Anger and self-defense

[Ceicei]

Anger has its place, it gave me focus and strength when I needed it. Afterwards as I was driving away, my knees shook. Without anger, I might have felt fear, then I might have not reacted as I did.

I doubt I could genuinely feel anger while practicing as I don't think a sparring accident or even an intentional bad strike would cause anger - surprise maybe but not anger. And I don't think it can be manufactured unless you have other issues - then I would think you would be thinking about those and become unfocused in your intent during sparring or even self-defense work. TW

I agree. Anger has its place. Anger can lend more strength when needed and dispel fear--it is only a temporary solution. It works in a high stress situation (when defending against an actual attack). Blinding rage, however, is not productive and usually cause more harm.

My instructor will sometimes goad me (especially when sparring) just enough to the point when I become more determined and focused. That is technically not anger as he doesn't make me mad. He just knows which buttons would motivate me.

- Ceicei

 

[still learning]

Hello, Anger does give you some focus and strength....and brings out the killer instinct ( when "anger" one does not care what one does). Many people lose control and will shoot,stab,club and hit to kill.....This cannot be good......the thoughts are lost on only hurting the other person/persons. ...AND will sometimes reqret later.....but too late!

The more calm you can make yourself...the better decisions you will make!

In all out martial arts...we all have levels of attacking/hurting a person. Only by being more relax... can you see the amount of force you will need!

Controlling anger will not be easy after all these years you have use it...it is a habit. HABITS CAN BE CHANGE!

Anger is a learn response...so is being nice....oops " I'm sorry" ...simile and move on............Aloha

PS: Anger did work for the HULK! ..don't get him mad?

 

[Tony]

I think using a mixture of fear and anger helps! Fear keeps you alert to danger and hightens your awareness. Also that rush of adrenalin acts like a pain killer but to stop yourself from feeling too much fear I would want to use some anger and focus it so I have a balance of both.

When I was 17 I was attacked and it was my fear that kept me alive and maybe if i had got angry and used my then limited knowledge of martial arts and anger i might not be here or who knows I may have surprised myself and hurt them a little.

Having too much anger makes you slow and tense I think although people who get angry when they fight can inflict a lot of damage but have no control. My friend for instance who does Taekwondo has been banned from sparring as he gets so carried away he uses to much force. This could be a problem if he realy injures someone in class and out in a street situation he coudl end up killing someone and go to prison. This guy is soon going to be a black belt and it concerns me he has not learned control yet when he has to set an example to the younger students in his class.

Anger clouds the mind and leaves us with less options but if we are relaxed our minds are free to utilise every technique we know to overcome potential attackers. To have a clear mind I think meditation would be of extreme benefit aswell as helping our responses. I might suggest this to my friend but I bet he will think its gay without even givign it a try. I don't think they do a lot of this in his class. I think they mainly concentrate on forms and sparring.

Another question I want to put is how would you respond to an angry opponent?

 

[Adept]

A few people have already likened fear and anger to fire, and it's a great analogy.

I live in a very dry country, and bushfires are a part of life. When I was a young'n, one of the things my dad drilled into me was that "fire is a good servant, but a poor master."

And the same is perfectly true of both fear and anger. Keep it under control, and it can serve you well. But when it gets out of control, bad things can happen. Using that theory, I find a little bit of anger/fear can really help in a tense situation, so long as you remain under control.

 

[searcher]

Anger as with any emotion I have found to be very bad. It tends to cloud judgement and has been known to get people hurt. Typically the one who is angry. It is common to have young testosterone pumping males think that it is the only way to fight, but as I have shown them time and again it only makes them screw up in a conflict. No martial artist should rely on emotion to help them in a fight. IMO it is saying that their skills are not good enough to carry them through a conflict. I will gladly defend against a person who is relying on emotion. It makes it easier to stop the fight quickly and I don't hurt as much the next day.

 

[beau_safken]

Anger while training leads to pulled muscle, broken bones and worse yet...you doing that to someone else. People who have those issues need a shrink...not a dojo.

 

[Hand Sword]

In self defense, anger could be an ally. You should be angry for getting picked as atarget or attacked. Being passive will definitely get you broken in a fight.

 

[MJS]

In self defense, anger could be an ally. You should be angry for getting picked as atarget or attacked. Being passive will definitely get you broken in a fight.

Thats true, however, we still can't allow that anger to overwhelm us.

Mike

 

[bushidomartialarts]

i said 'don't know' because it can be both.

controlled anger can be extremely useful. uncontrolled anger will mess you up. depends on your goals and your level of comfort with emotionally manipulating yourself.

 

[bignick]

Anger has no place in training. You are there to learn and to practice while ensuring the safety of yourself and others.

In competition, the best competitors I've seen compete with a sense of anger and almost hatred towards their opponent. It's a switch they've learned to turn on and off. They don't care who it is before or after the match, but during the bout they want to hurt that person, it's hard to compete against someone with that mindset.

In self-defense, you should be angry that the ****er that decided it was your day to be a victim thought for one second he could hurt you or the ones you love. If he tries to hurt you, he deserves to die. In the words of my instructor, "Who cares? Occupational hazard, if he didn't want to worry about people hurting him, he shouldn't be a bad guy."

 

[still learning]

Hello, My comments posted above was made before I read the book "Strong on Defense".

I have learn after reading a few chapters.....when we are being attack,aducted,or worst? We can use our anger/hatred to fight back?..this is a positive thing.

