Karate and Overcoming fear

This appeared in the FMK newsletter for this past month.

Karate and Overcoming fear

James Richtsmeier

Overcoming our fears can be one of the greatest challenges not just in Karate; fear is an obstacle we must face in our daily lives. To understand where fear comes from we must look at the definition of fear. “Fear is a powerful biological feeling of unpleasant risk or danger, either real or imagined.” This feeling can hinder a persons actions to the point at which they can not react or can be vulnerable to danger.

One of the most important principles of self defense is the ability to control your fear. Maintaining a calm and clear state of mind is the greatest advantage you can have over an attacker or opponent. The person who is attacking you is actually more vulnerable than you are. The attackers mind can be clouded by irrational thought. The karate student must remain calm and focused. Staying calm can be done through breath control and meditation practice. We must recognize these situations that may trigger feelings of fear and force ourselves to remain in a peaceful state of mind.

Never forget to make your mind work when your body is quiet, and to make your mind calm when your body is in action. Keep your spirit strong. Never let others detect your true intentions. According to the situation, you must judge matters objectively and make the correct decision no matter what situation you are in. Keep your mind clear and maintain a broad view of things. Train your spirit and improve your knowledge earnestly. You should tend to improve your judgment and keep your spirit calm at all times.

-Musashi Miyamoto (Quote taken from Secret Tactics: Lessons from the Great Masters of Martial Arts by Kazumi Tabata)

Fear can be evoked not only in confrontational situations it can also occur in situations that require interactions with large groups of people, (demonstrations or tournaments). One of the best ways to conquer these feelings of fear is to perform Katas or practice karate technique in front of others. We must clear our minds and remember that this situation requires the same level of inner peace and concentration as any other. It is hard to get up in front of a large or even small group of people and remain calm. Clear your mind and concentrate on breathing regularly. Remember to think only about what you are doing. Do not let your mind wander. Concentrate.

If you start to feel afraid, one should look at things objectively. Really, what is the worst thing that could happen? So what if you screw up or you fail? So you make a mistake. So what, big deal. We all can learn from our mistakes and failures and improve as a result. Part of controlling fear is not being afraid. You have to be brave. This process is all part of studying karate. The more experience you have and the more knowledge and control you will have. With experience, you will be able to defend yourself more effectively and the more confidence you will gain as a result.

With regard to dealing with fear, I would like to use an example from my own personal experience. In the course of the last month, I broke my nose as a result of an accident that happened during sparring practice. It probably has to have been the greatest test of overcoming fear I have ever had. I had never broken a bone in my life and was the first real serious injury I have had as a result of any physical activity.

The toughest part of the whole experience took place the moment the doctor told me that my nose had been broken. It actually put my training to the test; I had to really concentrate on remaining calm. I had to focus on the fact that regardless of the outcome everything would be fine. An injury can leave a person with feelings of self doubt and even insecurity. What happened was a mistake. There was no reason to blame myself or anyone else for what happened. I had to transform the accident into a learning experience.

If I did not come back to class and get back on the proverbial horse, nothing would be gained from the experience. All I could think about when I was being sewn up in the emergency room was that I had to get back to the dojo. The best way to bounce back was to get a move on and get back involved with karate classes. I could not quit.

Our dojo has always been exceedingly supportive of every student. There is no other place in the world that has made me feel so important. Every student in our dojo should remember how much strength we gain from our dojo as a cohesive whole. We all should remember how special our dojo is and help support our school. Every little bit helps. By helping our school to prosper we in turn help ourselves.

It is better to have a bad experience and learn from it, than not risk anything at all. Everyone makes mistakes, including me. Take a chance and try and learn new things. Come to class as much as you can. Push yourself. Remember to learn your own pace. No matter what happens do not give in to fear, do not quit. Learn from these experiences. Do not let fear run your life. Fear may always be there, but it does not have to control you. Nelson Mandela once said,” The greatest glory in living lies not in ever falling, but in rising every time we fall.