Fear - Friend or Foe?

[Melanie]

What do you think? Can it be overcome? Do some people benefit from it and others don't?

Comments please :D

[waya]

Anyone that does not feel fear is either a liar, or sick. The true test is what you do with your fear. It can be a little of both. Use it, make it a deception, then lure and attack.

Rob

[Melanie]

Do you think it is something that should be overcome? Does it add or take away from defence/attack?

Melanie

[Greyghost]

I agree. Fear is a natural reaction to a situation that puts you in danger. How you decide to use the adrenaline caused by the fear is dependant on how disciplined/well trained you are.

Fear is an enemy you need to know well.

[Melanie]

Sheesh! I think you have answered the whole thread in a sentence...oh dear...

[waya]

I think that mostly depends on the individual and how well they are mentally prepared for it. If you allow it to make you freeze or hesitate, then you are already defeated most times. It can be used as a weapon in itself, or the adrenaline rush can be another useful side to it. But it can definitely be overcome. Without havinf fear at all then most people would end up injured or dead in a confrontation because they would be hasty and careless. But as I said you must condition your mind to seperate the fear and use the strengths it gives without the hesitation.

Rob

[Greyghost]

sorry mel......i'll try to be long winded next time.

[Melanie]

Is this a fair share of physical training and methodology? We are trained to respond to certain manoevers a certain way. I have fortunately never been in a serious fight, I have no idea how I would respond. Would I see a noticable difference from my response now to maybe a year from now?

Do you think strength or general fitness would help with the adrenaline rush you get with the fear?

[Melanie]

Originally posted by fraser halliday
sorry mel......i'll try to be long winded next time.

I'll let you off on this one occassion! ;)

[waya]

I don't believe it is so much physical training that handles fear. Mostly conditioning the mind to deal with it and seperate the emotion from the necessary responses. One of the most important parts of that is the acceptance that you are not in total control. After that it's not so bad.

Rob

[Melanie]

How long does this fear/adrenaline last for anyway? With this 'power' scoring through you - can you actually be in control of it?

Sorry if I am asking dumb questions....I just don't know...:(

[Greyghost]

Mel,

physical training and conditioning will help with what you do the "rush".

If you have strong legs (but bad feet!) you'll be able to run faster and further than your opponent...thus defeating him by causing his lungs to explode.

Seriously though. since adrenaline increases your reaction time and strength (though momentarily) i think that your techniques will be far stronger ( as long as your able to stay focused...no red mist now!!!)

[Melanie]

No remarks so far on whether you think the training that takes part in the dojo helps or not? I spar with my class but I am still not sure whether I would remember what to do and besides - how many people out there are gonna try and kick me mawashi geri (round house kick) or punch me oi tzuki (lunge punch) ?

I would imagine I would be hit round house and punched in the stomach - never had training for that though...

[waya]

It's not really a long lasting effect usually. Generally a matter of seconds, maybe a few minutes, but if you can handle it without hesitating that is enough time to either use the rush to get through, around, over, or past them and get away, or if necessary to eliminate the threat and walk away from it. The physical work will definitely help with automatically using various techniques. It shouldn't be overlooked as important.

Rob

[Greyghost]

training in the dojo/club etc is definately usesful..while your right in saying that you doubt you'll be attacked by a traditional Karate strike in the street, your training will allow you to react to a threatening movement , even if it's just putting your hands up!.

you will eventually condition your body to react to signals given by an aggressor...it's at this point your training takes over.

lets hope we never have to use it:D

[Melanie]

Well in the great words of Sifu Andrew Murray - I rather leg it like Carl Lewis anyway...

[waya]

Realistically, yes training in the dojo will help, but no, most of the typical techniques and sparring steps are not what will be used. To train strictly for fighting on the street (and I mean strictly for this purpose and no other) you would use more combative and crippling techniques or short joint manipulations. The things you train in class will do great for most altercations though. Especially when the main aim is not to fight at all if you don't have to. But you must train hardest on the things you are comfortable doing that come natural to you. Specific punshes or strikes and joint attacks that can be easily adapted to multiple situations. For fast reaction you don't want to be a "technique collector" because it takes too much time to decide which one to use. Make them automatic by practicing them over and over again slowly. Do it against multiple attacks and work on the things that work.

Rob

[Greyghost]

I've seen andy run....it's not pretty but he is fast.

[Greyghost]

yep...just wot rob said.

[khafra]

Rob's got a good point. In a real fight, something I've heard called adrenaline lock can happen, and both opponents end up doing the same thing over and over until one of them can't do it anymore. I'd like to have a huge repertoire of flashy moves, but before that I'd rather make sure that my instinctual reaction is a good one.
My own strongest martial skill is running, probably what I'd go to by default.

