集中

Focus is the key to Quality Keiko. If you can focus there is no possibility that you won't Improve. On the other hand, if you can't Focus during Keiko you will almost certainly be unable to Improve, thus completely negating the substance of Keiko.

Focus is undoubtedly the hardest part of Keiko. If you can achieve Focus at the beginning of Keiko and maintain it throughout, everything else will follow. All Exercises will fall into place and be beneficial.

Focus is the same as Concentration. It is the key to Fighting in Shoubu.

勝つには集中が大事。
横綱朝青龍
To Win, Focus is the most important thing.
Yokodzuna Asashouryuu

This is what he told Hakurozan during 2005 Aki Basho as advice and it captures the essence of the absolute necessity of a presence of mind.

Keiko derives Value from the Harmony of two aspects: Focus and Flow. By achieving Focus and Flow you bring about Results in Keiko. These two aspects form the core of Keiko. However if you can achieve and maintain Focus, Flow will follow automatically.

Therefore, the only thing you must strive to achieve consciously is Focus.

Focus is a very simple idea but very difficult to achieve. It means eliminating all extraneous thoughts. You must only think about what you are doing at the moment you're doing it, but only about it.

For instance if you are doing Matawari every moment you must only think about which part of your leg muscles is being stretched and only about this. Not about how massive a stretch you want to achieve, how stiff your legs are, which exercise is next, what the relevance of Matawari is in the complete context of Keiko, or how this good Matawari is going to help you fight effectively at the next Tournament. About nothing, only the current minute movement being carried out.

Focus is the absolute presence of Mind.

The Mind however is a powerful weapon, having a tendency to drift. If you don't fight every moment to Focus absolutely with all your might, it will drift and the Value of Keiko will be lost.

If you achieve Focus you will achieve a Zen presence of Mind, the Ideal of Sumou relating to a state of Mind - Mushin.