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Sang Dong Bin & Other Articles

 

Article #6 Dealing With Fear

Publication date: 21st March 2019

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Fear is a disabling emotion that has no real place in fighting, be it during sparring, in tournaments, or real life situations on the street.

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When fear gets a hold of you, your body is flooded with adrenalin and cortisol. Some may feel it is helpful, aiding the body to react, do something - do anything.

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If you fear that knockout blow will land on you, it will. If you fear the shiny blade will penetrate your stomach, it will. 

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The confident fighter is working on his skills and grows his confidence through sparring. In  sparring, the idea is not to 'win', but to try meaningful techniques - refining them so you can get them to work in every situation. 

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Allowing fear into this merely inhibits the process, and nobody wants that. Your opponent will pick up on it too, and this serves to hasten your defeat. Wouldn't you rather deal with it head on, early in your training.

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Martial arts is a hard game. It's the punishing game, Expect to be hurt, but use this as a tool because as a learning curve, it is fair. It is fair because you can throw those deadly techniques out too. 

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Far bettter to go into combat managing your fear, even making it your friend. Maybe go as far as to acknowledge its presence, but let it sit along side you as an observer - never to stop you doing what you need to do, and what you have been trained to do.

 

Something to think about:-

 

Most of your fights will be one on one. You can do this, you can win, you can prevail - quickly, safely and with the minimum of fuss if you have managed your fear. A good instructor will help you see that fear really is nothing to be afraid of, and that it will motivate you to fix the things you knew were already deficient in your training. That's what fear should be used for - a poke in the ribs, not a sledge hammer to the face. Ask yourself how you have used fear in the past - and now, that you can reevaluate it, how you will use it in the future.

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Further reading:- Books Page

Get the books The Mastery of Martial Arts and The Essence of Martial Arts and please make sure you leave a review.

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