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):
Miller, Rory Sgt. "Meditations of Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training; Real World Violence" YMAA Publishing. 2008.
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
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