Anger will give you added strenght and feel less pain! Sometimes you must get mad ...to resist the aggressor! When someone is hurting you! and the only answer to fight back and to escape!

Our emotions(anger )can be use for good reasons too....as you read others who mention the same things how anger has help them! (the HULK)

I was wrong earlier.....sometimes we must choose to be angry? ....Let's get mad NOW? .......aaawwww.........Aloha

 

[Kacey]

Are we talking about anger or adrenalin? The fight or flight response, which triggers adrenalin, is very useful in a self-defense, but anger, as stated in other posts, clouds the judgement, hinders control, and can too easily spread to people otherwise uninvolved in the conflict.

 

[stickarts]

I am normally pretty passive. I have noticed that a little anger, but well controlled and chanelled has helped me in competition in many sports.
out of control or used in an abusive way is of course destructive to everyone.

 

[still learning]

Are we talking about anger or adrenalin? The fight or flight response, which triggers adrenalin, is very useful in a self-defense, but anger, as stated in other posts, clouds the judgement, hinders control, and can too easily spread to people otherwise uninvolved in the conflict.

Have you experience either one? Anger can be use in a positive way? ...Try it? ...........Aloha

 

[terryl965]

Have you experience either one? Anger can be use in a positive way? ...Try it? ...........Aloha

Even though some can use anger in a positive way it should never be used when your fighting, stay calm and get angry after the fact, that way your vision will not be cloudy at all.
Terry

 

[still learning]

Even though some can use anger in a positive way it should never be used when your fighting, stay calm and get angry after the fact, that way your vision will not be cloudy at all.
Terry

Most of us do not look for confrontations? We will avoid it if possible? ...When facing a aggressor(can be huge,more than one,w/weapons). You will not feel calm? If the aggression continues....fear kicks in? and the adrenline? ....will you fight back?

Sometimes getting anger will force you to fight back harder and stronger...until you experience this or really understand it's properties?

Trying to stay calm is very hard to do? Even in a car accident?..how many of us stay calm? or were spook during Halloween? or on the edge of a very high tall building? do you feel calm? ever got rob or rape?
Talking about it is easy? ... In the real world? It will be different?

One day you will understand this? Anger will save your life....suggested reading..."Strong on Defense" by Stanford Strong, Retired police officer.

The only people who usually remaims calm...are the stupid and insane? Read that somewhere?

......Aloha

 

[Hand Sword]

Or the one's that were not the victims. Kind of like the wildabeast that stand there and watch the lions eat one of their own.

 

[terryl965]

One day you will understand this? Anger will save your life....

Still learning Anger will not save your life but staying calm and control of the stituation might one day. I'm 45 years old and I know every single person I know in Ma says the same thing your anger will get the best of you one day, stay calm in every stituation and in control and you will be a better man for it.

I whole heartily believe this.
anger can be beneficial in certain scenirio's.

Terry

 

[still learning]

One day you will understand this? Anger will save your life....

Still learning Anger will not save your life but staying calm and control of the stituation might one day. I'm 45 years old and I know every single person I know in Ma says the same thing your anger will get the best of you one day, stay calm in every stituation and in control and you will be a better man for it.

I whole heartily believe this.
anger can be beneficial in certain scenirio's.

Terry

Yes! but there are many types of anger? Study this? The loose cannons will not be able to think clearly...this we all can agree? ..but have you had the type the makes you mad..but decide I will do it? Anger has many faces....and not only one type? /read the book "Strong on Defense"!

Staying in control and calm in a dangerous situtions is not easy? Especially when it is unexpected? Most of the time fear and adrenline will kick in? this is the natural respone for most people?

One can tell ? ..you may have not experience being attack, or in very high volatile situtions before? It is easy to say "be calm"

In real situtions? ....most schools do not teach real life adrenline/fear fighting back skills..and reactions? ....until you have face a high volatile situtions and can say you were calm and could think clearly as you feel everyday ....than I am wrong?

As much fights "Marc the Animal MacYoung" has been in...he always get the adrenline rush....but experience gets him out of most troubles.

Anger is a tool which if you know how to use? ..can work for you? ....study this.....

example: As a part-time Sercuity Officer..we ask people to leave (nicely)..sometimes they talk back or get mad at you...I will ask three times Please you must leave? ...the fourth time...I change my voice to a angerly tone...Just move out of here?(face expression too) ....usually works because they think I am getting Mad! ..... sai-call-a-la-G! ...Aloha ...sometimes we may not understand...that is OK!

 

[Kacey]

Have you experience either one? Anger can be use in a positive way? ...Try it? ...........Aloha

Actually, I have... and I find that controlled anger (as opposed to rage, which, to me, at least, connotes lack of control) can be useful in triggering that adrenalin dump I was referring to - but the key here is control. Either you control your anger, or it controls you; in the former case, it can be used; in the latter case, it will use you, and your actions will be reflexive and/or instinctive, rather than considered, and you will be more likely to regret them later.

I find that now, after many years of training, my training kicks in automatically - for example, I walked out of my classroom a couple of years ago and into a catfight between two 8th grade girls. I jumped between them, put my hands out in a cross between a block and a shove, and yelled "BREAK... it up!". My referee training kicked in, and that's how I reacted - it was very effective. Those two girls had been completely out of control, in a knock-down, drag-out catfight (pulling hair, kicking, grabbing, etc. - a very dirty fight), but the tone of my voice (and I was angry at them) caught their attention, and half a second later they were both sitting on the floor glaring at each other - but at no point was I out of control; if I had been, I don't think I would have responded as effectively.