Zanshin

Zanshin, aka Focus.

How focus are we when we are practicing?
Went to meet up with the Kendo people before training. There is a strange kind of feeling whenever I hold a shinai. It is not about running to hit your oponent, but to stay calm and feel the control of your whole self. Trying to focus externally, as well as internally...

This reminds me of the feeling how I did my Kata. The focus is not only towards the imaginary oponent in front. Focus should be place withint oneself as well. To feel the balance of the whole body, the movement of every muscle, shifting the weight from a spot to another spot, punching and kicking, blocking and countering with control strength...

We have been doing basic all the time. Moving forward, backward, punching, blocking, kicking... but are we really focus? Do we really see the imaginary oponent in front of us? Do we feel movement making sure that it is smooth and fast, strong but with full control? One very basic thing that I notice all of us like to do, or perhaps all of us not do. We don't look straight forward. Worse still if there is an oponent in front. Somehow, we didn't dare to look straight into their eyes. More than often, we look at the floor...

Today's 一言：ザンシンがないならアカン! (Cannot don't have zanshin)