Principles of self defense

[TigerLove]

After some thinking, and information sorting in my head, i made up some conclusions about self defense principles. I wroted it and decided to share with this community.

Probably i am wrong, but i am just a begginer in martial arts, so as in many other stuff, so forgive me. Do not take this text as unbeatable claims, it's just my thoughts, even if i wroted it in the style it looks like a bunch of facts.

Also, i hope to hear where am i wrong..

Here it is..

================================

Well, my opinnion is for the street, it’s all (almost all) about psyhology. More exactly, it’s how we control our body and mind in high stress situations.

You have the fighters which always win in street fights, but no enemy on the mat, so as reversed.

This is simply – in high stress situations (and real self defense situation is hs situation) our subconscious takes control over us. We don’t use moves we’d like to, or which we think is the best – we use the move which our subconscious calls from our muscle memory.

We build muscle memory by repeating a moves slowly, and repeating it many times and in different situations. When we do that, we are creating an neural engram, which is actually the ”picture” of move we are learning.

The more times we repeated the move, the ‘’stronger” neural engram will be. And that means, it will move up in the hyerarchy created of many neural engrams (moves, in this context) – some of them learned, some innated. By natural, those innated engrams are on the top of the hyerarchy.

The higher neural engram is in the hyerarchy, the biggest possibility our subconscious will call move associated with that engram in high stress situations.

So, it’s now easy to make a conclusion, if you practice direct strike with your hand about 500 times every week, that’s the thing you”ll be doing when somebody attacks you.

But..

It’s not so simply. To call our subconscious out, body must accept situation as high stress (in body language dangerous) situation. When that happens, body pulls a trigger that calls our subconscious and let her take control. By default, it’s different, from person to person – some persons experience high stress situations when you yellin’ at them, and some persons don’t experience hs even when 5 enemyes attacks them.

Now, reader of this text probably asks himself: ”Is that mean that the figter which is not under stress is a bad fighter?” , or something similar.

Yes, and no. In real defense situations, the stress must be always actually, because then our subconscious comes out, and we fighting by reflex, we don’t think – we are doing what we learned. If fighter is unscareable, that’s bad. Then he don’t fight reflexively, he fights by thinking.

This wouldn’t be of big matter, if it’s not for this fact: Reflex is faster then thinking. It’s not just big matter, it’s crucial.

I don’t say if some guy fighting and thinking, he will be bad. I’m sayin to fight and think, and be good fighter, you really must be outstanding character.

Plus, when you are under stress, your body thinks you are in danger (you are, right?). So, the body will give you incredible energy and speed to defense. When you are in normal state, no need of that extra speed and energy.

What does this all mean?

It means that this what i said, is the reason why it’s matter to have great tehnique. That is why it’s matter to repeat moves many times, and slowly, with patience.

This is why, if you are training for self defense, why it’s matter to training under different situations on training.

And this is why, after you throwed somebody on the mat, you must do the finish kick, and turn to next oponnent. If you do throws on training like the most people do, in the way i call ”throw and stare”, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing on the street. And, while you think how you should give that punk a finish kick (instead of doing it reflexly), the guy you should be turning to has just kicked you in the back..

And this is why i dislike doing forms with sinewave, because doing sinewave on the street while somebody is attacking you, could be deadly.

My oppinions about some very often questions and claims:

Which art is best for self defense?

None. And all of them. Depends how you practiced it.

Xxy art is is worthless on the street, but works in ring.

Fail. What you see in the ring is the fastest and simplyest thing you can do when attacked (kicks and strikes), and doing that moves is the fastest and the safest way.

Also, that doesn’t mean that well trained Hapkido joint locks aren’t efficient, or that Wing Chun hand tehniques aren’t efficient. But, some things are simply more natural than the other. It takes much more practice and repetitions, and situations, so as trainings, to learn our subconscious moves like joint locks, then it takes to learn simply strike or kick.

Size matters.

Well, it can’t be advantage. Because of just one thing. Thinking and believeing: ”He’s bigger, he will kill me because size matters!!”.

Which move is most efficient on the street?

