pre fight nerves

[tuney30]

Anybody know how to control pre fight nerves?

Every time i walk around at night on my own or in a group i always get nerves when i see bigger lookin people. So if i was to get into a situation how would i keep my calm ?

[STASH]

Thats probably the biggest problem anyone can have in any situation where you might have to defend yourself. The nerves you are talking about is fear and you'll never be able to control it 100%. As long as you train and develop confidence you'll be fine, when that attacker comes at you, you'll definetly be scared but you'll know what it is you have to do, your body will just react. Each time it gets easier and easier to control, it just takes time, there is no quick solution.

[TkdWarrior]

"Every time i walk around at night on my own or in a group i always get nerves when i see bigger lookin people. "
dude i hav this prob too but it's just oppsite whenever i see bigger ppl i wonder how many kick i can finish him... :D
why u want to control pre fight fears...? r u afraid of fear?
fear's nothin to be ashamed or afraid of... it's natural ...
when u'll be in fight ur body will guide u for starters...
may be u freeze or may be u become mad dog...
just for starters u can try meditation too..it's good ...but no guarantee of removin fears...
second thing is practice,
third thing go back to first again...
-TkdWarrior-

[Sonshu]

This is a tool to be controlled and not really used. I myself try not to focus on the size of an opponent or a group as if you look at a person and think he is big - you are paying him a more dommanant thought than yourself.

Be careful as you can lose the battle before it has even begun! - the number of times I have seen this in bar's clubs etc. It is somthing to be aware of and not to let it control you.

Just try to relax and have a clear mind - always be ready to run as well as we cant all win every fight!

SONSHU

[Acekicken]

I alway's say a Prayer
it helps to calm Me Down
And gives Me a chance to ask for that Extraedge

[pgm316]

I don't know how to control them, its part of your natural responce, its not that easy. You've got to expect them so they won't take you by surprise when you are nervous.

I wouldn't try and relax to control my nerves, just concentrate on the fight. That can be a better way to focus your mind. Being relaxed in a fight might be a bad thing when you need to be sharp and aggressive.

Don't just be cautious of bigger people, I know size matters, but the best people I've fought have all been smaller than me.

[tuney30]

I read up that in some lau gar clubs they do an exercise where they practice confrontation and they slap the attacker on the head to give him the nerves. How could this be translated into a real confrontation?

[LilBunnyRabbit]

Simple, a shove from an opponent, or even a slap (not necessarily on the head, shoulder or arm works just as well) will get your adrenaline rushing. These are often the movements that begin a genuine fight.

[Andy Murray]

Originally posted by tuney30
I read up that in some lau gar clubs they do an exercise where they practice confrontation and they slap the attacker on the head to give him the nerves. How could this be translated into a real confrontation?

Been in Lau Gar a long time, and I never heard of the organisation propogating this.

I would guess this is local to a particular instructor!

Nothing wrong with it though, if you are trying to provide a little adrenaline/realism into situational defense?

[ladyhawk]

It's what we call getting slap happy.

Get in a good stance facing your partner.
The one being slapped keeps their hands about solar plexus level, finger tips touching. The slapper has their arms relaxed, hands waist high. They have to slap their partner across the face, don't take their head off but enough for them to feel it. The one being slapped has to block to prevent it. Talking is encouraged to disrupt concentraction. Make them jumpy and feign a slap by
subtle arm and shoulder movements. Do rapid succession.
The adrenaline starts pumping and you get psyched up.
Remember your turn will come to be slapped.

[Labatt]

I know what you mean.
I don't have this problem on any given street.
but when I am fighting in a tournament. I get nervous as hell!
The atmosphere is devastating to your nerves, and just thinking about it and typing is getting my nerves going.

I believe if you can learn how to take control of the situation and let the adreanaline start pumping, getting pyched, becomming a "Mad Dog" You can dominate in that situation.

The first battle takes place in your mind.

[TkdWarrior]

just imagine u r asking for a date ;)
a date with troubles :D
all ur nerves, butterfly before a date will be gone when u'll actually had one :D
-TkdWarrior-

[simonlarcombe]

I would suggest training in a club where you do some full contact sparring... boxing or muay thai. Once you get used to fighting and being hit it shouldn't be a problem (it will also make you realise that big people aren't always tough and small people aren't always soft!)

[Cougar_v203]

before i get into a fight is i either slap myself or write my will :D lol syke I think i slap myself before a fight.


3 words: Strike Hard, Strike Fast, Strike Often

[johndoch]

I think that you'll never conquer your fear's without exposure. When you are in a confrontation it helps to keep a poker face. Dont let people see that your psyched out (even if you are) and always stay alert.

Hagakure (a book of the samurai) tells that a secret of keeping calm is to rub saliva on your right earlobe or forehead. I dunno what thats all about but Iam sure for a least a second you'll be asking yourself how this makes you calm and not worrying about fighting or being attacked etc.

