Fear and Panic
One of our biggest enemies during a conflict can often times be fear. The fear of getting hurt, the fear of getting killed, fear of getting raped and so on, your life flashes before your very eyes. The fact that you have children, family or friends that you may never see again right in your thoughts, can trigger fear’s biggest ally, panic.
On top of all the confusion, this fear triggers the release of adrenalin into your system. Your body shivers, your legs tremble, you break into a cold sweat, heart pounding, focused vision, increased heartbeat and your mouth as dry as sandpaper. Your body is reacting by pumping blood into your arms and legs, ready for you to take action. I’m sure that you’ve heard it before but your body is getting you ready for “fight or flight”.
We can control our emotions and as fear is an emotion it can also be controlled. People are facing fear each and everyday as part of their livelihood, the fact that they can control fear is an indicator that you can too. Criminals expose themselves to it, time after time. For this reason they learn to cope with it far better than most people.
Concentrate on what you are going to do, not what might happen to you. We all have an inbuilt mechanism, strong instincts for survival. Deep inside, you know that you are capable of carrying out terrible things. Society has quite rightly suppressed that natural instinct with law and order but if there is ever a time that you need to fight for your life, let out those instincts for survival and do everything you need to do in order to survive. Explode with everything that you have, theres no holding back. A predator is not looking for a fight but a victim.
Real fear makes ordinary people capable of carrying out extraordinary things. To have some control over emotions like that is even more powerful.
You will not let anyone deny you the right of going home to your loved ones, least of all this goon standing in front of you, who is ready and willing to take your life away in an instant.
Know in your mind that are capable of inflicting severe injury to another person and you can and will do whatever it takes to defend yourself or your family.
I am certainly no expert on the subject of fear but I have certainly experienced and benefited from the effects of it. Someone who is certainly considered an expert is Gavin De Becker, his book
Over the next few articles, I will be covering many other areas. The first article will cover the need to have the belief in yourself that you can be effective in Self Defense regardless of your size and strength.
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Malcolm Bale
2nd Degree Blackbelt in Jiu-Jitsu
http://www.fightwize-self-defense.com
Fightwize Self Defense, run classes and courses for Men, Women and Children. Learn Escape Techniques, Targeting and Striking, Ground Defense, Keychain Defense, Take Downs and Hold Downs.
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Tags: Controll your fear, panic, Self Defense