There’s no thing like ”best move for the street”. You must be equipped with assortiman of well trained moves, which you can efficiently use on the street, under high stress situation.

While training, you choose the best moves, which works best for you. You create your own fighting system. If you train taekwondo, that doesn’t mean you should strictly use some kicks you are unlikely to do. I train Hapkido and Taekwondo, and constantly i’m choosin tehniques and kicks which i think is the best. So as some Judo throws, even if i never trained it. So as Krav Maga eye gauging.

In the Judo parter, you are Judoka. In the boxing ring, you are boxer. In the karate dojang, you are karateka. On the street, you are fighter. Remember it.

What to say in the end..hope this will help somebody to understand the principles of self defense. You can pull a lot of conclusions from my text, which i didn’t mentioned.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

Creating a neural pattern is very true, and the more you re-inforce that neural pathway, the more reactionary/second nature/reflex it becomes. This is true with any and all physical skills, weather it's basketball, running or self-defense.

So following that logic, as you have stated, it is true that if you practice something half @$$&), then it will be so on the street. You should always finish the techs with the vital strike.

As for the reaction on the street vs. the ring vs. the dojang, there are similarities and differences, IMHO. At some point in your training, sparring/fighting should not be cerebral, you should be able to almost step out of your body and see the fight happen without consciously thinking about anything. It is this "skill" that is impossible to teach, you can direct the student on the right path, but it is a journey everyone must reach on their own. When attained, this should be applied in all situations for the same re-inforced neural/behavioral pattern. The difference is the depth of the techniques and the limitation of techniques in class/tourneys compared to the street.

Adrenaline when channelled properly heightens vision, slows your surroundings and speeds your reflexes. Again, this is very hard to "teach" how to control. It is your own instinct to want to "fight" or "flight" from the situation.

You raise very valid points.

 

[TigerLove]

Well, i am very happy to have some backup of my theories. As i said i am not educated about neuropsihology, and i maked some conclusions on my own.

I started to think about that when i realised that in friendly spparing i am incredibly slow, even when i know in which order i will use kicks. There is always that thinking while kicking.

But when i am in the ring fight, which is high stress for me, i fight twice faster, but triple worst.

I started to think about it, and after reading some literature and practiced some things, it camed to my mind that i am fighting triple worst and faster because i use my reflexes, which was null, before i camed up to this.

Since then, i am practicing kicks to create a neural engram, so i can use them whie not thinking. It's simply different, i becomed totally different fighter.

Also, i used this not only for kicks, yet for leg work to, for example. Every day i practiced leg work from Bruce Lee, that means Jet Kune Do. Now, while sparring or fighting, i don't think about my legs, i just do it, and i think that made me triple faster fighter.

Just to add, as i compete in Taekwondo, Jet Kune Do footwork is really hard candy for guys i fight with.

 

[seasoned]

Plain and simple, the way we train is the way we will react in a high stress situation. Knowing a technique is the beginning stages of owning that technique. Owning any given set of techniques will take time and practice. It is like driving a car, a novice driver will be overly causes, and slow to react to situations. The more experienced driver, will see the kids on the side of the road, way a head of time. If something comes into the road, like a ball or a kid, without thinking about it, the foot hits the break and the hands turn the wheel away from the abject, in the flicker of an eye. All done without the benefit of thinking first. In my signature at the bottom of my page it says "for in battle, to think is to die". This saying means what it says, and says what it means. The important thing to remember is to train properly, because bad habits can become mind conditioned no thought actions also.:asian:

 

[MJS]

After some thinking, and information sorting in my head, i made up some conclusions about self defense principles. I wroted it and decided to share with this community.

Probably i am wrong, but i am just a begginer in martial arts, so as in many other stuff, so forgive me. Do not take this text as unbeatable claims, it's just my thoughts, even if i wroted it in the style it looks like a bunch of facts.

Also, i hope to hear where am i wrong..

Here it is..

================================

WOW!!! Long post here! I'll do my best to toss in my .02.

Well, my opinnion is for the street, it’s all (almost all) about psyhology. More exactly, it’s how we control our body and mind in high stress situations.

