Emotions & Defensive Training

I remember when I first started training in the martial arts.  There was this expectation that after a while the hours upon hours of practice (stances, blocking, kata, etc.) would translate into the ability to fight.  Of course my intentions were good, and I never went looking for a fight.  But for some reason I felt disappointed when I realized that a real fight consists of a dynamic that was completely lacking in martial technique and sparring.

In the first few minutes of Bruce Lee’s epic Enter The Dragon, he spends a moment teaching a young student a simple concept that I didn’t fully understand until I hit a wall of frustration in my own training.  After throwing a couple kicks at his teacher, the youth is told, “We need emotional content.” 

I used to think this was an expression on the face or some way of animating each movement in a type of mechanical strategy.  Now, after years of processing that statement, I believe the point is even more basic.  There is an element here that says you must be committed to the attack in order to deliver a strike with rhythm and timing.  But even more, beneath the surface perhaps, is a reality which can spell the difference between an artistic exercise and the ability to fight.

Emotions have an intense impact on our physical state.  Fear, anxiety, anger, etc. cause the body systems to change and react to chemicals generated and expelled during a conflict.  A real fight is full of unknowns.  Will I embarrass myself?  Will my friends respect me?  Will I go to jail?  Will I be injured or worse?  What would my family do if something happened to me?  How do I get out of this?  …

Further, emotions have a direct effect to the tension in and between the joints, muscles, and movements you need to perform in a fight.  Depending on your skill level and methods of defense, this could-and often does-create an environment that totally negates the training you have engaged in.  That’s why Black Belts will get their ass handed to them on the street by a bold but untrained thug. 

The mind, as well as the body, must be free to fight.  There’s no time to consider options once the action starts.  If your training has omitted the emotional dump that occurs in the face of an aggressive attack, you might as well run.  But your training can at least simulate heightened emotional states.  In this way you can build reliable skills and know that you are able to respond to a violent encounter. 

Of course, any class situation will promote safety and thus limit the emotional response slightly.  But if you are familiar with the rush of adrenaline and any other corresponding sensory responses, you can develop the ability to fight.  Here is one suggestion as to how to incorporate this concept in your training.

I believe strongly in training against the resistance of a partner (opponent) from the first stages.  As a beginner, you will have to work out how to utilize the techniques you are learning in a more realistic environment.  This may feel frustrating at times, but it’s easier than mastering movements and then going back to figure out how they apply to real fight scenarios. 

Blindfolded sparring is a great tool for developing many aspects of fight ability.  Multiple opponent scenarios can also provide a setting where the urgency to move and keep moving will teach a student to trust initial reactions and work through panic.  But now I will give you a simple drill that I have used successfully in teaching students to work with their emotions to build a practical defense skill set.

Lights Out Drill:

The Lights Out Drill can be a lot of fun for people of all backgrounds.  It’s different and exciting, and the benefits are immediate.  There are several ways to employ this drill, and you will probably come up with new ways on your own.  It’s important to make it fun too. 

One example: (Lights On Drill)

The student stands in an open space.  I have been lead blindfolded into an open field, for example.  Around the student stand a group of training partners who silently position themselves at the ready to attack.  One or more attackers can be used, depending on the skill of the student and the intent of the session. 

When ready, the student quickly pulls off the blindfold and is immediately attacked by the training partners.  He has to process the location, proximity, priority, and dynamics of the situation.  This is extremely stressful, and the emotional overload is a good simulation for a real fight. 

Another example: (Lights Out Drill)

The student is lead into a training hall or room that is dark.  The darker it is, the better.  I have done this outdoors in the dark of night, and that is fun for all. 

Allow the attacking partners to adjust their eyes to the darkness.  When ready, shine a flashlight into the face of the student for a split second.  Back in the dark with his eyes spotted, the student will be effectively blind.  He may glimpse the others coming within range to spar.  He will hear them coming closer. 

All these elements will bring stress, fear, etc.  Again, he is safe because these are not real thugs trying to hurt him.  But the emotional response will be real, and he will learn to move and fight in the presence of emotions that would otherwise control him.

These are just suggestions, but I think you get the idea.  At the very least, remember to think of ways of simulating the emotions that accompany the threat of violence.  In this way you will develop abilities, not just aesthetic skills.  Do all that you can to prepare.

Stand!