Concentration

[Spartacus Maximus]

Mastering concentration in movement and technique is an important part of training. Especially for learning new ways to move and practicising the mechanics needed to do effectively.

Such things as achieving balance and keeping it while simultaneously moving and executing different techniques requires a high level of concentration. Individual exercises such as kata usually helps develop concentration, but sometimes there might be a need for additional training.

What ways can be used and what are your experiences? Do you do anything specifically for concentration?

[Alan Armstrong]

Mastering concentration in movement and technique is an important part of training. Especially for learning new ways to move and practicising the mechanics needed to do effectively.

Such things as achieving balance and keeping it while simultaneously moving and executing different techniques requires a high level of concentration. Individual exercises such as kata usually helps develop concentration, but sometimes there might be a need for additional training.

What ways can be used and what are your experiences? Do you do anything specifically for concentration?

Concentration and focusing, making the best of the moment, is more apparent, for me personally, is when stretching; as focusing on breath and relaxation is needed.

In my early days, trying to extinguish a candle with punches and kicks, was the done thing.

As when sparring, concentration is far too intense, where being quick and responsive to the situation seems to be more suitable.

Concentration, as in paying attention to detail, such as in katas works well; for me this is also the time for, how to improve my overall performance; by bringing together all the little nuances as correctly as possible.

[singularity6]

Heh, I've been diagnosed ADD, so concentration has always been an issue for me in environments with distractions. As I've mentioned before, our school practices in a church gym. It's attached to the kitchen, and it gets used quite a bit during the holidays. Listening to our instructors and focusing on what I'm doing is quite challenging when there's a lot of noise going on.

Concentration is always going to be a work-in-progress for me.

[JR 137]

A friend of mine played football at Syracuse University. For big games, especially when they’d play in a very loud stadium, the coach would get very absurdly loud PA speakers and blast crowd noise during practice. It helped desensitize them to it, forced them to communicate better, and stay focused.

[sensei8]

For me, a great game of chess helps me with my concentration outside of the MA. Albeit, the concentration used in both the MA as well as in a game of chess, aren't far from each others efforts across the board [no pun intended].

We do quite a large amount of concentration drills in Shindokan. For example, our Tennis Ball drill dips deeply into increasing ones concentration; paying attention at all time.

Paying attention in a game of chess, will have its benefits against an opponent that's attention span is lacking, in which, I can capitalize on my opponents wandering mind. Not careful, checkmate!!

Drilling with a double-ended speed ball require its fair share of concentration or you'll not be able to use the darn thing well, if at all.

The overly emphasis on concentration can backfire!! One can over concentrate, and when that happens, nothing is focused upon as it should be; the forest for the trees syndrome. Seems impossible to over concentrate but if you were to stare at a point of something, you'll start to get a bit stir crazy trying to focus on that one point.

In short, as far as concentration is concerned...

PAY ATTENTION!!

[bushido_man96]

I've never been one to spend time meditating, so that's not an outlet I use. I used to really enjoy just breaking things down and working on the little parts of techniques, forms, etc. That's how I like to approach teaching, too.

[Shizentai]

I think "concentration" and "focus" have always struck me as somewhat oxymoronic relative to their intended benefits. I succeed in a match not because I have one thing on my mind, but because I open my mind to rapid recognition of more factors in my environment, and because I am relaxed enough to respond instinctively using techniques I've trained for years. Mushin, being in the zone, for me is not an act I need effort and energy to keep up, it is more like letting waves of the world outside of myself wash over me. For me it is this relaxation and openmindedness needed to be successful that help me out most. Then again, there is more than one path to the top of the mountain. Maybe focusing on one thing is what gets other people to the same place that thinking about nothing gets me. The beauty of it!