Nanja warrior
Ede a karate expert.. at 75 with arthritis
IF gran Ede Smith invites you round for chops, you could be in for a bit of a shock…
The 75-year-old is a karate fan who can break wooden boards with her bare hands and flip grown men three times her weight.
And all despite being just 5ft 1in with rheumatoid arthritis and a knee replacement.
Seven-stone former soldier Ede started the martial art five years ago after her grandson took her to a training session at his school.
She took to it like a duck to water and she is close to becoming a black belt. Ede said: “I like karate because it proves to me that I’m capable of doing things that I didn’t think I would be able to do.
“It keeps you mentally alert as you have to know when the next punch is coming. If someone tried to hurt me I’d kick the hell out of them. My son-in-law is 6ft 4in and he always takes the mick. I’d gone round to his one night and I asked him to punch me.
“But instead I smacked him in the sternum and the chest. I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis, a knee replacement and a high calcium count which left me unable to do much at all. But it’s never stopped me from enjoying karate. I always work through the pain and I’m now fighting fit.”
Brown belt Ede, of Great Dalby, Leics, attends a weekly class in Go Kan Ryu club karate at nearby Thurmaston.
She is married to retired Colin and the pair have five grandkids.
The mum-of-one, who also wants to try wing walking, added: “I can’t say I can always do everything perfectly but I can work through it and do it to the best of my ability.
“Colin is very proud. He always says, ‘You can do it’.”
Instructor Nick Jones said: “Ede is amazing.
“She’s been with us for a long time and she’s a great ambassador the sport.
“You wouldn’t want to mug her in a park.”