Not many athletes will list meditation as a valuable tool to assist them in their martial arts journey. To Keanu Subba, however, meditating is a valuable asset.
Ahead of his three-round featherweight clash with Japan’s Ryogo Takahashi at ONE: FOR HONOR in Jakarta, Indonesia on Friday, 3 May, the Malaysian said meditating has improved his game in various aspects.
“I’ve been training hard as usual, but over the past couple of months, I’ve been meditating even more. That has been really helpful,” the 24-year-old explained.
“I visualize more and imagine what I can bring to the cage, or how my match is going to unwind. It’s nice to get some alone time with yourself, even though it’s just a few minutes per day. Being in meditation mode is really beneficial.”
In the morning, the MIMMA Featherweight Champion trains at Monarchy MMA, where he spends a couple of hours enhancing his martial arts skills.
During the afternoon, Subba spends some time alone in his house. He will put on a pair of earphones and listen to meditation music.
“It helps me reflect on my month, my week, and my match. It allows me to see the good or bad things I’ve done throughout the day,” he said, further describing the type of music which keeps him company.
“It’s a beat with no singing or electronic sounds. It’s just a very calm beat, and mostly a very isotonic tone. It helps me zone out and stay focused on whatever I have in my mind. Sometimes, going completely silent is the way to go.”
With his ONE Championship return less than two weeks away, there is no surprise about what Subba is meditating on.
In his mind, he has envisioned himself leaving the ring at the Istora Senayan with a victory — perhaps as early as the second round.
“I’ve definitely got [Takahashi] in my mind, but I’m focusing more on how I can defeat him in Indonesia. I’m not too worried about how he’s coming up against me, or how I’m going to fight against him,” the Malaysian featherweight said.
“I’m very confident in what I’ll showcase in Jakarta. I feel like I’ll catch him in the first or second round, and grind my way to victory from then on.”
