Mental preparation, what’s the best way of going about doing it?

[MadMartigan]

Hello everybody!!!

I have a question about, how do people mentally prepare themselves before they enter the dojo?

Also, how can you train your mind so that you can read your opponents movements before they make an attack against you?

If these are stupid question please forgive me.

[Sir Percy]

Good article on this topic in the Summer 2003 edition of American Fencing Magazine, unfortunately it's not online.

[Hongsermeier]

I'll take a wild stab at this. For entering the dojo. I try to start think about kendo on the drive to the dojo. Start going over different moves in my head. Decide on one thing I'm going to concentrate on.
For reading your opponents movements. Years and years and more years of practice. Take video at tournaments. Watch it over and over. Along with actually getting on the floor with fellow kenshi, watch them practicing with other people to see what their habits are. :cross_eye

[Karaken]

Originally posted by MadMartigan
Hello everybody!!!

I have a question about, how do people mentally prepare themselves before they enter the dojo?

Also, how can you train your mind so that you can read your opponents movements before they make an attack against you?

If these are stupid question please forgive me.

There are no stupid questions - only stupid answers.
Anyway, the answer pedends on where you are at your training level. As previously mentioned, thinking about Kendo or Kendo technic might help. Also thinking about what to work on.. etc..

As for reading mind, concentrate on reading eyes. Eventually you should not watch oponent's eyes but in the beginning ( assuming you are beginning to train ) eyes tell you much more than other parts of the body.

Center

[Yowai]

Coffee will increase your mental alertness before practise. Coffee might dehyrdrate you, so offset the effect by drinking a bottle of Diet Coke.

[kendokamax]

lol

thats like taking drugs

[Hongsermeier]

Oh Drugs. Quick comment. I tried taking Xenadrine for a little boost about 3 hours before practice. BIG BIG mistake. It increases your heart rate. So does practice. I started getting dizzy(more than normal) and almost passed out. Had to stop practice. Was not fun. :cross_eye

[samurai999]

Drugs? tsk tsk tsk.. :D

Don't drink coffee. Drink either water or Gatorade. I usually came straight from work (usually late), so mental preparation was nearly non existent. By the time I came in, the warm-ups would be over. I'd have to prepare VERY quickly. But for tourneys, exactly the opposite.

Tim

[Sir Percy]

After posting up earlier I checked my library and found this book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/188361600X/qid=1059081756/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-6623428-6216631?v=glance&s=books) on mental preparation for fencing (Dr. A. Kogler). The book is out of print but if you can find a copy its pretty good. Discusses autogenic training for bouting and physical training.

The author also cites surveys of western fencing coaches as to what they felt led to fencing success. The coaches surveyed coached World and Olympic Champions. They (as a group) stated that the components of fencing success were 40% mental and only about 30% each physical ability and technique.

The author prescribes the use of yoga techniques to assist focusing on the task at hand, as well as relaxation and regeneration and recovery from exercise. Found all of this an interesting re-read, particularly in light of the connection between kendo and Zen.

[MadMartigan]

thanks sir percy, I will try and hunt for that book it sounds pretty interesting. hmmm...I really hate it when they stop printing stuff, it always seems that when I am really after a book or a DVD it is always out of print, just my luck I suppose. Anyway, I now have something to do this weekend. You never know I just might find an old copy somewhere.

[bukowski]

Hello everybody!!!

I have a question about, how do people mentally prepare themselves before they enter the dojo?

Also, how can you train your mind so that you can read your opponents movements before they make an attack against you?

If these are stupid question please forgive me.

To mentally train yourself before entering the dojo. If you're busy
watching a TV show before going to the dojo, then your mind's busy
thinking about the TV show. Just calm your mind, keep your activities simple. If that doesn't work, once the class begins, the makuso is a part of practice for a reason.
As for the second question, it is a simple matter of experience.

[Charlie]

Hi! This may sound weird but one of the things I do before every practice is wash up. I clean my face and hands, and I floss and brush my teeth. It reminds me of the emphasis on physical appearance and cleanliness, something I think comes partially from a Japanese social priority that was expressed in the Hagakure:

Every morning, the samurai of fifty or sixty years ago would bathe, shave their foreheads, put lotion in their hair, cut their fingernails and toenails rubbing them with pumice and then with wood sorrel, and without fail pay attention to their personal appearance . It goes without saying that their armor in general was kept free from rust, that it was dusted, shined, and arranged.

Although it seems that taking special care of one's appearance is similar to showiness, it is nothing akin to elegance. Even if you are aware that you may be struck down today and are firmly resolved to an inevitable death, if you are slain with an unseemly appearance, you will show your lack of previous resolve, will be despised by your enemy, and will appear unclean. For this reason it is said that both old and young should take care of their appearance.

I'm not saying I brush my teeth because of the Hagakure! I brush my teeth because when I kiai into the face of my opponent during tsuba-zeriai, I don't want my breathto smell too bad! :lick:

I also pray before practice, cuz I'm religious.

[Raiza]

I'm not saying I brush my teeth because of the Hagakure! I brush my teeth because when I kiai into the face of my opponent during tsuba-zeriai, I don't want my breath to smell too bad! :lick:

I try to tidy up and I brush my teeth too-there just too much breathing going on during practise not to overlook the fact that your mouth can become a nice tear-gas dispenser. I consider morning breath (or its relatives) is an underhanded way to weaken your opponent, sort of like throwing sand in someone's eyes in a fight. Bad form.

As for the samurai personal hygiene routine, it could be summed up like this:
If you're going to go down, make sure you look good going down.

[Chook]

I for one sit in my car for a few minutes before I enter the dojo and think about what I wish to improve on. I make sure I'm relaxed and rady to do what I have to do.

[jfluh9]

Try not to think about anything at all. You become more and more relaxed, and most of your everyday abstract thoughts leave your mind. When you are completely relaxed all the of your brainpower can focus on kendo. You will be amazed at how you can leave life behind when you enter the dojo, and be completely ready to absorb all information.

About reading the opponent. My sensei has said that the eyes tell all. I'm not saying I know everything, but I feel that that is a good place to start.

Thanks for listening.

[xvikingx]

Fortunately for me I can walk over to my dojo. On the way I try to visualize the aspects I need to work on. Mostly I think about the quirks in my form and kihon. Almost like a moving medition I just kind of zone out. Also like Charlie I like to have a little chat with God every once in while on the way to pratice.
After all that being said, the truth is I forget all that crap as soon as I start practicing.