How to Improve One's Concentration

by Nathaniel Rhine

At this week's training, my master brought to our attention the importance of concentration in all that we do, especially when we are training in the martial arts. Many student tend to just go through the motions when training. The instructor shows one how to perform a specific movement or technique, and the student simply mimics the instructor. But is that enough?

We went back to basics. In actual fact we not only went back to the basics, we even slowed down our movements drastically. My master taught us that in order to improve our concentration, one would have to learn how to breathe correctly. Interesting. Since the day we were born, we all know how to breathe, but do we really breathe efficiently? And does breathing affect one's concentration?

Simply, in order to increase our concentration, one must inhale through one's nose as one is about to execute a movement. Then one is to exhale 70% of one's oxygen as one would actually execute a movement, through one's mouth.

Example: when one is about to execute a straight punch, take in a deep breath as one would move towards his opponent, very slowly. As you begin to execute the punch, exhale very slowly through one's mouth, keeping 30% in the abdomen. The crucial point is to retain 30% of your oxygen in your abdomen. Notice, I mentioned that the movement must be slow. Slow so that the student can focus and concentrate on both his breathing and the actual technique he is executing.

Moving slowly is not as easy as it may look. By executing the techniques slowly one is learning several things. One, he is learning how to breathe correctly and get the most out of his breathing. Two, he is perfecting his technique, the correct positioning of the hands, legs, arms etc. Three, he is learning the importance of balance and how to improve it. Four, he is learning how to relax both the body and mind, and fifth, he his learning how to focus and improve his concentration.

Many students of the martial arts may know how to performs many techniques when they are performed at normal speed, or so they may think. Practice, what was just discussed above, and one will very quickly see that he may not have been executing his techniques correctly after all. And surely, he was not concentrating very well. Enjoy your training.