You have the fighters which always win in street fights, but no enemy on the mat, so as reversed.

This is simply – in high stress situations (and real self defense situation is hs situation) our subconscious takes control over us. We don’t use moves we’d like to, or which we think is the best – we use the move which our subconscious calls from our muscle memory.

We build muscle memory by repeating a moves slowly, and repeating it many times and in different situations. When we do that, we are creating an neural engram, which is actually the ”picture” of move we are learning.

The more times we repeated the move, the ‘’stronger” neural engram will be. And that means, it will move up in the hyerarchy created of many neural engrams (moves, in this context) – some of them learned, some innated. By natural, those innated engrams are on the top of the hyerarchy.

The higher neural engram is in the hyerarchy, the biggest possibility our subconscious will call move associated with that engram in high stress situations.

So, it’s now easy to make a conclusion, if you practice direct strike with your hand about 500 times every week, that’s the thing you”ll be doing when somebody attacks you.

Yes, the mindset is a big part of it. I feel that many times the 'you'll fight like you train' saying, rings true. I like to break up my training. Some days I'll just work on the fine points of the techniques. This IMHO, is very important, because if we're not doing things right in practice, then when we need those skills, they wont be there. I'll work those techs. slow, gradually adding in speed, pressure, etc., against that preset attack.

I also love to work spontaneous drills. This can also be done slow, building up the speed. Its amazing, because when this is done, you're no longer relying on that set move, but instead, reacting to the unknown. This, IMO, is where we want to be. We dont want to think, "Ok, here comes that right cross. Which one of my 100 punch techs. am I going to use?" Instead we want to react.

But..

It’s not so simply. To call our subconscious out, body must accept situation as high stress (in body language dangerous) situation. When that happens, body pulls a trigger that calls our subconscious and let her take control. By default, it’s different, from person to person – some persons experience high stress situations when you yellin’ at them, and some persons don’t experience hs even when 5 enemyes attacks them.

Now, reader of this text probably asks himself: ”Is that mean that the figter which is not under stress is a bad fighter?” , or something similar.

Yes, and no. In real defense situations, the stress must be always actually, because then our subconscious comes out, and we fighting by reflex, we don’t think – we are doing what we learned. If fighter is unscareable, that’s bad. Then he don’t fight reflexively, he fights by thinking.

This wouldn’t be of big matter, if it’s not for this fact: Reflex is faster then thinking. It’s not just big matter, it’s crucial.

I don’t say if some guy fighting and thinking, he will be bad. I’m sayin to fight and think, and be good fighter, you really must be outstanding character.

Plus, when you are under stress, your body thinks you are in danger (you are, right?). So, the body will give you incredible energy and speed to defense. When you are in normal state, no need of that extra speed and energy.

See my post above. Eventually, with the proper training, this will all be second nature.

What does this all mean?

It means that this what i said, is the reason why it’s matter to have great tehnique. That is why it’s matter to repeat moves many times, and slowly, with patience.

This is why, if you are training for self defense, why it’s matter to training under different situations on training.

And this is why, after you throwed somebody on the mat, you must do the finish kick, and turn to next oponnent. If you do throws on training like the most people do, in the way i call ”throw and stare”, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing on the street. And, while you think how you should give that punk a finish kick (instead of doing it reflexly), the guy you should be turning to has just kicked you in the back..

And this is why i dislike doing forms with sinewave, because doing sinewave on the street while somebody is attacking you, could be deadly.

There are many, many threads on here about the pros/cons of kata, so I dont want to rehash them here, but I'll say this. Forms, IMO, are just 1 part of the puzzle. To think that just doing forms is the solution, well, I disagree with that. Of course, understanding the form is important as well. Early on, I encountered teachers, who, when I asked a question about a kata, they were unable to provide an answer. What good is doing a kata, if you dont know what you're doing?

My oppinions about some very often questions and claims:

Which art is best for self defense?

None. And all of them. Depends how you practiced it.

Xxy art is is worthless on the street, but works in ring.

Fail. What you see in the ring is the fastest and simplyest thing you can do when attacked (kicks and strikes), and doing that moves is the fastest and the safest way.