[waya]

LOL khafra, not a bad idea at all. It's less likely to get you injured, and it saves on court costs :-)

Rob

[Cooler]

Fear makes us all act in different ways.

Firstly what is fear? It is a chemical response to our brain telling us we are in danger this in turn sends an adrenaline rush through the body to help us combat that danger e.g. help us run away from it faster. In days gone by when man walked at the same time as lots of other bigger animals that wanted to eat them this reaction was very useful to help them stay alive.

What affect does this chemical have on your body? Your mouth is dry your hands start to sweat and your legs feel weak and you feel clumsy and uncoordinated. This is the point when it affects people differently some people mistake this chemical reaction for FEAR and freeze they let there mind convince them that they cant win, they shouldn't run etc. Others let this energy loose but uncontrolled and they run and don't stop running they are in blind panic this is just as likely to get you killed as the freezing scenario. The one to survive is the one who lets the energy loose but controls and harnesses that energy using it to there advantage.

Fear is a complex beast and a subject I have only touched on. The above is my understanding of fear.

In answer to your question Melanie fear is your friend use it don't let it use you. Your reaction to fear can be overcome with proper training and understanding, but is not until the first time you are faced with fear will you truly know how you will react.

Cooler

[Freeform]

To agree with Cooler fear is (if you break it down), just a series of adrenaline dumps to your system. We firstly get the 'fight or flight' response (which pretty much sums it up really), in a real fight the fear of getting maimed or killed triggers an adrenaline realise which totally screws up your accuracy and balance, but on the other hand makes you more resiliant to pain and give you access to 'some seriously mad strength'. The more you train in 'realistic combat' the easier it is to control this reaction and use it to your advantage. 'Realistic' is the key hear, if you cannot in some way inccorparate real fear into your training then this isn't 'realistic' there has to be at least some doubt in your mind that your going to get hurt, otherwise your just kidding yourself.

Thanx

[Andy Murray]

I wanted to comment on this thread earlier, but I was too frightened! LOL

I have only had two occasions to use my training in 'real life'. I got an amazing switch on of Adrenalin during the encounter, it was like everyone else was moving in slow motion, but afterwards I felt sick and on one occasion I actually cried my eyes out.

I've never read it, but I believe Geoff Thompson brought out a book called 'Animal Day', which is 'real worldly' and deals with this!

Andy ( don't call me Sifu ) Murray

[Freeform]

Yeah I've read Animal Day (and the majority of Geoff Thompsons books) and in principle agree with most of what he says. He tries to cut the crap out of training and basically have you go at it, I like the idea (and have practiced for many years) what he calls 'restrictive sparring'.

Oh yeah, that post fight adrenaline dump is a real b****, I've come away from fights/altercations unharmed and then the next thing your legs just trembling uncontrolably and your like 'Bloody Hell! My legs gone mad' and it usually lasts for a minute or so until you calm down.

[Thomas Vince]

I often think that the predator or the attacker is as trained as I am and he or she is confident in the attack or they would not have attacked. A mountain lion stalks upon the hill and lies in wait for a deer that displays a weakness. In general self defense we are taught in modern times that our body language has much to do with our attack.
The attacker will do 3 things and those are:
1. Target You
2. Test You
3. Touch You

Targeting is all about body langauge, is head held upright? Is your stride strong and determined? Are you confident on your path of travel. Are you not wayed down by baggage or high heel shoes?

If you are targeted next he will see how close he can get to you. It could with mere directions or a compliment but this is the next step! It is part of the stalking of the animal, can he get close enough to make the kill and can it be done without being discovered by other predator's. Law Enforcement is considered a predator in this case by the "predator" himself!

A grown man can travel 20 feet in 1 second and begin hitting, kicking, and possibly stabbing you! Get some mace! And be sure thsat this mace is out and ready to be used.

Recently in Illinois, USA we had a black belt champion raped by a averaged sized. middle build man in broad daylight in the back of her dojo. She could not fight him off with traditional training! This has caused many dojo's in the United States to "reconsider" training in the martial arts when the apsects are real life!
Sincerely,
Thomas

[waya]

Thomas, good points. Mostly right on as far as I have experienced..... Which Dojo was it that she ran in IL? I lived up there for a few years and most of my family is there also.

Rob

[Thomas Vince]

Someone mentioned "adrenaline lock". One way to prevent this is to yell. Proven fact that "yelling" "STOP", "NO" will send you into action.