Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated.” - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Surprise - Fear - Pain (in SD?)

Reading the book, “Meditations on Violence,” by Rory Miller he makes a statement that seems, from my perspective and perception and assumptions, talks a lot about what should be training and taught for self-defense. Let me clarify, not only and exclusively but as an intricate part of any SD training system. 

Training to handle the complete and utter surprise one experiences when blitzed by an attacker - in general. Training to handle the complete and total overwhelming effects of fear when blitzed by an attacker. Finally, training to handle the complete and utter overwhelming psychological and physical effects of pain when blitzed by an attacker. 

You, in general, can count on experiencing any or all of these three if you have to defend yourself from an attacker, i.e. in a conflict with violence, physical violence. So,that brings up my question to self, “How does one actually train in reality to handle surprise, fear and pain,” for self-defense?

Then if you add in adrenal flooding and all the other factors that are a part of the self-defense world you begin to understand the awesome need and responsibility to provide as complete a picture of SD along with adequate training and practice toward a “Mind-set/state” that will allow you to overcome surprise, fear and pain to act as necessary yet within the confines of the SD circle. 

Look at these three emotional obstacles and consider that not only do you have to overcome them to save your hide you have to do it in record time - say in about a half-second or so, maximum. Oh, no one told you that if attacked it would happen that fast while overwhelming your brain with “Surprise, Fear, and Pain!”

Note: When Rory Miller made the quote, “Self-defense is largely about dealing with surprise and fear and pain, none of which is useful in developing fitness.” it was in the chapter where he describes various aspects of martial arts training and practice as geared toward physical fitness, etc. 

Then I would pose the question in training and practice, “Will your training and practice to handle surprise, fear and pain actually work when you are surprised, feeling fear and pain in an attack by some predatory stranger out on the streets with no rules and no tapping out and such? The distinctions seem important. 

In my previous postings along with my comments, etc., it seems to only true and real and almost fool proof way to true self-defense is to train very, very hard at avoidance. Now, avoidance training may only be a small part of conflict, violence and self-defense but it also has many, many, many layers that affect its success as well ergo why it is just one small part of the entire SD topic. 

Oh yea, all this just “shoots all kinds of holes” in the one-stop-shopping idea for self-defense. It is also a great argument for diversifying one’s toolbox for self-defense, i.e. the various types of training in martial arts, etc. 

Question: Is it dangerous to assume just because you encountered apprehension when competing, pain from sparring or fear from having to do something in front of people that this is enough to save the day when you feel the same things in an attack? 

Question: Is that why an experience professional will be a hero one day then succumb to an attack the next, does experience actually equate adequate training, skill and experience?

Question: Why does experience count toward validation for teaching self-defense if that experience doesn’t work or won’t work for the student and why?

Bibliography (The above post are my thoughts and mine alone, the below are simply sources that influence my thoughts on this subject):
MacYoung, Marc. "In the Name of Self-Defense: What It Costs. When It’s Worth It." Marc MacYoung. 2014.
Goleman, Daniel. "Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition [Kindle Edition]." Bantam. January 11, 2012.
Miller, Rory. "ConCom: Conflict Communications A New Paradigm in Conscious Communication." Amazon Digital Services, Inc. 2014. 
Miller, Rory and Kane, Lawrence A. "Scaling Force: Dynamic Decision-making under Threat of Violence." YMAA Publisher. New Hampshire. 2012
Miller, Rory. "Force Decisions: A Citizen's Guide." YMAA Publications. NH. 2012.
Miller, Rory Sgt. "Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected." YMAA Publishing. 2011.
Elgin, Suzette Haden, Ph.D. "More on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense." Prentice Hall. New Jersey. 1983.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Last Word on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1995
Morris, Desmond. “Manwatching: A Field Guide to Human Behavior.” Harry N. Abrams. April 1979.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1993.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Written Self-Defense" MJF Books. 1997
Maffetone, Philip Dr. “The Maffetone Method: The Holistic, Low-stress, No-Pain Way to Exceptional Fitness.” McGraw Hill, New York. 2000

at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)