[Cougar_v203]

i just asked myself that just now ;)

[pgm316]

Originally posted by johndoch
I think that you'll never conquer your fear's without exposure. When you are in a confrontation it helps to keep a poker face. Dont let people see that your psyched out (even if you are) and always stay alert.

Hagakure (a book of the samurai) tells that a secret of keeping calm is to rub saliva on your right earlobe or forehead. I dunno what thats all about but Iam sure for a least a second you'll be asking yourself how this makes you calm and not worrying about fighting or being attacked etc.

So the next time someone threatens you, you should try rubbing spit on your ears. That could get you out of the fight entirely as the other person will feel ashamed attacking someone obviously one stick short of an Eskrima set! :D

[Cougar_v203]

:D----->no comment at the moment to busy grinning :)

[johndoch]

ok heres one of the saliva quotes from Hagakure by Yamamoto Tsunetomo

"To calm ones mind, one swallows his saliva. This is a secret matter. When one becomes angry it is the same. Putting spittle on one's forehead is also good. In the Yoshida school of archery, swallowing one's spittle is the secret principle of the art."

I guess you would need to be crazy to be a samurai.

[Cougar_v203]

thats...odd.

[Slownsteady]

Does this mean that when the attacker spits on you he is really trying to calm your nerves ;)....

But seriously, I read what has been posted and add to it in that practising with others is the way over the hurdle. When you become confident in yourself regardless of opponent's size, then you will be prepared.

The old saying "you never lose the butterflies, they just fly in formation" is one to accept.

Awareness is an important part in the confidence journey. Practice seeing the strike at the "s", the punch at the "p", the kick at the "k" (preferably the first k and not the last k ;)).

I train at our senior class with just black belts with 10 + years experience. (I have been out of MA for about 7-8 years and had previously trained for about 6 y on and off). When I come up against these more experience and bigger (Im the smallest of the lot) guys, I try to push myself even harder, and when I pick myself up off the floor, I try to analyse why I ended up there...

My sensei is also spending an hour or so after one of our classes and teaching some of us (those interested) how to get into the mind of the opponent. Physical capability is one thing, but phsycological battles can beat the physical.

Comments/ outcries most welcome...:)
cheers

Mick

[Cougar_v203]

the wierd thing is that, I don't have butterflies in my tummy :|
instead I have Rattlesnakes :shock:

[oneil357]

There is no real sure fire way to eliminate it but its not always a bad thing, its actually your body and mind preparing itself for a potential situatution a kind of warm up if you will, it only becomes a bad thing if it prevents you from reacting the right way under that situatuion, which is why people study the art so they will know how to react, above all you must have confidence in your ability and your skill or the fight is already over!

[oneil357]

HERE IS WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE THE BODY TO GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

First the adrenal medulla releases adrenaline and noradrenaline, which makes the heart beat faster and allowes the lung to take in more air. The hypothalamus secretes CRH, or corticotropin-releasing hormone.CRH causes the pituitary to secrete a burst of ACTH, or adrenocorticotrocip hormone. ACTH stimulates the adrenalcortex into the blood stream.
The most importent of these hormones is cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone. Stress may cause the adrenal glands to secret 20 times the usual amount of cortisol, and this PREPARES THE BODY TO DEAL WITH TROUBLE BY MOBILIZING SUPPLIES. It pulls amino acids out of storage of muscles(THATS WHY PEOPLE SHAKE) and other tissues, helps move them into the liver and speeds there conversion into much-needed gluccose. It also releases fatty acids from fat tissue. MAny hormones are essentail for dealing with stress from illness or injury for fleeing a animal in the jungle or for hand to hand combat this response is taught in basic psycology as the "FIGHT OR FLIGHT response. Your brain will decied if should fight ot run away, it is impossible to control this. This is something the novice ma will have to there disadvantage but the skilled ma will should be comftorable with this response and knows how to use it to there advantage, read previous post by me.

-ABC'S of the human body- by readers digest

[Hwoarang]

Fear does not exist to be extinguished, just try to presume that fear wouldn't be real. You wouldn't have any obstacle to kick someone tall 3 meters and heavy 300kg. I've read this and at the and of the article was written: " Fear is the best friend of a man"

I think that fear can be controlled but not taken aside.

[KenpoDavid]

I'm very curious abuot ways to intentionally stimulate an "adrnealine dump". I'm not sure how effective lettign somebody slap me would be ;) I don't think I would perceive enough of a threat to cause the fear reaction. Perhaps it can be somewhat simulated by burst of strenuous exercise? like sprinting but that is not the same really...

I think any method that is safe, I'm going to know it is safe, so I won't get the reaction... how can I trick my subconcious reflexes into thinking I'm about to get eaten by a lion?