I have 3 points IÂ’d like to make concerning this thread. Well actually, I have 3 points IÂ’d like to expand on as Furtry already made the points.
Furtry said:
I say learn to deal with getting hit as IT IS GOING to happen. (Personal pet peeve with MA schools that think they can teach you to be 'untouchable')
Expanding on that IÂ’d like to say:
Training awareness is a very important thing, but it doesn’t really address the issue of dealing with the sucker punch. After all if you are aware of the situation, it is no longer a sucker punch. It is certainly preferable to prevent the sucker punch from happening, but one has to guard against allowing their training to drift into the “well I’ll just never let that happen to me” syndrome.
We all remember 15 years ago when many stylists dismissed Gracie “Judo” by saying things like “well I wouldn’t let them take me down”, and remember shortly after saying that many of those folks being taken down.
Reality is if you want to study true self defense or survival, you need recognize that you might find yourself in any situation. No matter how unlikely a circumstance there was likely somebody before you who was caught in it, and was fully convinced that such an unlikely scenario would ever happen.
In todayÂ’s world of high powered drugs, stun guns and other technology it is quite possible to find your first opportunity for self defense to arise when you are waking up on the ground, groggy and already bound. Some of you may be thinking, that sounds extreme or unlikelyÂ… If that thought occurred to you, I would implore you to pay more attention to the news.
The majority of martial arts training time is spent on dealing with “fight engagements”. The emphasis is on a frontal confrontation of known origin. Unfortunately, this does not account for the majority of avoidable self defense situations. Criminals aren’t looking for a fair fight, they aren’t looking for an opponent, they are looking for a target.
Awareness and the mental conviction to act appropriately, is indeed more important than physical skills. The irony is, the more prepared you are, the less of a target you are, the more likely any attacks against you will beÂ… by ambush, because that becomes the only way to return you to target status.
Therefore, the better we get at awareness, the more we practice it, the more likely is the fact that what we will have to deal with if in an altercation is indeed the sucker attack.
That said, lets get on with discussing how to actually “deal” with a sucker punch.
Furtry said:
“Learn to work from contact”
This is the first priority in learning to actually deal with a successful sucker punch. For those of you not involved in Systema, or new to it, IÂ’ll explain what that means.
In Systema we emphasize contact. We practice receiving blows to all parts of the body. We learn to yield naturally. We teach the body to think for itself and respond to impact by allowing the blow to move us.
This skill is worked to different degrees over time. We certainly do specific drills to develop the skill (or should I say release the original skill), but we also make this practice a normal part of class. It is not uncommon in class when working with your partner to have someone break ff from his partner and attack you blind. The practices, the general movement practices, the pushing drills and other exercises all lead towards creating a situation where the skill is always on.
Over time you can create the state where your body will spontaneously yield to impact, whether you are aware of the attack or not. As your body naturally moves as a result of the impellent force, you are put in motion and the conflicts resolution will be powered and created by that movement. This is working from contact.
Developing these skills is the first of 2 steps in learning to deal with a true sucker punch.
Moving on to skill number 2Â…
Furtry Said:
Well he didnÂ’t say it specifically, but it was there between the lines the way I read it. HereÂ’s what I think I readÂ….
Have the mental composure to take action as your body becomes aware youÂ’ve been attacked. Do not let your ego, fear, or anything else to blind you to what needs to be done. Surviving the sucker punch is the first step, now comes the resolution.
Arthur
