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I was doing some JLPT reading practice and found this passage that I cannot really comprehend. The Miyamoto Musashi quote is highlighted in the brackets:

（略） 前田さんによれば、真剣同士の戦いは、実際に刀と刀がぶつかっていなくても、二人のではすでに想定される刀の軌道が運動し合っているため、とても濃密な空間が出現している。たとえば宮本武蔵の言葉で言うと、相手が打つときの、「〝打つ〟の動作の〝う〟の頭をとらえて押し込む」というような、言葉にすると奇妙としか言いようのない呼吸があるという。

I don't really understand what M.M. was trying to say with 「〝打つ〟の動作の〝う〟の頭をとらえて押し込む」and how that is related to respiration (呼吸).

I was taking that sentence as something like "striking your opponent when you read their initial movement in their attempt to hit you" but I might be completely mistaken.

Thank you

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    See the second definition for 呼吸.
    – aguijonazo
    Commented Jul 31, 2023 at 0:38
  • Trick, knack? Yeah I think I'm getting there although the passage in its entirety still doesn't make 100% sense to me
    – Barcia
    Commented Jul 31, 2023 at 5:10
  • That's closer to the third definition than the second.
    – aguijonazo
    Commented Jul 31, 2023 at 5:28
  • Oh I get it now, I was helped by the answer below too. Thank you! @aguijonazo
    – Barcia
    Commented Jul 31, 2023 at 5:32
  • By the way, should it be 二人の間では? And should 運動 be 連動?
    – aguijonazo
    Commented Jul 31, 2023 at 7:02

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When people talk about the 呼吸 of two people, it often metaphorically refers to synchronization, harmony, synergy, rapport, tune (as in "in tune with someone"), wavelength (as in "on the same wavelength"), etc. It's basically about understanding each other without words. For example, 呼吸が合わない in a sport context often means there's a lack of coordination, synchronization, or understanding between two players.

I'm not sure what is the most natural word for 呼吸 in this context, but I hope you can get the basic idea.

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