Sosai Mas Oyama - The Founder of Kyokushin Karate

The founder of our system, Masutsu Oyama, 10th Dan, has been described by some as being a "legend in his own time". He was born in Korea in 1923 and began his martial arts training by studying Kenpo at the age of nine.
In 1938, he moved to Japan to further his academic studies but also found time to master the art of judo. However, it was karate that fascinated him most so he joined a karate school headed by Gichin Funakoshi. He trained very hard every day and at the age of eighteen was awarded his Nidan. By this time, it was becoming obvious to him that this style of karate could not give him what he was looking for and therefore decided to study under a great master of the time called Sodeiju. He managed to attain the grade of Yondan before volunteering to fight in the air force toward the end of the second world war.
After the war, he spent a year training at Mt. Minobu, living in an isolated temple. It was after this years training that he competed in an "All Japan Championship", which he duly won. It was this event that prompted him to devote his live completely to karate. He isolated himself for almost two years on Mt. Kiyozumi, in Chiba, living in a small hut that he build himself. For food, he relied mostly on what grew and lived around him, which was presumably enough to sustain him during vigorous daily program. As the months passed, he became both physically and mentally stronger and many hours were spent in meditation.
In 1949, he came down from the mountain and took up residence close to a slaughter house. It was at this slaughter house that he got the opportunity to try out the power in his techniques on some of the bulls awaiting slaughter.
In 1952, he toured America giving demonstrations and exhibition matches. His breaking ability earned him the name "The divine hand", and he frequently made appearances on television. During this tour he was sometimes challenged be various people including both wrestlers and boxers and by all accounts defeated them all.

In 1953, he was approached by a Japanese film company who wanted to film him fighting a bull, which he readily agreed to do. In order to increase his speed he had to lose weight, for he knew this would be of the utmost importance against a fast bull. On the day of the match he weighed 180 lbs and it is reported that the bull weighed 990 lbs with horns four inches in diameter. According to the account in Kancho Oyama's book "This is Karate", the whole match lasted more than 30 minutes. His tactics were to tire the bull out by constantly dodging the animal's charge. At one point in the match he was evidently gored in the stomach, but this did not stop him from eventually toppling the bull over and chopping off a horn.
He later went on to fight more bulls, defeating them all in one way or another. He endured all this he says "in order to test to the limit, human ability and the incredible power of karate".

The Meaning of Osu

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:

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.

In other words, Osu.

11 Mottoes of Sosai Mas Oyama