{"id":86,"date":"2016-10-20T02:55:10","date_gmt":"2016-10-20T07:55:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kenukan.com\/blog\/?p=86"},"modified":"2016-10-20T02:55:10","modified_gmt":"2016-10-20T07:55:10","slug":"fear-and-the-flight-or-fight-reflex-part-6-of-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kenukan.com\/blog\/2016\/10\/20\/fear-and-the-flight-or-fight-reflex-part-6-of-6\/","title":{"rendered":"Fear and the Flight or Fight Reflex – Part 6 of 6"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jim Harrison (Originally Published By MA Success Magazine)<\/em><\/p>\n

Obviously, I can’t go out looking for street fights to prove\u00a0my martial arts skills are effective. That would be contrary to\u00a0the self-defensive nature and philosophy of peace practiced\u00a0throughout the martial arts. So how will I know if my skills\u00a0will work in real life?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, we are rarely allowed to even protect ourselves\u00a0physically because of decisions made by people who control\u00a0our rules, laws and courts. We must “turn the other cheek”\u00a0even if it kills us. Further, because of the senseless violence,\u00a0misuse of weapons and the cowardly “gang mentality”\u00a0prevalent in today’s society, it’s extremely dangerous to defend\u00a0yourself.<\/p>\n

I strongly recommend avoiding most confrontations. There\u00a0are simply too many inherent dangers – physical, legal and\u00a0civil – to justify fighting nowadays. If, however, you are\u00a0attacked, you are not only justified to fight back but are forced\u00a0to. If you wish to live and \/ or avoid injury, you have\u00a0no choice.<\/p>\n

When that happens, you can rely only on your martial arts\u00a0training and ring experience to carry you through and help\u00a0you survive an attack. If that training has been tough, practical\u00a0and realistic, you will, more often than not, prevail. Remember,\u00a0however, your attitude is more important than your skill.<\/p>\n

President Theodore Roosevelt once stated – so poignantly\u00a0– “It’s not the size of the boy in the fight. It’s the size of the\u00a0fight in the boy.” Truer words were never spoken.<\/p>\n

Here, I speak strictly for myself, and not for anyone else\u00a0reading this. If I’m personally confronted with a serious threat,\u00a0I invariably take appropriate and aggressive measures to\u00a0protect myself – regardless of whatever potential legal or\u00a0other consequences may result. I can worry about any of that\u00a0later because, if I don’t win that encounter, I may not have to\u00a0worry about anything since I could be crippled or dead!<\/p>\n

Suppose I’ve trained in the martial arts mainly for fitness\u00a0and health. Does that mean my skills might never work in a\u00a0real self-defense situation – because I might or might not\u00a0freeze out of fear? How can I know?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can’t! Like the student skydiver who climbs into the\u00a0airplane, like the rookie fighter pilot who takes off on his\u00a0first sortie, or the beginner boxer climbing into the ring for the\u00a0first time – they never knew if they could perform effectively,\u00a0if at all, that first time. However, most do; and few completely\u00a0freeze.<\/p>\n

For one thing, you won’t have any choice in a street\u00a0confrontation. If you cringe and cower when attacked, you\u00a0may very well be killed. Therefore, your only chance will be\u00a0to go for it!<\/p>\n

Secondly, understand that you will not normally perform in\u00a0a real fight as well as you did in practice. Fear does cause us to\u00a0be uptight emotionally and, consequently, hinders or restricts\u00a0our ability to think quickly and accurately. Fear also tightens us\u00a0up physically and makes our moves – in this case, punches\u00a0and kicks – stiffer and slower than normal.<\/p>\n

However, there are a rare few, natural fighters who actually\u00a0“turn on” in real and serious fights or in battle. But even\u00a0these rare types also draw on their previous practice\u00a0and experience.<\/p>\n

Fear-driven stiffness is totally unavoidable. Only experience\u00a0will allow you to loosen up. Often, however, as a real fight\u00a0progresses, you’ll find that you will loosen up, too. Further, the\u00a0sum total of your training sessions and ring experience will\u00a0promote self-confidence, which leads to a more relaxed\u00a0attitude in combat. The less you think about what can happen\u00a0to you, the more you can focus on what you have to do to\u00a0defend yourself.<\/p>\n

And finally, when another person picks the fight with you or\u00a0assaults you, he’s the one in the wrong. You are right! And\u00a0being right, especially feeling right, empowers us immensely.\u00a0So, in any attack situation, give yourself a big dose of\u00a0“righteous indignation” and go for it. Don’t lose your temper.\u00a0Keep cool, calm and collected. And explode into action.<\/p>\n\n