As the temperatures plummet again this time of year our thoughts turn to “Kangeiko” (寒稽古). The purpose of kangeiko is to begin the new year with a personal challenge, renew the spirit and set a tone of excellence for the entire year.
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Kangeiko (literally ‘cold training’ or ‘winter training’) is a common practice of many traditional Japanese martial arts and is a cousin of sorts to suigyo (cold water immersion) and takigyo (waterfall training), which are also practiced by many different groups, from Shinto sects to traditional martial arts ryuha.
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Within the context of budo, however, all practitioners of kangeiko generally share a common goal: by carrying out training while enduring coldness, it aims not only to improve skills but also to discipline your mind and develop mental strength.
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This kind of training is not about feats of toughness, but building the capability to control how your mind and body react to a circumstance of discomfort and distraction. Gaining the ability to maintain “zanshin” and access mental strength under these circumstances is an essential aspect of study. It is as much an emotional practice as it is a physical exercise.
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Pushing past our perceived boundaries builds mental toughness. It’s great for reminding ourselves just what we’re capable of.

In some ways, winter training can offer benefits you don’t get in summer. For instance, cold weather may actually improve endurance.
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We continue the ritual at our dojo as a way to renew our spirit. ….. Our dojo always starts off cold in the winter, as this is done in an unheated dojo, which is almost the same as training outside. Traditional Japanese architecture doesn’t include much in the way of insulation and our dojo follows this design.
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Since kangeiko is a “martial arts tradition”, it’s an important part of the spirit of a dojo.
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When is the right time to ‘practice’? When we need to concentrate on acquiring a complex new skill in a relatively simple environment.
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When is the right time to ‘train’? To add a little stress to our study; to see how movement acquires more meaning in a different space.
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This may very well be on a cold morning just as the sun comes up. Martial spirit demands that we make the most of the challenge.
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Take it as a chance to push yourself to the next level by challenging your body, and your mind, with more intensity than usual. If it doesn’t challenge, you it won’t change you.
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 Photo Credit: This Moment Photography
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