{"id":2238,"date":"2025-06-26T17:04:26","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T08:04:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/?p=2238"},"modified":"2025-06-26T17:04:46","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T08:04:46","slug":"budo-beat-27-gaping-not-aping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/?p=2238","title":{"rendered":"Budo Beat 27: Gaping, Not Aping"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The \u201cBudo Beat\u201d Blog features a collection of short reflections, musings, and anecdotes on a wide range of budo topics by Professor Alex Bennett<\/a>, a seasoned budo scholar and practitioner. Dive into digestible and diverse discussions on all things budo\u2014from the philosophy and history to the practice and culture that shape the martial Way.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was waiting in line last Wednesday at training to fight my sensei. I thought I was first in line, but it turned out his dance card was already well and truly booked. Thirty minutes later\u2026 What a waste of good training time. NOT!<\/mark><\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mitori-geiko<\/em>, that budo concept whose literal translation\u2014 \u2018practice by watching\u2019\u2014undersells its complexity rather neatly, is essentially martial arts as serious armchair philosophy. You perch at the edge of the dojo, peering intently at two budoka smashing each other with vigorous intent, hoping by some osmosis of observation you\u2019ll absorb the magic secret hidden in their technique. Yet, mitori-geiko<\/em> isn\u2019t mere passive spectating; it demands relentless mental engagement, an eagle-eyed scrutiny, and an acute knack for distinguishing genuine skill from flamboyant nonsense.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Everyone who steps into a dojo soon realises that no two martial artists move alike. Each person\u2019s technique is riddled with quirks, strengths, weaknesses, and patterns. Watch a few rounds of any budo practice, and you\u2019ll see this spectacle play out vividly. The trick (there\u2019s always a trick) is figuring out what the heck to do with all this difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love my old budo poems, and as one classic saying goes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEach has a different way of performing their techniques;
Observe carefully and learn from what others do.<\/em>\u201d1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn\u2019t about slavishly mimicking someone else\u2019s moves. If imitation alone were the key, we\u2019d all achieve mastery after a single afternoon of watching some old samurai movies. Instead, the true benefit is gleaned from careful observation mixed with your own experimenting, and copious dollops of trial and error. Merely copying another person\u2019s technique superficially, no matter who they are, won\u2019t magically turn you into a budo prodigy. Watching others simply gives you useful hints about what\u2019s possible, what\u2019s effective, and just as importantly, what\u2019s never going to work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mitori-geiko<\/em> is a term for what amounts to paying attention while others sweat it out. But it isn\u2019t just sitting back smugly, nodding like you have a clue. Genuine mitori-geiko<\/em> demands sharp eyes, a curious and analytical mind, and the brutal honesty to confront your own embarrassing shortcomings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of it like watching Roger Federer glide across a tennis court. Admiring his backhand doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll master it next weekend at your local club tournament. However, noting how he anticipates the ball, shifts his weight, or relaxes his grip just before hitting the ball could inspire improvements in your own game. Martial arts work the same way\u2014it\u2019s less about wholesale \u201caping\u201d and more about \u201cappropriating\u201d useful little bits of technique to polish your own style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, observational training is pointless without relentless effort in your own practice. Watching others without engaging deeply yourself is like sitting glued to cooking shows but never bothering to enter your own kitchen. Without sweat, reflection, and a healthy dose of frustration, none of those observed subtleties will stick. Notwithstanding, observation is invaluable\u2014not just for improving your technical skills, but also for \u201cpolishing\u201d your character and self-awareness. Another old poem sums it up rather neatly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood or bad, your companions are mirrors:
Polish your spirit through observation<\/em>.\u201d2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A dojo isn\u2019t just populated with students and teachers; it\u2019s brimming with reflections of our own hidden traits, both admirable and aggravating. It\u2019s easy, of course, to admire skilful strikes and graceful footwork, but it\u2019s the irritations that often prove most instructive. When someone\u2019s sloppy footwork gets under your skin, it might be worth considering if their clumsiness secretly mirrors your own. When a fellow student constantly rushes their techniques, ask yourself if you also fall prey to impatience. If another\u2019s needless swagger makes your jaw tighten, perhaps it\u2019s a gentle reminder about humility. Even something as small as irritation over a partner\u2019s inability to keep up during instructions might reflect your own restless mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Each year, throngs gather at Kyoto’s historic Butokuden to watch demonstration matches featuring high-ranking masters. Here, it\u2019s not about who wins or loses, but rather absorbing every detail from the greats as they strut their stuff on the floor.