Emotional front

[Supra Vijai]

Hey not sure if this is the right section for this but seeing as it's something that came up during a KM class and there doesn't seem to be an "acting school" section on here, thought I'd ask other practitioners.

Basic situation setup is as follows: Drills dealing with knife threats - not attacks, threats where the knife is held to your throat. Act scared, grovel, cry whatever to keep your attackers mind engaged on other things as your bring your hands up and then move into responses.

Seems fairly simple yeah? Well I failed miserably. Not at the response part, at the crying/grovelling part.

Whenever we've do modern street defence in my primary art, we've always been told to remain calm, appear confident and not like a victim, get off the primal line, obtain and maintain tactical distancing etc etc. My training partner had no issues with the acting part of it, got his hands up as we were shown and moved into whichever response we were drilling at the time. When it was my turn I was told to think of myself as a method actor practicing for a role. After maybe my second try I got told that rather than sounding like a method actor, I sounded more like an actor on crystal meth I just could not cry or break down or grovel. On my request, my training partner ramped it up a little bit and came in with a sudden shove, swearing and a slashing action to place the knife to my throat. Still didn't work though, under the sudden adrenaline dump, I forgot the acting along with the techs we'd just learnt - left arm came up in a jamming action, right hand went to his throat and right knee came up into his groin.

So I've been set homework. Learn to cry and show fear in order to buy time. Short of taking acting classes, is there anything you guys would recommend I try? Also, what are you thoughts on the whole showing fear in the face of a street attack approach? I'm not saying I'm some badass who laughs in the face of danger. I'm sure I'll be terrified if it ever happens but am unsure about showing it if that makes any sense?

 

[mook jong man]

Personally I don't think its necessary to start crying , just feign shock and compliance , then a random question to engage his brain .

Pause slightly after you ask the question , then move in and go to work.

 

[elder999]

When it was my turn I was told to think of myself as a method actor practicing for a role. After maybe my second try I got told that rather than sounding like a method actor, I sounded more like an actor on crystal meth I just could not cry or break down or grovel. On my request, my training partner ramped it up a little bit and came in with a sudden shove, swearing and a slashing action to place the knife to my throat.

If it's gonna work, you'll do it if and when the time comes, otherwise.......

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[Chris Parker]

Hmm, while I see where they're coming from (and I've talked about the same things with you, by the way. When discussing a particular pistol defence clip on you-tube, I spoke to you about the psychology expected on both sides, this is part of that as well), I'm not convinced that they're entirely on the right track requiring tears and grovelling. Certainly if that is what is needed to survive a situation, I completely endorse it as a tactic, but it's certainly not a first-choice for me.

That said, as you may or may not be aware, my background includes training and experience as an actor, so I might have a few things to take you through. It really needs to be done in person, over text like this really doesn't work.

 

[Supra Vijai]

Yes aware of the acting background but I'd also said I would stop annoying you with every little thing that came up in class... Any advice I could get in person would be much appreciated though!

Reading back to my OP, I may have not painted a totally accurate picture. The crying and grovelling are meant to happen as you bring your hands up slowly to get into position, similar to asking the question to distract them. Not cry/grovel and then make a move seperately. What I was getting though was a very monotone voice with little to no emotion most of the time and then it seems I was taking a dominant tone rather than a pleading tone when I concentrated on my voice. The physical responses they said they didn't have a problem with as I understood the tech and was able to replicate what the instructors were showing, just my verbalization (or lack thereof), so in a very real way the purpose of this thread wasn't to undermine the school or how they teach but to try improve myself and my abilities. Hope that all makes sense?

 

[Supra Vijai]

Personally I don't think its necessary to start crying , just feign shock and compliance , then a random question to engage his brain .

Pause slightly after you ask the question , then move in and go to work.

When you say pause slightly, do you mean a split second so the attacker's brain can process the fact that you asked them something or longer to allow them to respond or something different? A different expression of asking the question that I've been shown in the past has been to ask a question but strike before you finish.

Very broad example could be "Hey can I ask you a ques... *strike of choice*....tion?"

 

[jks9199]

Hmm, while I see where they're coming from (and I've talked about the same things with you, by the way. When discussing a particular pistol defence clip on you-tube, I spoke to you about the psychology expected on both sides, this is part of that as well), I'm not convinced that they're entirely on the right track requiring tears and grovelling. Certainly if that is what is needed to survive a situation, I completely endorse it as a tactic, but it's certainly not a first-choice for me.

That said, as you may or may not be aware, my background includes training and experience as an actor, so I might have a few things to take you through. It really needs to be done in person, over text like this really doesn't work.

I agree. I agree that there may be a time to be compliant (until you have an opportunity to take action!) -- but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to grovel or cry. It seems to me that the instructors are working out of a belief that someone attacking you is going to react to the same emotional triggers that a normal person would. That's a pretty dangerous assumption... and it's inconsistent with my limited knowledge of Krav Maga, as well. Most of us simply don't have the acting chops ESPECIALLY under the stress of a violent encounter to feign any reaction in the first place. Insincerity won't likely trigger anything but annoyance...

 

[mook jong man]

When you say pause slightly, do you mean a split second so the attacker's brain can process the fact that you asked them something or longer to allow them to respond or something different? A different expression of asking the question that I've been shown in the past has been to ask a question but strike before you finish.

Very broad example could be "Hey can I ask you a ques... *strike of choice*....tion?"

Yes I mean just a split second so he's just got enough time to have a little think.
Its no good attacking straight after the question because his brain is not yet fully engaged in processing the information.

One of my old instructors used to use "What's the frequency?" but you make up your own questions , the more random and bizarre the better.

But it is important that you practice with your chosen phrase when you are doing striking practice on pads , solo training on the heavy bag etc , and use visualisation because your phrase is also the trigger for you to move in and attack.
Practising this way will help you to reach the right emotional intensity to injure another human being , something that most normal people are loath to do.

 

[girlbug2]

Hmm, I've never been told to grovel and cry. I suppose it sounds like something that might work, under the right conditions. Also like Mook Jong Man said, random phrases and questions will make the attacker pause as they try to make sense of what you've just said. I liked "what's the frequency", I may steal that one!

During gun defense the other night the "attackers" were told to shout at the defenders to make it more realistic and add stress. Lots of "Freeze", "Shut Up","Gimme your wallet" and "Your wife is ugly" were heard. The defenders were told to either show no emotion or to act as if they were complying just before going in for a disarm. So there's more than one way to go about self defense, the important thing is that you got your tech right.