Defensive Mindset I

by Van Canna

Date: 18 Oct 1997

one of the strongest motivations of a martial arts student is self preservation.In spite of their classical dojo practice,when in a violent confrontation and in the convulsive grip of the fight or flight reflex,students are bewildered by the turn of events,agonize over their response actions and unforeseen consequences and present themselves back to their senseis for answers. once i read a martial arts critique stating that the trouble with most karate schools today is that they teach students just enough to get them killed in a real fight,i.e.they teach all the "never fail" moves without providing an understanding of the psychophyisical manifestations of the fear response which kicks in from the primal brain (brain stem}. most teachers also have a poor understanding of fighitng tactics,with the results that students react wrongly and run when they should fight and fight when they should "take a flight". It might help to keep in mind that today's "fights" bear their unique set of hurdles and consequences (armed opponents,criminal prosecution,civil litigation, financial ruin)and these variables have a profound subliminal impact on your defensive resolve. as time permits and if you show an interest out there i will define and analyze in great detail these threshold issues.As a primer i suggest you read my "self defense for life" in the web articles section.

Van Canna