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 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"
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. 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. This
strength of character develops in hard training and is known as osu no seishin
(the spirit of 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.
One of Sosai's sayings was, "Sekijou juunen." Translated, it means "Ten
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.
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.
In other words, OSU