Also, that doesn’t mean that well trained Hapkido joint locks aren’t efficient, or that Wing Chun hand tehniques aren’t efficient. But, some things are simply more natural than the other. It takes much more practice and repetitions, and situations, so as trainings, to learn our subconscious moves like joint locks, then it takes to learn simply strike or kick.

2 very different things, so while much of what you see in the ring will transition to the street, I feel that its the delivery that makes all the difference.

Size matters.

Well, it can’t be advantage. Because of just one thing. Thinking and believeing: ”He’s bigger, he will kill me because size matters!!”.

I do feel that its important...to a point. But I dont feel that its the decision maker either. When the odds are stacked against you, I feel that you have to do something to change that.

Which move is most efficient on the street?

There’s no thing like ”best move for the street”. You must be equipped with assortiman of well trained moves, which you can efficiently use on the street, under high stress situation.

While training, you choose the best moves, which works best for you. You create your own fighting system. If you train taekwondo, that doesn’t mean you should strictly use some kicks you are unlikely to do. I train Hapkido and Taekwondo, and constantly i’m choosin tehniques and kicks which i think is the best. So as some Judo throws, even if i never trained it. So as Krav Maga eye gauging.

In the Judo parter, you are Judoka. In the boxing ring, you are boxer. In the karate dojang, you are karateka. On the street, you are fighter. Remember it.

What to say in the end..hope this will help somebody to understand the principles of self defense. You can pull a lot of conclusions from my text, which i didn’t mentioned.

Agreed.

 

[edgedweapons]

there is a lot to consider when it comes to self defense. and fighting is just a small part of it and it should always be a last resort.

also consider.

avoiding conflict
reading body langauge
fleeing
assertive speech
avoid putting your self in a bad situation
and keep the mentality of "survival" and not "next UFC Champion"

some people may have try to prove to themselves that what they are learning in the dojo works. if this is the case then they are not training good enough.

i suggest to train with real consequences (occasionally)

- real pain type of sparring
- real knockout type of sparring

this is better than trying to test your skills on the streets were consequences can be as much as your life.

 

[TigerLove]

I didn't wroted my text with trying to explain the principles of self defense in general, just in context of neuropsihology and our moves, and how to understand it and use for self defense. So, my apologies for callin the thread badly - it should be called ''Neuropsihology and self - defense''.

According to that, i do not threat you post as comment on my post, because it's two different things - i write about neuropsihology, you about other aspects.

Going along with thread name - we could spread thread to discussions about other aspects of self defense (as i see all agreed with what i wrote about n.psihology).

So, maybe that another aspect could be psihology. In that context, you are right. Avoiding the fight is the best solution, and fighting to feed your ego is wrong, and means lack of mental training.

I am short, because now i have no time to write widely, which i preffer to by my style. Soon as i write my opinnions about self defense psyhology on my blog, i will post it here.

 

[stonewall1350]

I didn't wroted my text with trying to explain the principles of self defense in general, just in context of neuropsihology and our moves, and how to understand it and use for self defense. So, my apologies for callin the thread badly - it should be called ''Neuropsihology and self - defense''.

According to that, i do not threat you post as comment on my post, because it's two different things - i write about neuropsihology, you about other aspects.

Going along with thread name - we could spread thread to discussions about other aspects of self defense (as i see all agreed with what i wrote about n.psihology).

So, maybe that another aspect could be psihology. In that context, you are right. Avoiding the fight is the best solution, and fighting to feed your ego is wrong, and means lack of mental training.

I am short, because now i have no time to write widely, which i preffer to by my style. Soon as i write my opinnions about self defense psyhology on my blog, i will post it here.

I am an education minor and I am currently taking an educational psychology course. We of course deal with the brain and how people learn(the course is directed towards teaching anything from children to adults from math to how to rebuild a carb...or as a marine in the class put...even how to teach someone put a mortar round in a jar at 500m).

The reason I bring this up is because what you are stating is a very fundamental philosophy in education. Children are taught certain things in life so much that it becomes reaction. This is an implied learning(meaning we are not told we are learning this, but it happens anyway). Basically think of it like you like you read. You have done this process so many times that you no longer are actually thinking about the process. It is merely instinct.

