I received a returned video from a well meaning, but severely misguided, former customer. This is a rarity since over the past 2 plus years and hundreds upon hundreds of videos shipped; I can only count 3 returns. One was unopened, one included a note that the recipient thought the videos would be something else, but he intended to buy the rest of the videos we offered, hmmm smells a little fishy (incidentally, this person has been banned from buying anything from us again). And lastly, this well-meaning person. The note inside prompted me to write this article. He identified himself that he was an orange belt in Krav Maga and that he has been instructed to relax and be loose during a life or death struggle. Now, I have not trained in Krav Maga nor do I know anything about the modern version of it. My focus is on the relaxing strategy; which I have heard from a variety of different experts during my 30 plus on the mat.

For efficiency of movement and economy of energy, there is NO DOUBT, that being relaxed is better. In combative sport it is essential that you conserve your energy and use it when an opportunity presents its self. Unfortunately, thats not how it works when your neck is on the line. There are two instances that relaxing in a real fight can happen. The first is you have had hundreds of life and death confrontations. This allows you to be inoculated against the stress (some times). In that case, I want to meet you. Now it is IMPOSSIBLE to replicate fighting for your life in training. You can get intense, but its not even close. Because deep down, you know youre not going to die, no matter how intense you train.

The second is youre a sociopath. In that case you should be arrested. Lets look at a non-fighting example:

Most of us drive, some better than others. When youre driving and you get cut off, what happens? A shot of adrenalin and your moving before you can even think about it. Your hear rate increases, you start to breathe rapidly and you spit out the nearest obscenity. Are you Relaxed? Most of us drive EVERYDAY. If its something as mundane as driving (unless youre driving with Clint, in that case it IS a life or death situation) why arent you able to RELAX when you are about to crash? Simple, because you realize that your life is at risk and your body prepares for the worst. And theres NOTHING you can do about it. Now dont start telling me about some Grand Dragon Wizard Master. Im talking about you.

Heres another example:

First responders, people who deal with life and death regularly, Fire Fighters, EMTs, Police and Soldiers all get that gut-churning feeling when they know SOMEONES life is at stake. No matter how many times they go to a call, they get the same feeling. Thats why training is simple, routine and repeated thousands of times. You need to perform common tasks during uncommon circumstances. And this is the ONLY way to do it. Its only your training that prepares you. And its the repetition of high percentage techniques that will save you at that critical moment. It has to be instinct. During these times, your body is only going to allow you to perform certain functions. Relaxing is not one of them, pissing your self is. On the site I talk about the effects of your bodys mobilization for battle (www.how2fight.com). These are biological functions you can not over ride. IT IS AUTOMATIC.

This is where combat sport and real combat part ways. No matter what is allowed in competition, you know the other guy is not going to kill you. It doesnt matter if its the UFC or the Olympics, you may get beat up, but you wont get dead. You will be nervous, tense, and even scared. But deep down you know that if you get into trouble, the fight will be stopped. This is ALL the difference. Men like Carl Cestari, Charlie Nelson, W.E. Fairbairn, EA Sykes, Biddle, Applegate and others all experienced this first hand. Even Bruce Lee talked about using the straight blast when really pressed. Why not use the straight blast EVERY time?

This is the value of the videos @ www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com are why they are so successful with military, police and seasoned martial artists. They know the difference.

When you fight for your life your body operates in a way that is beyond your control. You need to train in such a way that allows you to operate in this zone. Did you know that a typical adrenaline blast lasts only 30 seconds? Then you need about 3 minute to reboot. That is a lifetime when you are fighting the unknown. Weapons, multiple assailants, broken bottles on the ground, snow, sleet- all must be factored in. Standing toe to toe and practicing your contrived techniques.where does this happen. Even trying to practice your breathing is ludicrous (not the rapper, thats ludakris). How many first hand accounts start with He came out of no where or he suddenly appeared. If you see him or mark him, chances are he will pick another victim. He will come out of no where! The other element that should be mentioned is your assailant. Personally, I train for the meanest, toughest SOB I can imagine. I picture him appearing at my door. I think about him coming into the door of my dojo and only one of us is going home. And I guarantee you, if some one is standing between me and my family- theres no question of the outcome. Incidentally, you should feel the same way too. Its easy to practice to beat your training partner; its easy to do something on your friends or even the local blow-hard down at the pub. Thats 70% of the world. You should worry about that psycho 1% and let the other 99% take care of its self. If you think that you ARE trained you will be surprised what happens when you are in this situation. You never think you are going to act the way you think you are.

True story: Famous Okinawan Karate man, was serving as a Marine in Viet Nam. This person had trained in Okinawa under Choki Mobotu for several years prior to his deployment in Vietnam. During his training with Mobotu he endured endless hours of makiwara training and bogu fighting. During a firefight in Viet Nam the conflict degraded in to hand to hand. As I am hearing the story, I was waiting to hear how he decimated a V.C. Platoon with a reverse punch, I mean real One shot- one kill. Since grenades was all he had left and they were too close to throw them, he proceeded to bash people in the head with the grenades. After that, did he start knocking dead with a front kick, no he proceeded to use his helmet as a club and smash guys the enemy in the face. Was his training a waste of time? Definitely not, in fact, it was probably his training that gave him the stones to do what he did. Did he ever imagine his reaction, no. But it worked. The point is even if you think youre trained, you wont know what will happen when your life is on the line. When your gross motor skills kick in and you CANT EVEN SPEAK, do you think you will be able to RELAX.

2005 www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com