Fighting spirit.

[Mokujin77]

A friend of mine who watches way too many kung fu films started a drunken debate about fighting spirit with me the other day. He said that so many martial arts films and books present the idea that someone who is proficient in certain arts can have such a strong "fighting spirit" that it can be sensed or felt by their opponent. He asked me if I had any experience of this or if I believed that fighting spirit was something intangible that could be sensed. I told him that it was more than likely a load of cobblers. He replied by reminding me about a discussion we had about zanshin (he had read about it in a book I lent him and asked for my angle on it). I told him that I wasn't sure that zanshin was necessarily the same thing but it got me thinking. Samurai history is filled with myths about the perception of a warrior's fighting spirit. Is fighting spirit something you feel? Is it merely something that is percieved by observing how strong an opponents fighting stance looks or how intimidating they appear? I would appreciate your thoughts.

[Lady_Kitsune]

Well I can feel it and some people told me I can also project it... I won't call it force anyway, is more like a pressure over the enemy

[Pugtm]

not really zanshin, more like seme

[Stephen]

What is fighting spirit?

[nikozamo]

i think you can feel it when you are fighting with a person who really loves to do kendo...

[Mokujin77]

Surely that's just a perception of their enthusiasm, though, right?

[ZtefaNNN[K]]

...In kendo I think fighting spirit would be to show loads of enthusiasm, not give up and pro-active disposition. Now, if those are things someone might show in their daily life? ..I think it wouldn´t be called fighting spirit, but there is also that old story of the Quijote de la Mancha, and that´s when you just can´t tell what´s going on

[Nash]

...In kendo I think fighting spirit would be to show loads of enthusiasm, not give up and pro-active disposition.

That's what we see fighting spirit as in Australian Kendo, and most of our competitions include a 'Fighting Spirit' award, usually given to a person who, while they may not have won the competition, showed the most enthusiasm and determination on the day. Sort of a "you may not have won, but you were the most spirited one out there" award.

With that in mind, I wouldn't say it's necessarily something your opponent would "sense", while they would surely notice that you are a determined and relentless opponent, your enthusiasm would be visible to all watching.

[Mudansha]

At my dojo the ones who never give up during practice, who are still kiai-ing loudly after x^n rounds of kakarigeiko, show immense fighting spirit, I think - the fight to keep fighting, and this spirit carries over during tournaments and matches as well. These are the people who can most consistently put 100% into their matches, and that makes a huge difference.

[Stephen]

Out of curiosity, did thoise who check the 'i can feel the force', consider fighting spirit to be a type of determination / enusiasm or something more esoteric - like seme created through a strong kamae (such as that possesed by very very experienced kendoka)?

If the second option, is that fighting spirit or just aw ell developed ability to apply seme?

[nebosuke]

Do kata with a hachidan. You're under no threat, you're performing a rote set of motions, and yet you will feel an overwhelming difference standing opposite them than somebody of your own rank.

[ahmed61086]

You can feel so many things in a fight.

Seme, kizeme(same thing allmost?), Zanshin, and fighting spirit. Fighting spirit can be pretty scary. It can turn someone who aint so good, into a formidable opponent.

[Paburo]

Is "fighting spirit" something you can sense or project?
i think this is actually what you're supposed to do in 'kiwo korosu'. kill your opponents ki, 'fighting spirit' and will with your own. just using your attitude/stance, kamae and voice/kiai/kakegoe. projecting it, no touching.

one of my most dearest sensei says that's the hardest part in kendo. so that's why we begin learning 'kenwo korosu' and 'wazawo korosu' instead.

[kartoffelngeist]

I'm not sure I would call it fighting spirit, but there's definitely something that can be felt. My aikido teacher's teacher for example, seems to radiate what you refer to in the initial post. It's more like something you would refer to as a 'presence' than fighting spirit, because he comes across an extremely gentle man.

I wonder if it maybe comes from confidence in your own ability, I think that confidence can be perceived, and it can sometimes say 'don't mess with me or it will hurt' (like in the case of kung fu films refered to earlier).

I've also felt it in kendo, sometimes by the time I get up from sonkyo I can feel that the other person is totally in control (which I'm sure is partly self-fulfilling). Again, I think this comes from confidence (not to be confused with arrogance).

[JoDuncan]

Ayeeee, "Perform with Confidence" is one of the 5 basic principals in Banyu Hatten Aikido.

Geoff (the teacher's teacher) really is something else.... gotta get me some of his reiatsu