Kangeiko 2011 - Ketsui O Suru - Make Up Your Mind
By: Eric Amtmann
Charlottesville Yoseikan held it's second Kangeiko on January 28-29, 2011, concurrent with Kangeiko at the Honbu. Our theme this year was "Ketsui O Suru", or "Make Up Your Mind." During Friday evening's sake ceremony, Sensei Gage, Sensei Monge, and Sensei Rike encouraged us to consider the meaning of this phrase with respect to our karate training and development as individuals. I am certain each karateka participant responded to the Kangeiko challenge in a unique and personal way, but I will share some of my reflections.
As a newcomer to martial arts, a Hachi kyu (Yellow Belt) with only a few months experience at our dojo, I expected to be somewhat overwhelmed by the complexity of the training with my quite limited skills. I set a few simple goals for myself - attempt to fully engage the training mentally and physically, remain relaxed, and above all don't become frustrated or discouraged if I found myself in way over my head. After all, how could we possibly train for 6 hours without the bulk of the training being very new?
I remember the first hour quite distinctly, with Sensei Keese leading us through a familiar warmup, kihon, and beginner kata familiar to me, Juni Waza, Taikyoku Ichi, San ju ko, and Taikyoku Ni. At this point, Sensei Keese asked Sensei Gage if lower ranking karateka should step to the side of the deck during more advanced kata. Sensei Gage's response was something to the effect of, "no, they will just have to do their best to keep up." Here was the deep water I knew was over the horizon, and yet it is also when the magic of Kangeiko began to reveal itself.
The most popular conception of what followed may be "getting in the zone," or "flow," a state of mind during athletic endeavors when one's body takes over, a state of unwilled concentration. Had this been a typical training session focused on the perfection of technique, I have no doubt that my performance would have inspired a well deserved continuous stream of corrections - bend your knees, get low, don't lean back, level your hips, rotate your hips, don't scoop your punch, your heel is popping up, which stance is THAT?, your targeting is off, chin up, eyes forward...
However, that is not Kangeiko. Kangeiko is about testing your endurance, and endurance is letting go and letting the training happen. That can be quite difficult at all levels of proficiency. The natural inclination when training is for your thoughtful brain to take over and direct your body how to move. But the moment you TRY to get in the zone, you have lost it. The flow must come to you. At the seashore, you don't ride the wave, the wave carries you.
And that is not only Kangeiko, but also Chito-ryu Karate-do, at least to this karateka. You make up your mind to be carried along by the 'esprit de corps', and allow your training to be a positive force in your life.
So go ahead, let that wave carry you.
