Lived Experience of Yangsaeng Exercise through Kouk-Sun-Do among Korean Elderly

Park, Gyeong Sook

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide understanding of the meaning of 'Yangsaeng' through lived experience of the elderly who practiced Kouk-Sun-Do.
METHODS
A hermeneutic phenomenological methodology developed by Max van Manen was adopted. The data were collected from the interviews and observations on the actual experience of 9 people who were over 65 years old and practiced Kouk-Sun-Do from August to December 2006.
RESULTS
The essential themes were discovered as 'body in comfort', 'spouting vigor', 'improving selfconfidence', 'developing one's mind', 'setting oneself in order', 'being aware of the value of Kouk-Sun-Do', 'recognizing importance of value of getting along'
CONCLUSION
Therefore, practicing "Kouk-Sun-Do" is a suitable exercise for the elderly, as an effective nursing interventions for improving the quality of life of older people.