Analysis of How to Train for Reality

[Rick Wilson]

Training / Safety FLAWS:

Do you train a deadly martial art that teaches you how to kill to protect yourself?

If yes, how many people have you killed in training?

If you train to kill but have never killed anyone then you have a training / Safety FLAW.

Note 1: Every training has a safety flaw.

Note 2: You need to know what it is.

Note 3: You need to try to minimize the effect it has.

(I’m watching Rory Miller’s Facing Violence DVD — such great stuff.)

[Van Canna]

'Psycho-Chemical stress conditioning in Budo'

Here's an article that reflects much of what I believe to be critical in our training.

http://shinyokai.com/Essays_PCSConditioning.htm

[Van Canna]

Broadly speaking, there is a significant lack of effective instruction in confronting the physiological and psychological stresses that occur during all physical conflict. Truth be told, most highly ranked instructors in budo have virtually no experience with the symptoms of PCS and many even refuse to acknowledge its debilitating effects. The result of this omission is that a majority of students in budo are given a false sense of security, believing that they can somehow translate their growing technical dojo prowess into actual street effectiveness. Such belief is a statistical fantasy, and a dangerous one at that.

[Van Canna]

The chances of successfully navigating the adverse effects of PCS are compromised significantly if one is involved in a form of budo predominantly driven by a teaching model based on cooperative partner interaction. No dojo or seminar training environment can replicate an actual violent confrontation.

[Van Canna]

"Remember that most people who call themselves martial artists are nothing of the sort. Most dojos are not martial arts dojos either. They are glorified social clubs thriving in an environment of emotional stimulation which is heightened by a false or extremely limited perception of danger. When real danger shows itself in such a dojo, the participants run for cover. In a real dojo the participants run towards the conflict."

OUCH

[Van Canna]

For a vast majority of budo practitioners, even experienced ones, to effectively apply technique during an actual violent encounter requires familiarity with the onset and debilitating effects of PCS. Without such experience, the technical syllabus one has spent years perfecting in the dojo is simply unavailable. It is like a box of valuable tools locked behind closed doors without a key. Training that includes such high level intensity that one frequently experiences PCS is the key to unlocking the valuable waza you have dedicated years in the dojo to learning and perfecting.

[Van Canna]

The first level towards experiencing PCS is to allow the speed and power of the attacks to reach a level significantly higher than one can easily handle. One should function only in a protective or defensive mode at this point, attempting to weather the dizzying array of attacks by utilizing only taisabaki, blocks & parries.

One should get hit and hit frequently at this level of training. No active defense such as counter attacks or throws should be attempted at this level of PCS training. The point is to experience the overwhelming confusion associated with a violent attack. Bang!

For many people unaccustomed to overwhelming physical conflict, the adrenaline dump will stop them like a brick wall.

[Van Canna]

One will start shaking, hearing will become tinny and one will realize that all they can physically manage are gross motor movements. Occasionally some people will develop tunnel vision and may even lose their hearing temporarily. This is not a pleasant experience and it isn't meant to be. It's intended to put one under extreme stress. In this type of training it is absolutely necessary that you find a partner you trust completely, one who can function as an attacker but whose technique and control are of such a high technical level that the chance of serious injury is greatly diminished.

[Van Canna]

The next level of training will require more protection for the attacker and less for you as you will start attempting to apply your own techniques in response to the attack.

The actual technique is not strictly important so safer, less dangerous applications of technique are appropriate here. It is the mental and physical calmness in the application of technique during extreme duress that matters most now.

You should develop a calm enough mind to draw any response from the previously locked box of techniques you have acquired in regular dojo training. Through PCS conditioning, you've acquired the key to access the best waza you have available to you.

[Rick Wilson]

Take bucket

And very cold water

Dump over head

[Van Canna]

[Rick Wilson]

Is there blood in your dojo?

If not – why not?


Okay this may sound odd to some and to others it will make absolute sense.

I believe that you should be able to train with injury as much as possible barring accidents.

I also believe you cannot train properly without getting hurt on a fairly regular basis.

A split lip, or

A black eye, or

Multiple “sore” spots – often discovered only the next day, or

A mix of all of the above.

If you train hard you will get knocked around and as tough or as conditioned we get you will get “hurt.”

I distinguish hurt from injury in that hurt means you are sore but not impeded in any way and injury is where there is actual structural damage to you that impedes your work the next day, your life and possible your training.

And I am not saying we train super hard or we are super tough.

As a comparison, one of my training partners just spent a week in France and was training with some Foreign Legionnaires – okay – they train hard. What I do doesn’t compare.

What I am saying is that in training you have Softwork which works on efficiency (not often any hurt and unless there is an accident - no injuries) and as you add in partner resistance you move into Hardwork which works on effectiveness and as you move into hardwork the bumps and knocks start and there will be “hurt.”

If there is no hurt then the level of resistance is just not high enough.

As Van posted training does not reach reality because then you are into injury.

Anyway just wondering what people thought about this concept of a little hurt to learn?

[jorvik]

Well if you train with weapons then you can't really think like that , you have to be uber carefull, but having said that if you are training to really do damage to someone then you can't train like that either. When I was younger I used to go a bit mad with escrima, me and another guy used to really go at it with machetes, just doing two man drills with unsharpened weapons.one time I was nearly hit in the face by a blade.so that woke me up to reality.recently i got back into escrima after many years abscence, but having practised on my own a lot with sticks and knives.and I trained once again but with people who I suppose should have been a lot better than I was.but they weren't.....i suppose that they were better at two man drills than I was ..but when it got to be time to sparr I could certainly hold my own.......I've noticed this with free sparing as well.if you practice on your own ( and you seldom get hurt there) then you seem to maintain your level..............A lot of the stuff that I do with " Poor Bob" I couldn't do with a partner, So I guess I am avoiding those type of injuries..most times when folks get together or when they give demos they tend to reherse rather than fight........also I notice that beginners tend to get more injured than the advanced folks, because maybe they don't know how to play it as much of a game as their seniors.maybe they are closer to reality....advanced people fight to a timing. There is also a difference between boxers and streetfighters....because of their timings....boxers take time trying to set people up, in the street they may do this by talking or whatever, but there fighting tends to be close and brutal and none stop

[Stryke]

Well if you train with weapons then you can't really think like that

like all training you introduce failings in the training to compromise for safety .

then you have to train other things to make sure you cover the failings, usually this means other failings ... its a vicious cycle

we use protective gear , padding and blunt padded weapons in different types to simulate different aspects.

If you don't have a scale of intensity and a scale of safety then your not training , your either fighting or pretending .....

Thats why the odd knock is inevitable , because as you progress you often push the limits , because the point of training is expanding your limits, while being responsible for everyone's safety.

the realness of sport conflict will probably be an oxymoron to someone like Ray, but its also a useful tool, plenty of sport weapon arts with safety valves.

I do agree combatives and mutual confrontation have different mindset , and generally timing , but stereotypes.......

but you need to drill somehow , you need to train somehow , banging on bob is pretty good for someone whos probably already arrived but you need to test yourself to get to that point.

unless of course you plan to learn by just fighting itself.

[Stryke]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXmw7QGL0dM

these guys do some pretty good weapon testing