Sensory Stimulation

[ladyhawk]

What methods of sensory stimulation do you use as a distraction to mentally unbalance your opponent?

[waya]

Can you give an example of a situation? I could go into detail on several issues but it really depends on the type of confrontation, the location, etc. Such as if it is a militant action then sound is an excellent technique to make the opponent "hallucinate" or believe they hear or see things that are not really there. Or on the street using complete eye contact to unnerve the other person, proximity contact etc.

Rob

[ladyhawk]

I didn't really have anything in particular in mind. Sound seems to be the most used method of distraction from a shout to just talking or even stomping your foot. Direct eye contact can be intimidating but you can also break their focus by making a goofy face or even blowing them a kiss.
So, please do go into details.

[waya]

lol blowing a kiss is one I enjoy.

OK, scenario #1, Militant situation, you approach their position and in some manner either cause noises all around them that are very subtle, just enough to spook them and take away nerve. Noises that are unnatural sounding are quite effective for this, you can also play on the optical side at night, make things seem to be by appearance, when in reality there is nothing.

In a street situation play on the mind, if the situation is just beginning to get out of hand, speak about blood, play on the imagination. Something a friend of mine did (No I do NOT recommend this insanity), that saved him from an altercation with several people, was to draw a small knife he carried and lightly (very lightly) cut his own skin and draw blood, he did this in the wrist area and smiled while he did it, which of course had adverse effects on the others' minds. I tend to go more towards intimidating-type suggestions toward a person's competency. Play on indecision if you can, the hesitation is more of a weapon than anything you can throw at an opponent. Indecision = lack of confidence, which = a higher state of fear, which in turn can = panic.

Rob

[ladyhawk]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by waya
[B]lol blowing a kiss is one I enjoy.

LOL! Even though this wasn't intentional I effectively used sensory stimulation as a distraction to gain an advantage during an
controlled but as realistic as possible attack.

A couple of years ago during a very enthusiastic street technique-self defense session I was attacked by my rather large training partner. In the process my gi top and the tank top under it was pulled and stretched to reveal quite a bit of cleavage and a colorful bra....DISTRACTION! I recognized and took advantage of my partner's momentary lose of focus and managed to gain control and take him down.

Sorry guys, all's fair in love and war.

This brings up another point, you can't be shy or embarrassed when it comes to defending yourself because the hesitation or time taken to try to cover yourself up may cost you your life.

[STASH]

Distractions like that work very well. In my personal experience one of two things can happen if you try this kind of thing (ex: blowing a kiss, telling them your gonna eat their family members, yelling at them, eye tricks...). One, -this will break the persons concentration and give you a couple seconds to attack or Two, - they will get angered and do something irrational or predictable that you can take full advantage of. Lol, unless the person your doing this to is some kind of psycho, my friend was in a streetfight a while ago and he started telling his aggresor that he loved him. The man got very very angry and in a split second a switchblade appeared in his hand. My buddy got slashed pretty badly and ended up going to the hospital.

[Darzeka]

Through my sparring sesions with my brother I've found that feints with your hands are very good.

Through your hand out quickly to the side of their head then when they block it use your other hand throught the opening with full force, works quite well. Be prepared however to need to block something from your opponent cause it will leave you open a little bit if it doesn't quite work.

Making small jittery motions and baulking strikes makes them usure of when you are going to attack and where from. Eventually you can move a couple of millimetres and cause them to block or flinch then go in for a strike.

Laughing and smiling can unnerve them as well. When we get to wrestling (usually happens after two or three attempted strikes) I can't help but laughing when he has almost got a painful lock on me then he will usually loose concentration for a second, either through laughing with me or trying to make me cry instead, and then I get out. And besides wrestling is just so much fun.

Laughing when you get hit by someone is good too but then thats just the psycho part of me typing again.

To unnerve someone before a fight you could try asking them if they really want a broken arm or something, or maybe playing the possum - pretend to not know what you are doing and begging them to go away. The opposite could be done - tell them to go away because you don't want another fight today.
Pretty much make them make an assumtion on your abilities then prove them wrong.

[waya]

OK, remind me to avoid fighting Ladyhawk for any reason, she's too good at distracting her opponent LOL j/k :-)

I think a simple smile is the most disarming thing you can do during a fight..... Of course, I am a person who very rarely smiles about anything for some strange reason, except when I am fighting, then I grin and giggle like a 5 year old child let loose in a candy factory lol.

Rob

[Freeform]

A good one is if confronted by someone, half way through the verbals which are usually quite heated, suddenly calm down and say something like 'Don't I work with your dad?' and then hit him, the majority of people will have an 'oh, ----! They know my mum/dad' moment where you can hit them.

[STASH]

Lol, I like that Freeform, here's a similar one that my friends tried a while back. You lift your hands open palmed towards the other, put a scared face on and say: "No man, I seriously dont want any trouble." Then hit him hard, it works!

[Darzeka]

I think I just found a new friend.

Waya I'm pretty much the same. I can just picture me and my brother wrestling and theres me laughing like a nutcase, an armbar almost locked in.

It's strange how people expect you to act like a "normal" person and be smiling all the time to let them know you aren't unhappy. Especially when they know you aren't normal to begin with. ;)

[waya]

LOL
Darzeka, I love it when my opponent thinks I am a bit nuts, it tends to make them a bit nervous and although it may make me look bad sometimes, I am generally the one that has less problems and less injuries, which is fine with me :-)

Rob