psychology in self deFENCE

April Raine

I found this interesting and though I have touched on my interest in the psychological approach in other thread, I am strarting a new one in case i take the other one too OT. Hope that is OK

Baggio...

I've heard rumors that Richard Grannon (the guy in the vid) will be giving a seminar over here at some point.

He did a few DVDs with a guy called Bob Spour (ex-SAS and NLP practitioner). Very good stuff too! They have one particular DVD set called "No Doubt No Fear". Apparently, it just deals with the psychology side of things. I've not seen it, but I've heard good reports about it.

pearsquasher

Hi April - it's great that you start seperate threads on items that interest you. I wish more pople did.

By the number of querys you're making I presume you're shopping around for an art that meets your interest in self-defence?

I recomend you pick 5 arts - I'd personally stay away from weekend courses - and go watch a class on each and ask tons of questions. A good martial art will have the pyschological aspects built into everything it teaches.

As for the clip - its all good but you got to get in there and train regularily and hard-wire good relaxed movement and awareness skills over a long time to be able to be comfortable with using your new skills.

Have I mentioned that I'd recommend Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu?

David Jones

A good martial art will have the pyschological aspects built into everything it teaches.

Can you expand on this?

pearsquasher

A good martial art will have the pyschological aspects built into everything it teaches.

Can you expand on this?

In my experience in training - both at regular weekly classes, seminars and with Bujinkan masters - there's an understanding that not only is what we're doing physcial but there's a overwhleming part of it that is mental and requires an inate mindfullness of the intention of both parties involved in whatever technique is being learned. So sure, a punch to the face is a punch to the face but how it is meant leaks over into things like reaction time, countering, perceptions etc. It's tricky enough to get it across in words but I've found that through training it's VERY important and it's highlighted all the time in the art I do.
It's also a fact that in the few real encounters I've had, the psychology of the situation played a huge part in the outcome - both in how the aggressors intention manifested itself mentally and in how I was able to respond, not just physically, but under stress. Personally I think that this is one aspect of fighting that sparring doesn't really deal with as toe-to-toe sparring naturally facilitates both parites be in same mental state. Sure stress comes into it due to performance etc but I think it's very different to malicious assault.

Just some personal thoughts on the matter.

Baggio...

David Jones wrote: »

Can you expand on this?

Good to bring this up Dave.

From my experience, 99% of schools out there only pay lip service the psychology aspect of training. Which does a terrible disservice to students.

If your minds not right from the start you will be at a terrible disadvantage....

Odysseus

Hi April, can I ask what you mean when you ask about psychology and self-defense. I ask that question because I sometimes ask myself what I mean when I use those words, and to be honest I still formulating it for myself.

Are you referring to the psychology of the attacker, the tricks, the games and the intimidation techniques.

The psychology of fighting, dealing with fear, anxiety, fight, flight or freeze? The use of cue exposure to deal with the above?

The psychology of any MA in terms of the mental discipline required to become good at what you do?

Just wondering what people think when we use those terms maybe get a good discussion going.


@ Baggio I have to concur with the lip service stuff, but maybe times are changing. I would say when I used to train KM Pat dealt with to a good degree, but I told Lee this the last time I trained with you guys I thought he gave some of the best insights I heard been given at seminars. Has Lee got a book that covers his viewpoint on it?

Baggio...

Odysseus wrote: »

I would say when I used to train KM Pat dealt with to a good degree, but I told Lee this the last time I trained with you guys I thought he gave some of the best insights I heard been given at seminars. Has Lee got a book that covers his viewpoint on it?

Hey Odysseus,

How's thing mate?

To be fair to you KM heads... you guys look into a lot of the psychological material. My concern is more aimed at some of the TMA stuff, but I think you're right - times are a changin' - which is a good thing.

Aye, Lee spends a hell of a lot of time on the old soft skills, which is great (although he doesn't neglect the physical stuff either ). I remember him saying recently at the instructors course. That it doesn't matter how good you are, if can't see a threat coming in the first place.

Theres quite a bit of his stuff in his book "Street Safe". He goes through most of the training models there. The "sharp Edge" DVD has a hell of a lot of soft skills specifically for geared for a knife/weapon threat - which is awesome. If you going to the seminar he'll be running through it to.

If you need any more info' drop me a PM.

Odysseus

Cheers Rob, just pmed you. I'm always interested in others prespective on this side of things. As you know I have the joy of having to deal with some right "fruits" [to use a technical term] on a daily basis.

deegs

Baggio... wrote: »

From my experience, 99% of schools out there only pay lip service the psychology aspect of training.

Thats sounds like you doing a lot of schools a disservice, can you qualify this?

Baggio...

deegs wrote: »

Thats sounds like you doing a lot of schools a disservice, can you qualify this?

Not really.... it's just form what I experienced over the years of training. It's also a very general comment (too general looking back at it). But I'm not mentioning, or having a go at any particular school per se. As I've always said on these forums, don't take my word for anything... I can only offer "anecdotal evidence" in this particular situation.

I was incorrect to say 99% of schools. - it was more a figure of speech (apologies.)
I still stand by my statement though, that MOST schools barely give the psychology of violence lip service.

Can you qualify how good these other schools are?

Another factor is that even if they are addressing the problem, are they doing it correctly? How do you know? Again, only the student can decide. But I suggest that the student (or whoever) should always check out multiple sources, and stick with the best (or use a combination).

deegs

Baggio... wrote: »

How do you know? Again, only the student can decide. But I suggest that the student (or whoever) should always check out multiple sources, and stick with the best (or use a combination).

Excellent advice however