December 13, 2014
Northeast Iowa
Concentration
One of the five theories of power is concentration. As time goes on, concentration seems to be something most of us lack. Is it that we are too busy multitasking or is the expectation of connecting to one idea so remote that it is an unobtainable goal?
For centuries, we have been improving ourselves with more effort for physical health. Physical work is what kept people healthy in early times. As work was taken inside, people had to put forth more effort by getting out or joining a health club. Now, you cannot go too far without seeing a gym or a health store with that quick fix for anything.
This improvement has also extended to your mental acuity. In 1918, a book “The Power of Concentration” by Theron Q. Dumont was published, on 12 different exercises to improve your concentration. They included just starting by sitting still and relaxed in a chair and then moving on to staring at an object for a time period. These exercises also consist of focused breath control, calming yourself for sleep, reading concentration, honing your sense of smell, and finally to control impulses for personal behavior.
When researching current articles on concentration, many of them have an easy step to improved concentration. Some as easy as one-two-three steps or even one that was claiming three minutes a day to improved concentration. In our fast paced electronic world, we can have it fast and easy. They are quick and simple tips like getting enough sleep, cutting caffeine intake and exercising more, drink more water, and wiggling your toes. We stray from our present when we aren’t stimulated after a period of time. Concentrating on wiggling your toes will bring your focus back to the present.
When looking at the many articles for this paper, there were many common elements for improving concentration. They included controlled breathing, self control, continued practice, physical exercise and getting away from anything with a screen. Several of these are the basics for students currently practicing Tae Kwon Do.
One of the origins for the word ‘concentration’ is the action of bringing to a center. If you can, center your mind and you find all of the rest will follow suit. Your movements, actions, and body will work together to create what you need to accomplish your task.
In my professional life I am a medical lab technician in a hospital. One of my job requirements is obtaining blood from patients. It takes technical skill and being able to gain the trust of a sick patient in a short amount of time. I need to focus on the physical part of my job to obtain the blood quickly and with the least amount of pain as possible. Unfortunately in dealing with people there is hardly a situation that goes as planned. I am able to deal with a distraction and focus back in on a subject or situation is a key skill provided by Tae Kwon Do.
In Tae Kwon Do I have the most usual break in concentration when being watched doing a form. When I turn and see someone unexpected it rattles the focus I have. Having practiced for many years this reaction has gotten better. But I think the unexpectedness of it still causes my brain to stray off of my task. (I wonder if I have made a mistake or not making it an artful performance while being watched.
Concentration in Tae Kwon Do is for me one of the most used theories of power. I can have breath control, equilibrium, reaction force, speed, and mass all in conjunction. If I am distracted by something with a break in concentration, however, all of these fall apart. Once concentration is broken, it seems that nothing you do will bring you back to it. Taking a deep breath and preserving the idea is what has worked for me as a Tae Kwon Do student and any other stressful situation I have encountered.
