How to stop yourself from freezing during an attack

1
HOW TO STOP YOURSELF FROM FREEZING DURING AN
ATTACK
2
You train hard. You come to as many Krav Maga
classes as you can. You even practice in your
spare time. In other words, youre ready to
kick ass. Are you, though?
3
Tough as this may be to swallow, training hard
doesnt necessarily ensure that youre prepared
for an attack. The truth is, unless youve
already found yourself in that situation, away
from the (relative) safety of a Krav Maga class,
you have no idea how youd react when thrown into
the brutal reality of an attack.
4
Let me repeat that unless youve already found
yourself in that situation, you have no idea how
youd react when thrown into the brutal reality
of a vicious attack. Of course, you might
actually do well. After all, Krav Maga in general
and EMA Toronto in particular, give you an
outstanding set of self-defense tools.
5
Then again, you might just freeze during an
attack. See, violence, especially unexpected
violence, has a way of shocking people. The
fight-or-flight response kicks in. Blood rushes
through your body. You get tunnel vision. Your
hearing becomes impaired. You experience
difficulty breathing.
6
Designed to help your body survive, these
physiological responses can sometimes do the
opposite, reducing your chances of survival. In
the case of an attack, be it a rape attempt, a
kidnapping attempt, a mugging, an encounter with
an aggressive, deranged person, or even a drunken
brawl, you might just freeze. You might stammer
and gape as you back away from your attacker. You
might even let him get closetoo close.
7
In the end, you might be the one who ends up
lying unconscious on the floor, blood covering
your face. The good news? By enrolling in EMA
Toronto, youve already taken a major first step
towards ensuring your safety. But follow these
tips, and you can greatly increase the odds of
reacting appropriately to a random attack.
8
But follow these tips, and you can greatly
increase the odds of reacting appropriately to a
random attack. How to stop yourself from
freezing during an attack In a nutshell, to
stop yourself from freezing during an attack all
you have to do is replicate that nasty reality as
much as possible.
9
But before I begin, a disclaimer be sensible.
Talk these things over with your partner,
especially if you dont know them well. Stop if
they tell you theyre uncomfortablebut please do
stress why youre doing it and why they should
consider doing it themselves as soon as theyre
ready.
10
1.Be aggressive. This is key, and not all
students do it. Be aggressive, not just when
youre defending, but also when youre attacking.
If youre going in for a punch, really go for it.
Your partners knows its coming, so chances of
real damage are slim.
11
If youre going in for a choke, let your partner
get an idea of what being choked feels like. Its
a huge disservice to you and your partner to
train complacently. Give each other the
opportunity to experience a burst of aggressive
energy coming in fast and hard, and youll both
be less likely to be caught off guard on the
streets.
12
2.Insult your partner. Lets say you and your
partners have practiced a technique a couple
times. When its your time to attack again,
surprise him or her by insulting or threatening
them.
13
It could be a whisper in their ear as you hold a
choke. It could be a scream at the top of your
lungs as you hurl yourself at them with a raised
fist. Either way, youre helping them become
immune to verbal threats and insults.
14
3.Keep going. Ive experienced this many times,
typically with aggressive partners. They throw a
flurry of knees and punches, only to stop when
one actually lands. Are you okay? they ask.
15
I tell them yes and ask them to carry on. So make
a deal with your partner that neither of you will
stop unless someone specifically says to stop.
Mind you, Im not saying you should seek to
actually land a punch or a kick.
16
You should always keep your partners safety in
mind. Likewise, if someone is being overly
aggressive, tell them to pull it back a notch.
But a stray, unintentional punch here and there
isnt the end of the world, and shouldnt make it
either of you stop the technique. Whats more, it
will teach you to keep your composure when
struck.
17
4.Remember your goal. Ive also seen this too
many times. Ive been guilty of it, too I stop
when I make a mistake with a technique. Now,
sometimes you should do this, especially when
youre learning a new technique.
18
But remember Youre here to learn to defend
yourself, not to learn techniques. Its subtle,
yet powerful distinction. Got stuck? Hesitated?
Threw the wrong kick? Never mind. Improvise and
continue to defend yourself.
19
In a real street fight, you cant afford the
luxury of stopping because you made a mistake and
the technique didnt work as expected. Your goal
is to destroy your attacker, then vanish. Train
with that goal in mind.
20
5.Be aware of your surroundings. This one is to
be practiced away from class as you go about your
day. Basically, put your phone back in your
pocket, and if you must listen to music, at least
lower the volume and take off one earbud.
21
Think about it if you were going to attack
someone, would you attack an alert person or a
person whos gaping down at a screen, barely
aware of where they are? Dont stop there,
thoughscan for potential threats.
22
Dont stop there, thoughscan for potential
threats. Watch peoples hands (are they holding a
knife?) and body language (are they nervous, or
maybe high?) See a guy acting aggressively on the
corner? Cross the street, or if thats not an
option, turn and go back where you came from. Did
an aggressive panhandler storm into your subway
train?
23
Adopt a comfortable yet discreet position, one
that allows you to spring into action, and remain
vigilant. That way, if an attack does happen, you
wont be caught by surprise.
24
Have you ever been attacked? Did you freeze or
did you manage to fight back effectively? Resourc
e- http//emakravmaga.ca/how-to-stop-yourself-fro
m-freezing-during-an-attack/
25
3.Keep going. Ive experienced this many times,
typically with aggressive partners. They throw a
flurry of knees and punches, only to stop when
one actually lands. Are you okay? they ask.