...motor movements. It is a well documented statement that during stressful encounters, the resultant adrenaline surge causes a decrease in fine motor movements, leaving us with gross ones. This would mean that "simple" manouvers such as the wrist lock, that require fine motor movements, can not be performed. So the question is this, is it possible to learn to use these techniques in stressful situations, or should they be abandoned for easier gross movements?
What RBSD instructor and researcher Tony Blauer advocates is using gross skills to act as a bridge to fine moter skills. His research suggests that once a person is in conrol of a situation (at a point of dominance) they can begin to access fine motor skills. So Blauer developed the S.P.E.A.R. system, a gross motor action, to establish dominance in order to transition to the finer skills. - Matt
I tend to agree Matt, but is it really a case of practice, practice, practice under the right sort of conditions to be able to use fine motor skills?
I'm no expert, but the way I see it is, you get an adrenaline rush primarily when you get scared. So, the way out would be not to get scared. I mean, it sounds stupid, since the guy might have a knife or whatnot, but being scared doesn't help at all in this situation. I'm just rambling now, I think. =/ PL
I have found that I can employ "fine" skills really quite happily, but it has taken 6 years of arresting people to acheive that! I have thought long and hard about this one, and unlike my usual ramblings I have to say it is indeed practice, practice and practice - be that in the gym or on the cobbles.
Hannibal, In your case the key thing, I believe, is the experience. Adrenal dumps, from what I have read, come when something unexpected happens. I'd imagine that you years on the beat have gotten you accustomed enough to your environment that it would take a lot to throw you. I'd futher supose that if we were to take you out of your environment and drop you into a foreign one, that it would take you quick a while to reestablish you sense of poise. Put a different way, take the best eastern Zen Buddist and drop him into the center of LA and you'll find that he won't be able to meditate as well. So Pooploops you're right, reducing fear is an important aspect of Self Defense training. But since that's tied in with environmental acclimation, it's not a magic bullet either.
PL, just a quick point, adrenaline is also involved in aggression with very similar physiological affects.