Concentration drill

[lenmccoy]

Hi Everyone,
Back in the 80s I studied hapkido with someone who was a student of Ji Han Jae. His dojang went under and I left for the service anyway.
I read an article a little later by Ji Han Jae where he said his first mental concentration exercise for his students was to make them count backwards evenly and without mistakes from 100 to 1. Well it was simple (and I did not see any chance to study more hapkido in the near future) so I started practicing it. I got fairly good at it.
A couple years later I read where baqua master Park Bok Man taught the same drill.
OK here are the questions:
Since both men are Korean is this a Korean thing or is it taught by other baqua teachers?
It seemed to me after a while that it was kind of like learning to recite the alphabet. I wasn't improving my concentration I had just gotten good at counting backwards. Can anyone suggest a next level drill?
Anyone have any general thoughts about this drill?
Thank you, Len McCoy

[BeerlessBoxer]

I think that doing (long) forms while especially paying attention/concentrating on certain principle/detail, will work wonders on concentration skills overall. And you can and will do it at the same time while practicing a lot of other things. At least as a beginner (which I am too) there seems to be a lot of things to focus on. And I think just by focusing on something you are already training your focus/concentration skill, just need to be mindful while doing it (so that you are not just getting good at counting backwards, but actually improving while doing... )

Lately my favourite details/principles to focus on have been; "hanging" from baihui, getting pressure/weight distribution evenly on the surface of foot/feet and "operating"/connecting from mingmen area.

Around 30min (or longer..) form work with single minded focus on certain detail will work wonders on both concentration and the detail in particular, IMO.

[littlepanda]

there is an interesting book Multiple Mentality by harry kahne for developing concentration. lots of drills like the one you mentioned. you can download it for free at this link

http://www.brainybetty.com/2007Motivati ... Course.pdf

.

[RobP3]

Pace out the shapes of the numbers 1-9 on the floor
Draw the shapes of the numbers 1-9 in the air with your hands
Do both together
Pace out the shapes of the letters of your name on the floor
Draw the shapes of the letters of your name in the air with your hands
Do both together
Now pace the numbers while drawing the letters with your hands
Then vice versa

This drill has lots of benefits and applications

[marvin8]

Two division boxing champion Vasyl Lomachenko — attention & focus exercises.

Published on Nov 2, 2015:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eljnPx7tMxo

[lenmccoy]

Thank you all.
Beerlessboxer I do try this a lot. It is interesting how even trying to do something as simple as keep tongue on roof of mouth can make you forget sequence order sometimes.
RobP3 this is one thing I love about the systema people. They always seem willing to share stuff to enhance other peoples MA that someone can reasonably try on their own. I am not saying their is anything wrong with saying we don't talk about that with outsider but you guys more open approach is great.
Marvin8 I wonder if anyone has studied if this kind of stuff stops or slows the punch drunk problem.
thanks
Len McCoy

[wiesiek]

hi Len
You didn`t describe exercise as it should be.
You have to counting the breaths not just counts the numbers.
Count them in DT.
so
If you can do the 100, try 300...
This takes 1,5 h , quite training if you are in the lotus position etc.
Focus on different body points when doing the form should be automatic, if you able to count...

[lars]

Hi Len,

I dont know if the exercise you learned was the same one that Park teaches, but the concentration exercise from Park is not just counting numbers.
You need to simultaneously visualise the numbers you are counting, which is much more difficult. You shouldnt go to the next number before you see it clearly.
(it is not related to breathing, there are other exercises for that).
That demands quite a lot of effort in the beginning, and is a great exercise for calming down the "monkey mind" and learning to focus concentration and stay with it.
Also you should shift the numbers so it doesnt become "automatic", so for example start from 300 or 700 or whichever hundred and go down from there (and do more than 100 numbers )

[wiesiek]

..."You need to simultaneously visualise the numbers you are counting, which is much more difficult. You shouldnt go to the next number before you see it clearly.
(it is not related to breathing, there are other exercises for that)..."

= Count them in DT.

[LaoDan]

It is interesting how even trying to do something as simple as keep tongue on roof of mouth can make you forget sequence order sometimes.

http://slantedflying.com/multitasking-the-mind-attention-and-intention-in-taijiquan/

[Tiga Pukul]

Interesting subject guys. I get stuck in a phase of training where i need more focus so i can be more 'in the moment' whilst doing application exercises. In a form it's relatively easy but in application, the 'stress' of being 'attacked' and having to think on multiple aspects at the same time tends to get my attention on the wrong aspects sometimes.