the awareness of the benefits of sport and physical activity in the society as a whole and increase the understanding of the importance of a change in lifestyles, calling in particular for the contribution of companies and workplaces (as they are part of the obstacles referred to people for sport dropout) to encourage workers to dedicate time to PA everywhere, even at work, taking care of nutrition, health and wellbeing.

The project’s main outcome can be described as an increase of the number of young adults and adults that change habits and lifestyle towards more healthy and active habits, thanks to the KS learned following the Katsura trainer and coach and then by practicing on a regular basis at workplace, at home and in open air.