"You fight like you train..."
I've heard the anecdotes...the point-stop fighter who stopped his punch inches from his attacker because he never actually hit anyone before. The guy who disarmed a knife wielding attacker, then gave him his knife back because that's what he always did in class. Fascinating anecdotes.
However, why can't one train to be flexible and adaptable to situations? Maybe I'm in the minority, but that's what I do.
The brain is a fascinating and marvelous organ. Even the brain of the simplest person on the planet is a more powerful computational entity than the greatest super-computer. Our brain takes in so much information and makes subconscious evaluations of that data so quickly that it is amazing. furthermore, we can adapt how well our brain does this through learning and experience.
So, I train for sport. I also train for self-defense. I ALSO train for crisis intervention. I've had More opportunities than I care to admit to function in all three of those scenarios and I've never gotten them confused. Why is that?
Well, if the incoming information tells me that I'm in a combat situation, I usually drop my center, flex my knees and my adrenaline starts going.
Now, if the person standing across from me is wearing a hogu...I generally prepare to do a lot of kicking. I maintain a low guard (not no gaurd....low gaurd...there's a difference...it's been spelled out adequately i other parts of this thread). I prepare to keep my punching to the torso, and use it in a defensive manner to keep guys from jamming me as I know it won;t score (just hurt the other guy a lot
)
If the guy across from me is wearing a gi or dobok, no gofu....there's a Korean or Japanese flag somewhere in the room and the floor is padded....my brain sees that as a dojo/dojang practice situation. My hands are in a higher guard. I'm going anywhere from 50-75% power...I'm prepared to do and receive any kind of strike, grab, throw lock, etc. I'm in class. Never once have i gotten confused and Just kicked some guy in the head full force.
If I'm elsewhere (no padded floor) and the guy across from me is in street clothes....I'm in a fight. Anything goes. My intention becomes to end things quickly and get out of there with as little injury as possible. I've never gotten confused and tried to kick a guy in the head or gone less than 100% in that situation.
If the person across from me I recognize as a client...and i see myself at work...then clearly I'm in a situation where I'm with a client in crisis. Then my stance is non-threatening, I'm looking to talk a person down, and failing that to (with the help of co-workers) place the person in a position where they are no longer a danger to self or other. i will not Punch or kick my client. I will not do anything that places stress on joints or prevents breathing. I don't want to harm my client. I want to keep my job. I've never injured a client with a kick to the head, or breaking or dislocating a joint due to excessive force. never gotten confused...despite all the adrenaline and all my contradictory training.
Here's my point...a warrior trains for all situations, with an emphasis on those situations where he/she might find him/herself. A good warrior is able to adapt to what is going on and use the proper tool for the job. I've been doing it for years.
Maybe I'm a jack of all trades, master of none. but to be honest...even if I just focused on one thing...I still wouldn't be a master. I'm just looking fore ways to keep my training relevant, challenging and interesting. Never gotten confused as to what I should be doing in the heat of the moment though. I bet if I can do it...so can just about anybody else.
Peace,
Erik
I've heard the anecdotes...the point-stop fighter who stopped his punch inches from his attacker because he never actually hit anyone before. The guy who disarmed a knife wielding attacker, then gave him his knife back because that's what he always did in class. Fascinating anecdotes.
However, why can't one train to be flexible and adaptable to situations? Maybe I'm in the minority, but that's what I do.
The brain is a fascinating and marvelous organ. Even the brain of the simplest person on the planet is a more powerful computational entity than the greatest super-computer. Our brain takes in so much information and makes subconscious evaluations of that data so quickly that it is amazing. furthermore, we can adapt how well our brain does this through learning and experience.
So, I train for sport. I also train for self-defense. I ALSO train for crisis intervention. I've had More opportunities than I care to admit to function in all three of those scenarios and I've never gotten them confused. Why is that?
Well, if the incoming information tells me that I'm in a combat situation, I usually drop my center, flex my knees and my adrenaline starts going.
Now, if the person standing across from me is wearing a hogu...I generally prepare to do a lot of kicking. I maintain a low guard (not no gaurd....low gaurd...there's a difference...it's been spelled out adequately i other parts of this thread). I prepare to keep my punching to the torso, and use it in a defensive manner to keep guys from jamming me as I know it won;t score (just hurt the other guy a lot
)If the guy across from me is wearing a gi or dobok, no gofu....there's a Korean or Japanese flag somewhere in the room and the floor is padded....my brain sees that as a dojo/dojang practice situation. My hands are in a higher guard. I'm going anywhere from 50-75% power...I'm prepared to do and receive any kind of strike, grab, throw lock, etc. I'm in class. Never once have i gotten confused and Just kicked some guy in the head full force.
If I'm elsewhere (no padded floor) and the guy across from me is in street clothes....I'm in a fight. Anything goes. My intention becomes to end things quickly and get out of there with as little injury as possible. I've never gotten confused and tried to kick a guy in the head or gone less than 100% in that situation.
If the person across from me I recognize as a client...and i see myself at work...then clearly I'm in a situation where I'm with a client in crisis. Then my stance is non-threatening, I'm looking to talk a person down, and failing that to (with the help of co-workers) place the person in a position where they are no longer a danger to self or other. i will not Punch or kick my client. I will not do anything that places stress on joints or prevents breathing. I don't want to harm my client. I want to keep my job. I've never injured a client with a kick to the head, or breaking or dislocating a joint due to excessive force. never gotten confused...despite all the adrenaline and all my contradictory training.
Here's my point...a warrior trains for all situations, with an emphasis on those situations where he/she might find him/herself. A good warrior is able to adapt to what is going on and use the proper tool for the job. I've been doing it for years.
Maybe I'm a jack of all trades, master of none. but to be honest...even if I just focused on one thing...I still wouldn't be a master. I'm just looking fore ways to keep my training relevant, challenging and interesting. Never gotten confused as to what I should be doing in the heat of the moment though. I bet if I can do it...so can just about anybody else.
Peace,
Erik