So in short your point on the neurological basis of a fight and reaction...IMHO...is a good and truthful one. I do not see a hole in the logic as it makes sense with my understanding of reactions and how you respond to them. Great point Tiger

 

[TigerLove]

@stonewall1350: I'm glad to see you agreeing with me! It's great to have some positive feedback on opinions.

 

[stonewall1350]

@stonewall1350: I'm glad to see you agreeing with me! It's great to have some positive feedback on opinions.

yea I understand that completly. No problem man.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Tigerlove---

Much of what you address is called "Adrenal Stress Conditioning" Some of the early stuff on this with martial art training in mind are Peyton Quinn's "Bouncer's guide to Barroom Brawling" and "Real Fighting".

His Rocky Mountain Combat applications training camp focuses on this with padded assailant training.

 

[repz]

I do agree with self defense having a lot to do with the mind set.

Its all too common to hear, "those moves wont work in the street", "thats a sport, sports dont work", "they will grab your high kick to the head, dont throw it", "they are street-fighters (a made up style)" and so on.

I believe this is re-enforcing the amazing ability of someone who for some reason picked a fight with you. People give, what I have usually experienced to be horrible street-fighter, the ability to clock the speed of your kick and give them amazing ability to grapple, amazing illegal techniques that they studied for years on human subjects that an educated person in any form of combat isnt aware of, have the ability to nullify techniques that they dont see coming, and a blackbelt in some made up system of combat.

Yet, trained people can go toe to toe with their dojos best who ARE trained in fighting in return, they have to be careful to not take the head off of new students who come in trying out the class (here in nyc it isnt too uncommon to get boxers, and self proclaimed street fighters trying out classes, they arent thugs, but I can bet they have more ability and fighting raw desire then an idiot who picks fights at bars).

Obviously, its always important to make a street situation seriously, and have some degree of caution, due to knives and growing egos, but they shouldnt make the "outside" some mythical war zone where trained street fighters with amazing ability wait in the corners. Some positive re-enforcement goes a long way, and a balance of helping them fear the unknown should be coupled well enough that this person does have a thousand new fears crawling in his head when he is facing someone in a crappy wannabe boxing stance. I always reasoned instructors did this because they can keep students returning if they keep re-enforcing this fear, or they reasoned that making them scared can keep them from fighting and getting and ego and getting hurt (which makes some good sense if it really is needed for the individual), or they believe caution and fear is the best self defense to keep fights at bay (which again, i believe is important, but sometimes they dont have the choice, so some positive re-enforcement is needed).

 

[SensibleManiac]

Size matters.

Well, it can’t be advantage. Because of just one thing. Thinking and believeing: ”He’s bigger, he will kill me because size matters!!”.

This is actually false, it isn't only because of one thing, there is also, the bigger the mass the more damage it can cause. On a purely physical level, a 300 lbs man can more easily hurt a 150lbs man. That's not to say there 's nothing the smaller man can do, just that it's a lot easier for the bigger guy to take out the smaller with his size advantage.

 

[TigerLove]

This is actually false, it isn't only because of one thing, there is also, the bigger the mass the more damage it can cause. On a purely physical level, a 300 lbs man can more easily hurt a 150lbs man. That's not to say there 's nothing the smaller man can do, just that it's a lot easier for the bigger guy to take out the smaller with his size advantage.

You are right, i over - expressed myself. Now i will try to express myself correct:

Size is definitely advantage. But also definitively it's not crucial.

