Keiko (稽古) and Shugyō (修行)
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Training in the martial arts is not just a hobby; we should contemplate our practice deeply.
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The Japanese have six words for training, each signifying a deeper, more encompassing path: Keiko – practice; Renshu – training; Kunren – discipline; Tanren – forging; Kufu – struggling to solve a problem with one’s entire being; Shugyō – the deepest, spiritual self-discipline.
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Keiko (稽古) has two kanji, the first kei (稽) meaning ‘to think or to consider’. The second, ko (古) means old. The same ko as in koryū (古流) or kobudō (古武道).
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Our martial arts uniform is also referred to as a keikogi (稽古着), keiko to contemplate the past and gi (着) meaning something worn.
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When we perform keiko, we are refining and considering the things that came before us; the teachings.
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In Chinese or Japanese, the characters can often be complex and have a long history. We are taught something that has come before us, and we copy it. Then reflect on it. We look at the past and think of what we should do. To consider what came before. This is keiko.
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Shugyō (修行) is a Japanese word which has no equivalent in English. Shugyō is also made up of two kanji. Shu (修) meaning ascetic practices or discipline. And gyō (行) which means journey, or to go, or conduct.
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In Zen and the martial arts shugyō is often simply defined as the ultimate level of physical and mental training.
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Shugyō is extreme keiko. Therefore, for many people who only train physically this means training to the point of physical exhaustion. There is an expression that suggests after you have given all you have…… show me what you have. At this point of physical exhaustion and mental distraction, we do not find natural movement or enlightenment; we become awkward and sloppy in our practices.
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Training should always be mindful, training with a relaxed body and a calm mind, training with intent and intensity. Shugyō is a martial discipline as self-discipline, self-examination, self-discovery, and continual self-correction towards excellence in everything we do.
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Shugyō is a never ending ongoing process, living and training mindfully everyday with intent and intensity.
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Everyday life is our true keiko and shugyõ. Shugyō is the process, not the content. 
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