Take It Easy
By Neil Ohlenkamp
Editor's Note: While this article is about
judo, the authors point about the importance of being
relaxed is equally important in all martial arts.
It is an essential in aikido, jujutsu and daito ryu
aikijujtsu. It is taught in kendo and kenjutsu. And
the worst offenders are often karate-ka, who keep
their muscles so tight that it inhibits their power
in technique, quick execution and the ability to move.
If you are stressed at work it is generally hard
to enjoy your job. If you are uptight about a task
that you have to do, it is likely you will try to
get through it as quickly as possible. And if you
are nervous about getting hurt, you certainly won't
enjoy your recreation. Like most activities, the way
to enjoy Judo or any other martial art is to learn
to relax. For many people it is harder to relax in
Judo practice than in other activities, and the obvious
reason is that your partner is always trying to attack
you. However, the more one learns to deal in a positive
way with stress, change, and risk, the easier it is
to relax. Judo practice is a great way to train yourself
to handle difficult situations with confidence and
grace.
One of our biggest fears is falling. It is also one
of the first lessons we learn in Judo. Of course no
one wants to get hurt or lose, and these feelings
are associated with falling. These fears cause the
body and mind to become tense and rigid so that eventually
you become paralyzed and cannot function. For this
reason it is important to face your fears rather than
let them control you. Studying ukemi, methods of falling,
is a good way for the average person to start to do
that.
Later, in Judo randori, or free practice, you will
find that it is again very difficult to relax. You
may find that when you do succeed in relaxing you
are initially exposing yourself to attacks more. This
makes you feel more vulnerable rather than more secure.
This is one of the reasons it is so hard to relax
in Judo. At first, every time you relax you may get
thrown, and it seems to be a counterproductive strategy.
This makes you more fearful, and you naturally tighten
up, until you eventually become fatigued into relaxing
again. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle of constant
stress.
The trick is not to hide your vulnerabilities and
weaknesses, but to learn to recognize them, get to
know them intimately, manage them, train them, and
even turn them into strengths. When your opponent
finds a weakness they will usually attack it. Knowing
that, the skilled judoka can actually turn vulnerabilities
into opportunities.
Through focused training, weaknesses can become strengths.
One of the paradoxes of Judo is that it takes concentrated
effort to learn effortless action. It is hard work
to train yourself to yield and not resist, to relax
the tension in your muscles and your mind. However
if you do, you will see rapid progress in your ability
to defend yourself.
You will eventually come to see that when the body
and the mind are in a relaxed state they are more
able to respond quickly and appropriately to each
attack. You will also get less tired and use your
energy more efficiently. You will be more sensitive
to your opponent's intentions and be able to anticipate
attacks earlier. Your techniques will work better
because your body will move more freely in a coordinated
way. Your balance will be better, your confidence
will improve, and you will have more fun.
This is the essence of Judo. Ju means gentleness,
softness, yielding or pliability. These are all qualities
associated with a relaxed state of mind. Learning
to relax is the key to dealing with difficult situations,
and there is no better way to train yourself than
through the study of attack and defense in Judo.
Let
Us Know Your Comments & Opinions On This Article
About The Author:
Ohlenkamp is a martial arts writer and founder of
www.judoinfo.com.
He is a certified United States Judo Association instructor,
referee, master rank examiner, and master coach (the
highest level of certification), and he was awarded
United States Judo Coach of the Year for 1999. He
holds a fifth degree black belt in Judo and a sixth
degree black belt in jujitsu and has over 31 years
of training and experience in various martial arts
as a competitor, instructor, team coach, and tournament
official.
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