| As you learn how to combine different | | | | below your navel. This kind of breathing |
| techniques into fluid movements, the proper | | | | allows you to be centered and aware of your |
| amount of relaxation plays a vital role. What | | | | surroundings and it is the door to the |
| I mean by the proper amount is the right | | | | elusive Zone or body, mind and spirit working |
| balance between muscular tension and | | | | together as one. |
| relaxation. These are the basics of improving | | | | |
| physical awareness or kinesthetic awareness. | | | | Relaxation is the second component of body |
| Let me tell you why. | | | | awareness. Breathing and relaxation are like |
| | | | day and night, both are necessary and they |
| Once you learn a new kick or throw, you must | | | | depend on each other. When you practice deep |
| pay attention to your body to see if you are | | | | breathing like in Chi Gung, your body |
| doing it correctly. This constant attention | | | | gradually relaxes. Chi Gung is a Chinese |
| allows you to become aware of how you are | | | | martial art that teaches how to use breathing |
| moving and how tense or relaxed you are. | | | | to develop Chi, or internal energy. |
| Hence, the term body awareness. If you want | | | | |
| to be successful in any sport you must be | | | | What a lot of beginners and even black belts |
| able to master body awareness. | | | | find hard to achieve in improving their |
| | | | body's awareness is the balance between |
| There are a couple of items in your training | | | | tension and relaxation. They are either too |
| that can help you enhance body awareness. One | | | | tense or too relaxed. When you are too tense, |
| is your breathing. Breathing allows you to | | | | you become very slow and waste lots of energy |
| use energy more efficiently by exhaling out | | | | before you get to the opponent. If you are |
| as you strike or inhaling in as you prepare | | | | too relaxed, your technique may not have |
| to punch, kick or throw. What you must avoid | | | | enough power. It is in this balance that you |
| is holding your breath or breathing too fast | | | | can easily become more aware of your body. |
| in the heat of battle because this can lead | | | | |
| to over exertion. | | | | Another great tool for developing body |
| | | | awareness is meditation and all martial arts |
| Another vital component of breathing is | | | | implement some form of meditation. Meditation |
| focus. Breathing affects the brain by slowing | | | | combines breathing and relaxation, allowing |
| down the brain cycles and therefore, | | | | you to pay close attention to your body. |
| improving your focus. If your focus is off | | | | Meditation also helps with your mental |
| your body awareness is off. When you are | | | | awareness by letting you see the thoughts |
| focused, you are able to pay attention to | | | | that come into your mind and by clearing out |
| your body easier then when you are | | | | unwanted thoughts and improving your focus. |
| distracted. | | | | Martial training without meditation is like |
| | | | going in the water and not knowing how to |
| During sparring your breathing must be even | | | | flow with the waves. The waves (physical |
| and deep from the lower abdomen or dantien as | | | | training, fighting or sparring) will crush |
| it is call in Chinese. Dantien means center | | | | you pulling you down into the depths of the |
| of energy and there are lots of them in the | | | | sea. |
| body, but the one I'm referring to is the one | | | | |