【特别策划】为什么要练习剑道？

编者按：从2022年12月开始，东莞一心剑道馆网站（百度搜索即达）和微信公众号（一心馆）迎来了重要的改版升级。在此过程中，我们收到了很多剑道兴趣者的咨询。在众多的咨询中，有一个困扰新人的核心问题：为什么要练习剑道？（练习剑道有什么好处？）这个问题的答案是如此多元，根本没有标准答案。于是，我们特地辑录了东莞一心剑道馆不同年龄，不同职业背景，不同剑道经历的剑士们对这个问题的思考与回答，供各位参考。

Donyea Davenport: Self Confidence

丹野·达文波特：自信

自述者：Donyea Davenport，一心馆美籍剑士，剑道三段

日期：2023年1月12日

▲Donyea Davenport，剑道三段

What are some benefits of practicing kendo? The more you look at this question, the more reasons you will find. What I want focus on in this article is self confidence. When you practice kendo and make a commitment to practice on a regular basis, you will find that many other things seem to fall into place. One good reason for that is a growing confidence in self.

练习剑道有什么好处？你越是深究这个问题，就会发现更多的好处。今天我想在本文中谈一谈“自信”。当如果你开始定期地练习剑道，你将会发现有很多好处。其中一个很好的益处是自信心会越来越强。

Imagine that you have never done any real physical activity in your life. You go to the dojo and start practicing footwork but can’t do it. Following that you swing a shinai and you can do it. You do the basic warm-up and can’t make it through. Then after a your second class you can do the basic footwork at an elementary level. You find that you just needed to relax a bit and you can swing the shinai well enough. You can make it through more of the warm-up as your body is starting to adjust.  You tell yourself this is not as difficult as I thought.  Your thought process may go like this: “its impossible but I will try” turns into “I think can do somethings” turns into “I can do most things” and finally “I must and will do most things.”

设想一下，你之前可能没有参加过其他形式的体育锻炼。你第一次来到道场，开始练习步法，很难做好；然后，你开始学习挥剑，发现一开始也做不好；你和前辈们一起开始热身练习，发现自己坚持不下来。到第二次课的时候，你就能初步做好步法练习；你发现其实只需要稍微放松一点，就能很好地挥动竹剑；随着身体的调整，你可以完成更多的热身练习。你会告诉自己，其实剑道也没有想象的那么难。你的思考过程可能是这样的，从“我不可能做到的，但我可尝试一下”变成“我其实可以做好一部分”，再变成“我可以做好大部分”，最终变成“我必须而且能够完成大部分”。

A great quote for this feeling is from Miyamoto Musashi who stated, “It may seem difficult at first, but all things are difficult at first.” This mindset will be something that you can’t turn off.  This confidence in yourself tends follow into school, work, and human relationships. The main reason is you will find yourself able to relax in most situations that used to cause you panic. A second reason is you will have built up an ability to problem solve and make decisions decisively. This is just one small benefit from kendo practice. 

关于这种感受，宫本武藏说过一句名言：“刚开始看起来很难，但万事开头难”。这种感受是大家都无法克服的。自信的问题，时刻贯穿在你的学习、工作和人际关系之中。练习剑道的主要好处是，你发现自己在大多数情况下都能够放松，但在之前这些情形你会感到恐慌。其次，你能够获得解决问题和果断决策的能力。这都是练习剑道获得的好处。

Thank you.

谢谢大家。