by Chris McKinley on Thu Oct 30, 2008 6:38 pm
How many of you have ever tried starting your sparring sessions or scenario training by deliberately taking a gloved punch to the head first? Granted, it's not the healthiest thing to do all the time, and it's not exactly a lot of fun. But on rare occasions, it can be a good way to experience what it's like to start an encounter from a disadvantaged/diminished position.
But Chris, but Chris....why would one do that? Why would one train to start an encounter from a disadvantaged/diminished position? Because, in reality, there's a very good chance that that's exactly how a real violent encounter may begin. Worse yet, the better (and more aware/alert) you are, the greater that percentage chance becomes.
But Chris, but Chris....how??? How does the percent chance of starting a violent encounter from a disadvantaged/diminished position actually go up the more alert you become? Well, first I should preface the answer with the fact that the chance of a violent encounter at all actually goes down because the more alert you are, the more you are able to avoid them altogether. However, that also means that, among those encounters that are not avoidable, there is a greater likelihood that they begin with your being surprised, and therefore struck as a matter of opportunity.
So, okay, the reasoning for doing it in the first place kinda makes sense, but what exactly does starting a session by purposefully taking a gloved shot to the head get you in terms of real ability? It gets you familiar with the physiological and psychological circumstances that could very well be present when your life is threatened. If you have experienced those feelings before in training, then at least the novelty won't be there along with the other debilitating effects to compound the situation. If your finely honed neijia abilities fall apart the moment you're tagged a good one in the noggin, then I suggest, dear reader, you are gravely deceiving yourself if you think you are even remotely prepared for the realities of a real violent assault.
So, how to proceed? Well, the initial thump shouldn't be so hard that you risk concussion, but it does need to be solid enough to cause at least a mild, momentary stunning effect...just enough to 'ring your bell' a little, so to speak. From there, begin the sparring session or scenario as usual and pay close attention to exactly what effect it has on your ability to respond effectively.
This kind of training is a bit extreme, I realize, and it's neither for everyone, nor for anyone too frequently. It is inherently quite a bit more dangerous than most of the training most of you are familiar with, and neurological damage is nothing at all to play with. Still, even experiencing it once, under controlled conditions and with trusted partners, can teach a very valuable lesson about the potential dangers of a real violent assault that most of your traditional training, and none of your solo training, can provide.