 

[tellner]

You can't do much better than Jeff Cooper's Principles of Personal Defense

 

[Explorer]

The moment I read the thread title I thought of this list. Andy Moynihan originally adapted this list to martial arts. We took it and expanded it a bit. Please forgive the length, but I think there is a lot of humor and wisdom in the following:

The Laws of Self Defense - Adapted from Murphy’s Laws of Combat & Andy Moynihan


1. The Police don’t always come to the rescue.

2. If the aggressor is in range, so are you.

3. Incoming attacks have the right of way.

4. The only problem with leaving before trouble starts is the trouble has already started.

5. Aggressors invariably attack on two occasions: 1) when you're ready for them and 2) when you're not ready for them.

6. A throbbing head and sore ribs are nature's way of telling you to leave before the trouble starts.

7. If your counter-attack is going well, then it's an ambush and the aggressor’s friends are on the way.

8. Anything you do can get you punched, including nothing.

9. Every off-handed comment which can be misunderstood will be.

10. Finding yourself under arrest and in jail is nature’s way of telling you to leave before the trouble starts.

11. If you're short of everything but aggressive yahoos, you're in a danger zone.

12. Remember, a retreating aggressor is probably just falling back and gathering his buddies.

13. If at first you don't succeed … clear the danger zone. Try running.

14. Street experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

15. If enough data is collected, a lawyer can prove ANYTHING.

16. When two tigers fight one dies and one is injured.

17. Whatever technique you plan to use will be the wrong one.

18. Never argue with an idiot, people won’t be able to tell you two apart.

19. Not wanting to ‘hurt’ your attacker ‘too much’ will result in more hurt for both of you.

20. You are not Superman; 1st Dan Black Belts take note.

21. If it's stupid but it works, it isn't stupid.

22. No self defense plan ever survives initial contact.

23. Important things are always simple; the simple are always hard.

24. An emergency room visit for multiple contusions, fractures and soft tissue damage is nature’s way of telling you to LEAVE BEFORE THE TROUBLE STARTS!

25. Once you are in the fight it is way too late to wonder if it’s a good idea.

26. Sometimes, being good and lucky still is not enough.

27. There is no such thing as a fair fight -- only ones where you win or lose.

28. If you can think clearly, know exactly what's happening, and have total control of a fight, then you're not in a fight.

29. Fighting does not determine who is right, fighting determines who is left.

30. If it's worth fighting for...it's worth fighting dirty for.

31. Never use a contact weapon (like a stick) when you can legally use a distance weapon (like a gun), never use pure hand-to hand when you can legally use a contact weapon, never engage at all if there is a REASONABLE way not to.

32. Incoming unarmed attacks always conceal an incoming contact weapon.

33. Your cell phone will fail as soon as you need 911.

34. However you may choose to go armed with whatever is legal for you; always expect that your first defense actions will be unarmed.

35. If you ever need to defend yourself, at least one of the attacker's relatives will be a lawyer.

36. Well-rehearsed self defense routines tend to fail at night, in bad weather, and especially during both.

37. The longer and more complicated the movement sequence, the greater the opportunity for the attacker to counter it.

38. The longer you allow the fight to continue, the greater the chance of sustaining serious injury.

39. Base your movement choices on principles rather than techniques. You can screw up something like a technique, but you will have to get up real early in the morning to screw up something like, say, gravity.....

40. The witnesses are never watching until you make a mistake.

41. The police never arrive until you make a mistake.

42. The more you've done your homework on both legal and tactical fronts, the longer it takes to make the mistake.

43. If someone is giving you trouble in front of witnesses leave the area. That way, if he follows, he cannot claim it was self defense but you can.

44. If everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. Get OFF the line of attack.

45. If you allow the attacker to keep his balance and mobility, he will have control of his body and you will be in a fight.

46. A good plan, now, beats a perfect plan dreamt up 10 seconds too late.

47. Most of your attackers will be bigger, in a group, armed, or any combination thereof. All things being equal, you lose. Cheat fair and square.

48. Body parts will sustain damage in direct proportion to their value. Get done, get away.

49. Whatever hits the fan will not be evenly distributed.

50. The more parts there are in a technique, the more there are to go wrong. Make sure you have a technique to swear BY, not AT.

 

[Kyosanim]

After some thinking, and information sorting in my head, i made up some conclusions about self defense principles. I wroted it and decided to share with this community.

Probably i am wrong, but i am just a begginer in martial arts, so as in many other stuff, so forgive me. Do not take this text as unbeatable claims, it's just my thoughts, even if i wroted it in the style it looks like a bunch of facts.

Also, i hope to hear where am i wrong..

Here it is..

