Zen in Sports

[Auszi]

I had a bad seal that screwed up the flow on a beer keg one time. It wasn't one of those trained seals, or navy seal though. It was a little "O" ring seal.

Similar thing happened to a mate in prison, ruined the party.

[kitkatninja]

I read this book: "Zen in the Martial Arts" a while ago and found it very interesting. A good read, aimed at both the novice and the experienced martial artist, alike.

[ChenPengFi]

DAYoung deserves a mention here.
http://www.amazon.com/Martial-Arts-P.../dp/0812696840

(Awaits patiently for Bodhi108 and teh r34l ZEN)

[Styygens]

(Awaits patiently for Bodhi108 and teh r34l ZEN)

Keep waiting...

But I'll mention this thread to him tonight when I see him...

for training...

At the dharma hall...

[gregaquaman]

I don't know anything about zen. I do train because it is one of the few times I am completly engaged in the present and that seems to help my day to day stress.

One of the things that supprised me is how incredably tough, emotionaly training for a fight is.
People break down constantly only to have to suck it up and go back in for another round of whatever horror that is in store for them.

One of the things said to us is that we need to develope an even mental plain. So that there is no overconfidence when on top and no feeling of defeat when underneath. just clinicly appoach the problem and solve it.

[alex]

why dont you try getting a fight and spending 90% of your training time meditating and 10% physically training and get back to us on how to goes

[jnp]

Rinzai shōgun, Sōtō domin

:D

Walking Zen is for suckers. Sitting Zen is the salt.

That is all.

[Diesel_tke]

I could talk for a while about Zen, Tao, and Taiji, but I won't bore the **** out of everyone. So, instead I'll talk about stick fighting.

The other day we started out with stick sparring to get warmed up and some shots to the head, which stimulates bood flow.....yeah. So, that went well, and I was just enjoying myself. Then we went over some stuff that I need to fix and we focused on those for a while. Then we sparred again and I did really shitty! My teacher brought up the fact that I was thinking about the techniques too much. We sparred again and I tried to not think about the techniques which caused me to think about them. Shitty again. I finally let go and just had fun. Ended on a good note, with good techniques.

This is what I strive to do. But am not always successful.

[The_Beak]

Something I heard Randy Couture say in the film "Striking Truth" stuck with me a while back. he said -
"Fighting is 90% psychological and 10% physical, yet as athletes our training is 90% physical and 10% psychological. Its backwards."

Having found myself studying CMA recently and having plenty of time on my hands I started to look into "Zen".

After reading a number of books and articles online the whole concept has fascinated me somewhat.

"Zen" it sounds like some kind of mystic BS, but actually we have all seen it countless times over the years and have likely experienced it, it has been especially noticeable in sports.

Thing thing about Zen is that by trying to attain it you are in fact pushing it further away. The best way I can describe it is that it is like what we call "Natural Instincts" , if someone throws a ball at your face then you catch it, you dont think about it, you dont analyse how you are going to catch it or what you will do after you catch it, you just catch it....If you had started to think about what happens if you miss the ball or how you are going to catch it or what you are going to do after you catch it...if you fill your mind with those thoughts then you are likley to have a slower reaction time and end up missing the ball.
Zen is to think without thinking.

Zen is often associated with meditation and being able to empty your mind, again that sounds like more mystical BS, but when you think about it the reason for meditation is to relax the body and empty the mind, to clear your head of all the thoughts, the worries that stand in your way of you just "being".

I believe you often see it in great athletes, athletes who are so confident of victory that the outcome of the fight doesn't even enter their mind, their confidence makes them relax and they have no distractions in their mind, the victory just happens, and in turn their confidence increases and so on, I think that is a major factor in "Creating champions".....I think the same can apply to entire teams or squads of players.

Have a read of these if any of the above interests you -

http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.ph...k=view&id=2098


http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni25a5.htm

http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Add...-the-Zone.html


There seems to be a belief that you can cultivate an environment to obtain Zen, although you cant just "Get it"...and who knows, trying to cultivate it may just be counter productive...almost like saying "Dont think about a Pink Elephant".....

The documentary "Striking Truth" showed David "The Crow" , a very gifted athlete but always over thinking his fights, he said that he said when he used to fight for fun he became champion, but as soon as the fighting started to pay bills and bring with it other stresses then he started to find it really difficult and over think everything to the point he would just freeze in the ring.

So I guess Zen could also be the metal capability to deal with pressure.

Shut the **** up.






:LOLnotext:LOL

[The_Beak]

Your talking about The Glow.



Reggie Miller described being "in the zone" so did Michael Jordan.

http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Add...-the-Zone.html

I wish I had more to add but I don't think I ever experience the glow.