The anatomy of karate

Students who want to hack it in Leslie Sargent Jones’ anatomy class discover the true meaning of participatory education.

As soon as the lecture ends, students shed their shoes and socks and line up in front of Jones, who wears a karate outfit and holds a first-degree black belt.

Jones, associate dean of the Honors College who taught anatomy at the medical school for 13 years, uses the fundamentals of martial arts movements to teach the myriad muscles and bones of the human body.

“What I’m trying to do is relate the human anatomy to movement rather than static methods such as pictures, atlases, and cadavers,” Jones said. “I’m making them think about the underlying biomechanics of a karate movement, which makes the learning process more active and less reliant on mere memorization.

“I hope this kind of learning will help them remember a particular anatomical structure for years instead of just until the next exam.”

Aside from a memorable perspective on human anatomy, Jones’ students get a bonus: practical lessons in self-defense.