In the longer term martial arts should become more than just learning how to physically block, strike, or grapple. It should also be about building character, learning better focus, and growing as a person. There’s a popular concept from Japanese martial arts called “Shin, Gi, Tai” that we should all be familiar with. The translation of Shin, Gi, Tai is ‘mind, technique, body’. When we learn to make these three things work together well, we can not only improve our ability to perform our chosen art, but also learn to make improvements in our life.
Let’s look at each part of Shin, Gi, Tai ~
Shin (Mind) - “Shin” refers to our mind and spirit. This is all about what’s going on inside of us. In the martial arts, having a strong mind and spirit means being confident, staying calm, and keeping focus under pressure. With real confidence we can feel....
Let’s look at each part of Shin, Gi, Tai ~
Shin (Mind) - “Shin” refers to our mind and spirit. This is all about what’s going on inside of us. In the martial arts, having a strong mind and spirit means being confident, staying calm, and keeping focus under pressure. With real confidence we can feel....
good about showing respect and kindness to others. Shin also means discipline and perseverance, enabling us to keep going when things become difficult. For example, if we’re get tired during a class or become frustrated with our progress, mental-toughness is what helps us keep going and not give up. Shin also teaches us to have a positive attitude and enjoy challenges in training.
Gi (Technique) - “Gi” is a reference to the skills we learn (not to be confused with the uniform Gi.) This is the part of training where learn means technique and strategies of our art.
We practice punches, blocks, stances, takedowns, positioning, submissions, and forms until we can do them well. But it’s not just about looking good — it’s about doing each move as perfectly as possible, with purpose and control. Good technique is important because it helps us stay safe and be effective in both practice and real-life situations. A martial artist with great technique is sharp, fast, and precise.
Tai (Body) - “Tai” stands for the body. A martial artist must train their body to be strong, flexible, trim, and balanced. This means doing exercises, stretching, and taking care of our health. When our body is in good shape, we can move better, react faster, and avoid injury. Being smart about the quality of food we eat and portions is important in optimizing our fitness level. The Okinawans follow a principle called ‘Hara Hachi Bu’ which means stopping eating when we feel 80% full. Cross training to improve our strength and endurance is always a good idea. Lastly, Tai means learning control and using our body in smart ways.
The idea of Shin, Gi, Tai is important because it teaches us balance. You can’t just train your body and ignore your mind. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to train hard on technique and discipline but allow our body to become unfit. Someone might be very strong and know many moves, but if they lose their temper easily or have a bad attitude, they will not be a good martial artist. Or someone might be calm and respectful, but without good technique and fitness, they can’t defend themselves well. All three parts of Shin, Gi, Tai need to grow together. If one part is missing, we will not reach our full potential.
It’s especially important for intermediate and advanced students to understand and practice the principles of Shin, Gi, Tai. As we go higher in levels the expectations for doing well in all of the areas included are greater. An advanced student who seems to struggle with any one of these elements, or in harmonizing them together well will stagnate in their progress as a martial artist, and may experience delays in their promotions.
There’s also a reason for the order of Shin, Gi, Tai. This classic order indicates that, in the long run a martial artist uses their mind and spirit first, then technique and skill, and rely on their strength last. Smart martial artist will use every opportunity to avoid negative situations in training or life. Next, they will use skill and strategy to deal with challenges that can’t be avoided. Lastly, they will rely on their physical strengths to deal with issues.
So, the concepts of Shin, Gi, Tai are powerful principles in our martial arts development. Remember that to be truly skilled, we must not only develop our the techniques and strategies of our art, but also keep our bodies fit and trim, and our minds sharp and focused. When we find balance between all three, we can become the best martial artists we can be...and better people.
Gi (Technique) - “Gi” is a reference to the skills we learn (not to be confused with the uniform Gi.) This is the part of training where learn means technique and strategies of our art.
We practice punches, blocks, stances, takedowns, positioning, submissions, and forms until we can do them well. But it’s not just about looking good — it’s about doing each move as perfectly as possible, with purpose and control. Good technique is important because it helps us stay safe and be effective in both practice and real-life situations. A martial artist with great technique is sharp, fast, and precise.
Tai (Body) - “Tai” stands for the body. A martial artist must train their body to be strong, flexible, trim, and balanced. This means doing exercises, stretching, and taking care of our health. When our body is in good shape, we can move better, react faster, and avoid injury. Being smart about the quality of food we eat and portions is important in optimizing our fitness level. The Okinawans follow a principle called ‘Hara Hachi Bu’ which means stopping eating when we feel 80% full. Cross training to improve our strength and endurance is always a good idea. Lastly, Tai means learning control and using our body in smart ways.
The idea of Shin, Gi, Tai is important because it teaches us balance. You can’t just train your body and ignore your mind. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to train hard on technique and discipline but allow our body to become unfit. Someone might be very strong and know many moves, but if they lose their temper easily or have a bad attitude, they will not be a good martial artist. Or someone might be calm and respectful, but without good technique and fitness, they can’t defend themselves well. All three parts of Shin, Gi, Tai need to grow together. If one part is missing, we will not reach our full potential.
It’s especially important for intermediate and advanced students to understand and practice the principles of Shin, Gi, Tai. As we go higher in levels the expectations for doing well in all of the areas included are greater. An advanced student who seems to struggle with any one of these elements, or in harmonizing them together well will stagnate in their progress as a martial artist, and may experience delays in their promotions.
There’s also a reason for the order of Shin, Gi, Tai. This classic order indicates that, in the long run a martial artist uses their mind and spirit first, then technique and skill, and rely on their strength last. Smart martial artist will use every opportunity to avoid negative situations in training or life. Next, they will use skill and strategy to deal with challenges that can’t be avoided. Lastly, they will rely on their physical strengths to deal with issues.
So, the concepts of Shin, Gi, Tai are powerful principles in our martial arts development. Remember that to be truly skilled, we must not only develop our the techniques and strategies of our art, but also keep our bodies fit and trim, and our minds sharp and focused. When we find balance between all three, we can become the best martial artists we can be...and better people.
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