Anger & Training

Gekido [激怒] & Jisshū [実習]

Reading a leading martial periodical the question was asked, “Would you agree it is important to NEVER (my emphasis) train when angry?” This tripped a trigger for me about concepts often not taught or trained in the dojo.

Anger is an emotion and a practitioner must have a mind that is of emotional maturity because, without it leads every time into conflict; followed closely by physical violence.

The question shouldn’t be do we train angry or not, but how do we train and practice when emotions, especially anger, are involved. Remember, every conflict, and its resolution, involves “emotions,” and our emotional maturity matters - a lot.

When I have had a day and if that day holds any anger then I choose … to “Enter the Dojo!” That dojo entry should be a gateway that triggers a mind-state that if muddled by emotional waves 🌊, if trained to this mind-set, provides that first tool to “count to ten” along with breathing and relaxation to ease the chemicals running through mind and body that triggered our emotional monster called, “the monkey.”

Stepping across that threshold, dojo pathway, triggers the breathing and mind-state that professionals of violence train for and use to maintain restraints on the level of emotions that affect operational capacity. Notice I state level because professionals know from experience that emotions are there whether we want them or not and they know the only way to put emotions to productive use is to use the techniques taught in training and practice to maintain emotional mature controls over levels when we need it most.

As to the non-professional, who wants the ability to defend and protect, they/we must have the same controls but way in advance of needing our tacti-cool martial methods; to know and understand those things not normal; those mile markers that let us know of possible and pending dangers; those off ramps of decision-making that allow us to an awareness that triggers our natural and nature driven choice of avoiding dangers, pitfalls and emotional triggers and so on, soooooo we DON’T have to use our tacti-cool martial methods to defend and protect but instead we “ avoid.”

In closing, train those emotions; be aware as sensei and senpai of emotional states when others enter the dojo; make lessons and train them on how to deal with stressors such as emotions, like anger, and physical and mental chemicals the body dumps for survival, so you have “ALL THE TOOLS” in the self-defense tool box to avoid conflict and violence.

Simple answer: YES, go to the dojo and discuss anger, and other emotions, and train to trigger “breathing, relaxation of the bodies tensions, and other methods,” then sit seiza for mokuso and contemplate your anger to learn control. Ask questions in mokuso like why did you become angry and contemplate the what, when, where and WHY of the day to UNDERSTAND the emotions - the gateway to emotional maturity thus emotional control. (Breathe slow deep diaphragmatic breathing to counter emotional effects especially of non-productive forms.