The chemical dump is often referred to as the “adrenaline dump.” You can find explanations of what that entails in the following links:
Marc MacYoung’s No Nonsense Self Defense site: "Adrenaline"
Tachypsychia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachypsychia
Adrenaline: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrenaline
Then there is an excellent article from “Police One” site that provides some excellent suggestions on training that involve the often mentioned (see links below) at this site “breathing techniques.” They make a great point that it takes a lot more than learning how to breath properly. I have some posts on the subject of breathing techniques that should also mention the suggestions found in the Police One article:
What I am trying to do with this post is pass along that information as provided above but also to provide a shorter synopsis of what the article suggests. It is a break down of techniques.
The first thing I noticed in the article is “Centering Techniques.” In the beginning and end of a traditional martial arts session you often find participants siting in seiza and performing “Mokuso” or “meditative practices.” This involves both breathing and centering. The centering is a mental focus on the Tandien area or hara area. This is how we learn to center ourselves but in reality it is how we learn to focus our mind to remain in the moment without distractions and distracting thoughts, etc. We often teach that focusing and using visualization of the breathe coming into and out of the diaphragm, chest and lungs and returning by the same route, etc. To focus on the breathing and visualization of a spot two inches below the navel is another form of centering. It is this combination of acts that contribute to countering stress, chemical effects and teaching the mind to remain in the present moment.
You can use any number of techniques for centering the mind and body that will be available when stress hits. It is about some trigger combined with breathing that provides us a tool to act in a way that will counter the effects of this chemical flow into our bodies.
The second thing I noticed in the article is “muscle relaxation techniques.” Martial arts when properly taught and trained teach you relaxation techniques. We also develop the basics of relaxation in mokuso sessions as well. Consider that properly trained martial artists are taught fundamental principles of martial systems where one sub-principle of the principle of Physiokinetics is relaxation, i.e. breathing, heaviness and relaxation, centeredness, body-mind, void, sequential locking and sequential relaxation. As can readily be seen from this list all of these contribute to countering chemical effects as described.
A martial artists must develop those techniques necessary to achieve implementation and inter-connected use of such principles, i.e. to achieve speed and power, etc.
Breathing in a rhythmic manner produces chemicals that actually counter the chemical dump from high stress encounters. Centering provides a means to pull the mind back to a more pliant model that can act accordingly. The actions to reduce chemical effects tend to also allow you to act, action is required to overcome the freeze that often occurs in high stress conflicts as well. You have to perform two acts to overcome the freeze and this type of chemical dump is a part of opening the mind and body toward the ability to overcome the freeze and act.
The third thing I noticed is “The Tension Cycle.” This cycle is a result of conflict, stress and this chemical dump. As it increases so does the tension in our bodies. If we wish to move and act then avoiding much of the tension that comes from the effects of the dump means breaking that cycle of ever increasing mind and body tension. All of this is about controlling and training and applying techniques that bring the mind and body to a state where actions are possible.
You perform tension breaking techniques at all stages, i.e. from the very moment you detect some conflict to the fight and then beyond. When you first perceive some danger to you that is when you recognize the increased heart rate, which occurs faster than the speed of light, the breathing becomes faster and shallower, etc. You know, the signs of the chemical dump hitting the body-mind.
You also will randomly use such techniques during events so that you can prevent the effects of stress from escalating. This is a process much like the processes leading up to physical confrontation. It is like the process that violence goes through from beginning to its end. What happens that leads to violence and conflict, what happens during and what happens when the fight is done, etc. You have to keep working these processes and techniques continually trough out the process because the dump is not just a single event. It can re-emerge at any time and can escalate at any time so you have to be diligent in maintaining an equilibrium by remaining in some control over your body-mind under the influences of the chemical dump.
Read the last part of the Police One article, it provides considerations and cautions in this process and use of such techniques. Alone, they are techniques that result in health and well being but if not coupled with all the other necessary ingredients of conflict (violence) they will fail.
These are things that by themselves in conflict will not provide you what is necessary. Violence is a compilation and inter-connection of many things of which training and practice are also only a part. It is a whole, holistic, compilation of things that provide for self-defense. This is just one part. A very important part but still only one of many necessary to achieve proper self-defense.
Note: when martial artists say the mokuso and other such philosophical oriented practices are not necessary to practice and apply martial arts they are forgetting that everything within a full martial system is meant to teach and train all the parts necessary to overcome the violence we train for regarding self-defense.
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