================================

Well, my opinnion is for the street, it’s all (almost all) about psyhology. More exactly, it’s how we control our body and mind in high stress situations.

You have the fighters which always win in street fights, but no enemy on the mat, so as reversed.

This is simply – in high stress situations (and real self defense situation is hs situation) our subconscious takes control over us. We don’t use moves we’d like to, or which we think is the best – we use the move which our subconscious calls from our muscle memory.

We build muscle memory by repeating a moves slowly, and repeating it many times and in different situations. When we do that, we are creating an neural engram, which is actually the ”picture” of move we are learning.

The more times we repeated the move, the ‘’stronger” neural engram will be. And that means, it will move up in the hyerarchy created of many neural engrams (moves, in this context) – some of them learned, some innated. By natural, those innated engrams are on the top of the hyerarchy.

The higher neural engram is in the hyerarchy, the biggest possibility our subconscious will call move associated with that engram in high stress situations.

So, it’s now easy to make a conclusion, if you practice direct strike with your hand about 500 times every week, that’s the thing you”ll be doing when somebody attacks you.

But..

It’s not so simply. To call our subconscious out, body must accept situation as high stress (in body language dangerous) situation. When that happens, body pulls a trigger that calls our subconscious and let her take control. By default, it’s different, from person to person – some persons experience high stress situations when you yellin’ at them, and some persons don’t experience hs even when 5 enemyes attacks them.

Now, reader of this text probably asks himself: ”Is that mean that the figter which is not under stress is a bad fighter?” , or something similar.

Yes, and no. In real defense situations, the stress must be always actually, because then our subconscious comes out, and we fighting by reflex, we don’t think – we are doing what we learned. If fighter is unscareable, that’s bad. Then he don’t fight reflexively, he fights by thinking.

This wouldn’t be of big matter, if it’s not for this fact: Reflex is faster then thinking. It’s not just big matter, it’s crucial.

I don’t say if some guy fighting and thinking, he will be bad. I’m sayin to fight and think, and be good fighter, you really must be outstanding character.

Plus, when you are under stress, your body thinks you are in danger (you are, right?). So, the body will give you incredible energy and speed to defense. When you are in normal state, no need of that extra speed and energy.

What does this all mean?

It means that this what i said, is the reason why it’s matter to have great tehnique. That is why it’s matter to repeat moves many times, and slowly, with patience.

This is why, if you are training for self defense, why it’s matter to training under different situations on training.

And this is why, after you throwed somebody on the mat, you must do the finish kick, and turn to next oponnent. If you do throws on training like the most people do, in the way i call ”throw and stare”, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing on the street. And, while you think how you should give that punk a finish kick (instead of doing it reflexly), the guy you should be turning to has just kicked you in the back..

And this is why i dislike doing forms with sinewave, because doing sinewave on the street while somebody is attacking you, could be deadly.

My oppinions about some very often questions and claims:

Which art is best for self defense?

None. And all of them. Depends how you practiced it.

Xxy art is is worthless on the street, but works in ring.

Fail. What you see in the ring is the fastest and simplyest thing you can do when attacked (kicks and strikes), and doing that moves is the fastest and the safest way.

Also, that doesn’t mean that well trained Hapkido joint locks aren’t efficient, or that Wing Chun hand tehniques aren’t efficient. But, some things are simply more natural than the other. It takes much more practice and repetitions, and situations, so as trainings, to learn our subconscious moves like joint locks, then it takes to learn simply strike or kick.

Size matters.

Well, it can’t be advantage. Because of just one thing. Thinking and believeing: ”He’s bigger, he will kill me because size matters!!”.

Which move is most efficient on the street?

There’s no thing like ”best move for the street”. You must be equipped with assortiman of well trained moves, which you can efficiently use on the street, under high stress situation.

While training, you choose the best moves, which works best for you. You create your own fighting system. If you train taekwondo, that doesn’t mean you should strictly use some kicks you are unlikely to do. I train Hapkido and Taekwondo, and constantly i’m choosin tehniques and kicks which i think is the best. So as some Judo throws, even if i never trained it. So as Krav Maga eye gauging.

