Osu is the one word that you'll hear the
most in a Kyokushin dojo or at a Kyokushin tournament. When you enter
or leave the dojo, you bow and say "Osu". When you greet a fellow
Kyokushin karateka, you say "Osu" instead of "hello". When
you respond to an instruction or question in class, you say "Osu"
instead of "yes" or "I understand". When performing kihon waza
(basic techniques) in class, each technique is often accompanied with
a loud "Osu". When practicing jiyu kumite (free fighting) in
class and your opponent lands a good, hard technique, you say "Osu" to
acknowledge your opponent's skill. As a measure of respect, knockdown
fighters at a tournament bow and say "Osu" to the front, to the
referee and to each other, before and after the fight. Osu
is used in many situations and seems to mean a lot of things. But
what does it really mean?
Osu is a contraction of the words:
Oshi
meaning "Push", and Shinobu meaning "to Endure".
It means patience, determination and perseverance. Every time we
say "Osu", we remind ourselves of this.
Kyokushin training is very demanding. You push yourself until you
think you've reached your limit. First your body wants to stop, but
your mind keeps pushing you. Then your mind wants to stop, but your
spirit keeps you going. You endure the pain. You persevere. That is
Osu.
Kyokushin karate is not learned overnight. It takes years to properly
learn the fundamentals. The basic techniques are performed thousands
of times (ren ma – "always polishing") until they are done by
reflex or instinct, without conscious thought (mushin – "no
mind"). It's easy to get frustrated by doing the same thing over and
over again, especially when progress seems to be slow. To overcome
that frustration and continue training takes patience and
determination. That is Osu.
The absolute and unfaltering devotion needed to "scale the cliff" of
Kyokushin karate is Osu.
The spirit of Osu is probably best described by Shihan
Cameron Quinn of Australia in his book The Budo Karate of Mas
Oyama. He writes:
There is a saying in Japan, "Ishi no ue ni sannen."
Translated, it means "Three years on a rock." This saying symbolizes
the need to persevere at all times. It is one of the most important
philosophies in Kyokushin karate.
Kyokushin is an art offering many things according to the immediate
and long term aims of the trainee. Ultimately, one realizes that
transcending the kicks, the punches, and the kata, there is a special
spirit in the heart of the participants. It teaches them to face the
demands of daily life with a mature and enduring attitude. A budo-ka
is not easily shaken by the blows of adversity, realizing that for a
person to draw near to their true potential, a never-say-die spirit of
perseverance is required.
This strength of character develops in hard training and is known as
osu no seishin (the spirit of Osu). The word Osu
comes from oshi shinobu, which means "to persevere whilst
being pushed". It implies a willingness to push oneself to the limits
of endurance, to persevere under any kind of pressure.
The single word Osu captures most accurately the ultimate in
what the art of karate, particularly Kyokushin, has to offer. One who
is truly able to manifest the spirit of Osu in every word,
thought, and action may be regarded as wise and brave. Training
should first and foremost be approached in the spirit of Osu.
One's daily life, and the responsibilities it holds, would be more
completely lived if addressed in the spirit of Osu.
Even for the beginner, who is conscious of his lack of training and
does not necessarily want to face the demand of training, it is enough
merely being aware that through perseverance and the will to continue,
there comes great physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional gains.
All that is needed is that special determination.