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In short, when observing others in the dojo, you\u2019re not just watching\u2014you\u2019re polishing. This means that observational training shouldn’t be a comfortable break. To reiterate, the genuine value of mitori-geiko<\/em> isn\u2019t only in identifying what others do superbly (although this is an important part of it); it\u2019s in clearly spotting their errors, and consequently identifying your own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a temptation to envy someone else\u2019s beautiful technique, wishing yours were a perfect match. But chasing after someone else\u2019s exact form misses the whole point. Your technique will never be theirs\u2014you\u2019re built differently, think differently, and have faced entirely different training hurdles. Instead, your task is to distil the principles and processes you observe and apply them uniquely to your own context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A celebrated budoka\u2019s spectacular \u201cCombo\u201d might dazzle (Ryu\u2019s \u2018Shoryuken\u2019 comes to mind), but it\u2019s the unnoticed shifts in footwork, breathing, timing, or subtle grip adjustments moments earlier that contain the true magic. Spotting these finer (sometimes invisible) points and patterns will catapult your progress far beyond rehearsing big, theatrical moves in which you are oblivious to the undercurrents that drives it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, I\u2019ve trained myself to slow down and scrutinise others practising. I don\u2019t just rejoice in witnessing outstanding techniques; I study their failures closely. What tiny lapse in focus or balance spoiled their move? What superfluous mechanical movement gave the game away? Identifying these minute errors or patterns has served to sharpen my own approach, and helped me identify similar issues in my own way of doing things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That reminds me. Another invaluable form of mitori-geiko<\/em>, perhaps less traditional but equally important, comes from watching myself on video. I guess you could call it \u201cMe-tori-geiko<\/em>\u201d. Whenever I have the chance, I swallow my pride, and hit play\u2014especially on the clips where I\u2019ve royally stuffed things up. It\u2019s astonishing, really, the yawning chasm between how I imagine myself moving and what\u2019s actually unfolding on the screen. Techniques I thought razor-sharp look suspiciously like drunken ballet; moments I believed dignified seem closer to slapstick comedy. Occasionally, the cringe factor is so high I conclude that if I ever faced myself in combat, I\u2019d gleefully and easily kick my own arse. There\u2019s no denying the usefulness of this brutal self-examination; the camera, unlike the ego, never lies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next time you\u2019re floorside in the dojo, don\u2019t just sit passively admiring the spectacle. Engage with what you see. Observe intently, question constantly, and test your findings relentlessly. Even if lessons aren\u2019t immediately obvious, they\u2019re there, hiding in plain sight. Look, analyse, learn, absorb, plan, execute. I feel an acronym is in order: LALAPE<\/mark>\u2026? A bit lame I suppose, and it ends with \u2018ape\u2019; but know that it\u2019s so much more than just aping someone else or monkeying around. Ultimately, your goal isn’t becoming someone else\u2019s shadow, but using their light to find your own way forward.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
  1. “\u305d\u308c\u305e\u308c\u306b\u3000\u4eba\u306e\u70ba\u3059\u6280 \u3061\u304c\u3075\u306a\u308a \u3088\u304f\u898b\u3066\u7fd2\u3078 \u4eba\u306e\u306a\u3059\u6280” (Sorezore ni, hito no nasu waza ni, yoku mite narae. Hito no nasu waza<\/em>.) Contained in Tomita Yoshinobu (ed.), Shiry\u014d Nihon Kend\u014d<\/em> (Tomita Yoshinobu, 1982) p. 108 \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li>
  2. “\u5584\u304d\u3082\u53cb\u3000\u60aa\u3057\u304d\u3082\u53cb\u306e\u93e1\u306a\u308b\u3000\u898b\u308b\u306b\u5fc3\u306e\u5e74\u3092\u307f\u304c\u3051\u3070” (Yoki mo tomo, ashiki mo tomono kagami naru. Miru ni kokoro no toshi [tsuki] wo migakeba…<\/em>) This poem pops up in various froms and lengths in several books related to budo. For example in Ruij\u016b Denki Dai-Nihonshi<\/em>, Vol. 10 (Y\u016bzankaku, 1936, p. 41), a fuller version reads:
    “Good or bad, your companions are mirrors:
    Polish your heart through observation.
    If your mind settles into one place,
    You’ll lose the resolve to progress.
    Cast away the judgment of good and bad\u2014
    See clearly with an untroubled mind.
    Always maintain the spirit
    Of looking down upon your enemy.     \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The \u201cBudo Beat\u201d Blog features a collection of short reflections, musings, and anecdotes on a wide range of budo topics by Professor Alex Bennett, a seasoned budo scholar and practitioner. Dive into digestible and diverse discussions on all things budo\u2014from the philosophy and history to the practice and culture that shape the martial Way. I was waiting in line last Wednesday at training to fight...","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"\\\"\u305d\u308c\u305e\u308c\u306b\u3000\u4eba\u306e\u70ba\u3059\u6280 \u3061\u304c\u3075\u306a\u308a \u3088\u304f\u898b\u3066\u7fd2\u3078 \u4eba\u306e\u306a\u3059\u6280\\\" (Sorezore ni, hito no nasu waza ni, yoku mite narae. Hito no nasu waza<\/em>.) Contained in Tomita Yoshinobu (ed.), Shiry\u014d Nihon Kend\u014d<\/em> (Tomita Yoshinobu, 1982) p. 108\",\"id\":\"a73d0b40-d288-49b7-996e-45ebfadff4b3\"},{\"content\":\"\\\"\u5584\u304d\u3082\u53cb\u3000\u60aa\u3057\u304d\u3082\u53cb\u306e\u93e1\u306a\u308b\u3000\u898b\u308b\u306b\u5fc3\u306e\u5e74\u3092\u307f\u304c\u3051\u3070\\\" (Yoki mo tomo, ashiki mo tomono kagami naru. Miru ni kokoro no toshi [tsuki] wo migakeba...<\/em>) This poem pops up in various froms and lengths in several books related to budo. For example in Ruij\u016b Denki Dai-Nihonshi<\/em>, Vol. 10 (Y\u016bzankaku, 1936, p. 41), a fuller version reads:
    \\\"Good or bad, your companions are mirrors:
    Polish your heart through observation.
    If your mind settles into one place,
    You'll lose the resolve to progress.
    Cast away the judgment of good and bad\u2014
    See clearly with an untroubled mind.
    Always maintain the spirit
    Of looking down upon your enemy.\",\"id\":\"e7b15d0c-e665-401e-b257-8a69c0ad8131\"}]"},"categories":[35],"tags":[36,69],"class_list":["post-2238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-b-b-blog","tag-budo","tag-mitori-geiko"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2238"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2246,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2238\/revisions\/2246"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/budobooks.jp\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}