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The First as The Last

By: Jason Kraus

  

It is important to practice every technique – as much as you are able – as if it is the last one you will ever do.

 

Doing something for the last time has a special significance, a special power.


Consider a childhood friend moving far away (especially before social media) or a beloved family member leaving your life. The words you share with them, the meaningful looks, the shared smiles – the weight invested in those moments resonates long after the moments end.

 

It is with similar intent that a wise karateka practices even the most fundamental kihon. If you had only one more gyakuzuki to land or a last shutouke to make, how much of yourself –  your intention, your physicality, your emotional energy – would you put into it?

 

Everything, right?

 

What if that technique could be the one to save your life or the life of one you love?

 

You’d loose that gyakuzuki with intent enough to put a hole in steel. You’d break bone with your shutouke. Clear spirit, focused breath, biomechanical connection, relaxed heaviness, kime.

 

What would have changed between those techniques you’ve done ten thousand times before and the one you’re doing for the very last time?

 

Your mind.

 

Even if the technique wasn’t the best you’d ever done, by using this mindset, you’d have taken a greater step forward on the road to improvement than if you’d just done the technique by rote, without that “last intention”.

 

A great way to practice this is to start on one side of a room and execute a technique – gyakuzuki, oizuki, or maegeri are all good. Then ask yourself if that technique contained the “last intention” described above.


If it didn’t, move back to your starting place and try again. Only allow yourself to move forward when you’re satisfied with your effort.

 

Then reset your body and do it again.

 

And again.

 

It will likely take a while to cross the room. That’s ok, because you are training your mind as much as your body.


Your body is learning how to hit with combined forces of your everything. And your mind is learning that sometimes, you only get one shot, and since you don’t know when that shot will be the last one, give it your all, every time.

 

Jason Kraus is a lifelong martial artist. Jason spent decades in various martial arts including traveling to and living in both Japan and Korea. He has most recently returned to his first love, Shotokan Karate.

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