Meditation for Combat Effectiveness?

[bushido_man96]

Western civilazations have been fighting for as many centuries as most Eastern civilazations, and they have really not ever used any form of pre-combat meditation.

If you like it, and think it helps, then I think that is great. I don't really think it gives a combat edge, though.

[yingampyang]

mmhhh true , but then agian it depends on the fighter, and what works for them.

[tallgeese]

True, it certainly depends on each individual fighter. At the end of the day, effectiveness, no matter how acheived, is what matters.

For consdieration however, I would point out that most conflict are not going to occur with plenty of time to meditate prior to action, meaning that however you do mental training should be accessible in the middle of a fight, not just ideal contemplative moments.

Further, I would say that the more you can marry your mental trainig with your physical preparadness, the better. So rather than have a seperate medition for mental traininng, I would suggest proper mental focus during sparring, drills, ect to develop a comfort with fighting and your movments that allow you to react with out thingking.

This type of "meditaion" has always worked best for me. And while I don't doubt that meditation works well, I think that for fighters the type I describe probily yeilds better resluts for combat quicker.

[bushido_man96]

Further, I would say that the more you can marry your mental trainig with your physical preparadness, the better. So rather than have a seperate medition for mental traininng, I would suggest proper mental focus during sparring, drills, ect to develop a comfort with fighting and your movments that allow you to react with out thingking.

How do you accomplish this, tallgeese? Would you use self-talk, or say things to pump yourself up or get yourself geared and focused? That is how I could see it, but wanted your opinion on it as well. Thanks.

[tallgeese]

Actually, I havent' used self talk and such, but it's not a bad idea at all.

What I do is really work on cutting out anthing during training that isn't combat related. Everything is secondary to completeing the movement so that damage can be inflicted.

When a mitt pops up, never see it as a mitt. I try to visualize it as an attacker that needs to be destroyed. When I'm sparring, I'm not on the floor with one of my buddies, it's a fight. At least that's where your mind and adriniline response should be at. Contact must always be controlled and that's why it's useful to keep a man out of sparring when really mentally training during free fighting. Additionally, I alway focus through my target, and look to the control at the end of the spectrum.

One drill I like for this is set up with a mitt holder. You start by covering a couple of shots throw with the mitts. This provides a little dump of adriniline and gets things going. You then respond by countering with a combination, again, this ratches up your response. Next, flow into a standing joint lock and takedown to one of the mitted arms. This way, not only are you moving thorugh your full power stikes, but also into a controling situation. This, to me, is a great moving kind of medition that lends itself well to develeping mushin.

The comfort that this kind of mental prep brings about allows you to flow much more freely during a real fight.

[joesteph]

When I found this one on meditation, I thought of how we meditated for a moment at the start of class twenty years ago when I took TKD, and how we meditate now at the beginning and end of class in Soo Bahk Do.

I've found that the meditation we do at the end of class is more beneficial to me than at the start.

The beginning, I think, reminds me that I'm in class now, and that I have to (or am now free to) leave the excess baggage outside the dojang; not a bad thing to do.

But when it's the end of class, I'm tired; I'm very tired. I sit for that couple of moments and just have my body relax. Breathing itself feels relaxing. My mind is open only to relaxation and my breathing. Nothing more. When we finish this short meditation, I feel glad that I went to class, that I worked hard in the dojang.

Maybe that's what helps cause me to return.

[bushido_man96]

Our Aikido class begins with a brief medatitive period of focused breathing. I don't really care for it, though. I do it, because the rest of the class is, but while everyone is sitting there with their eyes closed, breathing, I find myself opening my eyes and looking around, wondering when class is going to start.

I think it is just time better spent working technique.

[tallgeese]

Bushido man, that's the same thing that happens everytime I end up in that situation . I agree, start warming up and go.

[Fu Man]

Our Aikido class begins with a brief medatitive period of focused breathing. I don't really care for it, though. I do it, because the rest of the class is, but while everyone is sitting there with their eyes closed, breathing, I find myself opening my eyes and looking around, wondering when class is going to start.

I think it is just time better spent working technique.

I thought I was the only one that did this before class.

While I do not meditate, per se, I do ponder on my martial arts training while at work, watching TV, etc.

[Tiger1962]

.....but while everyone is sitting there with their eyes closed, breathing, I find myself opening my eyes and looking around, wondering when class is going to start.

LOL !!! I do that too sometimes !! Sometimes its easy to meditate and sometimes the mind just won't quiet down. LOL