In the Judo parter, you are Judoka. In the boxing ring, you are boxer. In the karate dojang, you are karateka. On the street, you are fighter. Remember it.

What to say in the end..hope this will help somebody to understand the principles of self defense. You can pull a lot of conclusions from my text, which i didn’t mentioned.

If you were to take a psychology class in college you would find much of your theory is already supported in scientific finding about the human brain and the way it learns. This is also discussed a bit in Bruce Lee's book Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Most people look at Bruce like a god, but the truth is he is just one of the first people to modernize the martial arts and make them more applicable in a modern context. Suffice to say he was a pretty smart guy. Self defense however is a tricky subject. My teacher claimed that was the primary thing we were training for. Not so much as it turns out. The point about training for reaction is right to a point. Here is how I look at things right now. A reaction is what my body does naturally meaning someone hits me and I try to move away. If you train for a reaction then your body is going to be in charge.
What I'm getting at here is the sympathetic nervous system can not be running the show or your likely to overreact and use more force than necessary. If you train to respond then you are training to keep in control of what happens. Personally I think your training should take over to a point, but not to where it overrides your ability to reason. If you are not thinking then you are going to be dead in a street fight.

Being in the dojang, the ring, and on the street are all very different. For instance take terrain as this is a big part of a self defense encounter and is not something I ever considered until being attacked myself. As I was thinking about my options I found that it was not like fighting on the mat. The ground was uneven it was dark I have bad night vision and a problem with my shoulder that causes me great pain capable of bringing me to my knees when it clicks. Here I was out numbered three to one, and scared because I didn't know these men. All I knew was they started threatening me and surrounded me. They didn't have a fighting stance, they could have been armed and I really didn't want any part of it as I was in a good mood and not in the mindset for a fight. Over the next few seconds I thought about my options.
My shoulder giving out a BIG concern at the time I considered groin kicks, eye gouging, and knee kicks, keep in mind my perspective was they meant to hurt me or even kill me, and my girl friend was just inside the door. Sure enough she came out, and after that I was NOT MOVING FROM WHERE I WAS. I told her to go inside and call the police. I stood my ground because if one took a step toward that door he was going to regret it. Likewise I really did not want to get beat up in a fight, but I also didn't want to hurt them unless I had to.

Luckily they were all guest's of the apartment renter, and he came out to tell them to go inside, but not before one sucker punched me. Due to the dim lighting, my poor vision in the dark, and the gentleman being African American I was unable to see him throw the punch. My first reaction was a flying knee to the groin with a distance of about two feet now between us, and then a throat chop. But I stayed my hand because it would only have made things worse. Had I not been in control this would have been much worse, because as soon as I hit the first one the other two would have been all over me. As it turns out they were more than a little drunk, though at the time I did not know that. All in all it turned out fine and I met a neighbor who turned out to be a decent guy.

I share this story because it is relevant to much of your post. You don't know whats going to happen, or when it will happen. It might happen the day after a judo tournament you won where you beat 36 people in one day. If so your tired worn out and not ready to defend yourself. You also can't count on the adrenaline because sometimes you just don't get it.


I recommend studying psychology a bit to help you refine a bit as it will help you to understand in more detail what happens in situations like these. I would also recommend what I do now. Train outside and keep the weather under advisement. Solar plexus strikes work good in the summer, but how well do you think they work when there is a big poofy winter coat in the way?
Or how well do kicks work in the ice and snow? Well the answer to that one is they don't, but the point is make sure your SD time is well spent, but your theory is well thought out, and you seem to have a good instructor. Also don't go picking techs at low ranks. Wait till your up a few ranks. Until then just practice everything a lot and see first hand what works best for you, don't just do what your told is good for you try it yourself.

 

[TigerLove]

Hi! I didn't study psychology! Neither my master teached me that - i learned it by myself, on my own interests (well i love my master, but his teachings isn't everything, obviously!).

Next year i am starting with college, Kinesiology. There i will have anatomy, psychology, bio mechanics of the body..so i will learn more and better about this.

About weather examples you sad, i understand that kicks won't work at snow..but can you explain me part of the solar plexus :idunno: