I am SO nervous for Friday...a long one!!

[Shotokan-kez]

Thanks everyone. I had my last lesson last night before the grading and we did absolutely no grading work at all, i wasn't very happy to say the least. Instead of doing my Kata for the grade which is Bassai Dai we ended up doing Jiion which i don't even know. We didnt do any Jiyu Ippon Kumite, which again is another thing i need for my grading. It wasn't the chief instructor last night, it was his other sensei but still i would have thought he would have covered some grading work, now i feel a whole lot worse!

Thanks for that link DCMS, good to know i'm not the only one this happens too, i'm just glad i don't have to break boards.

Brandon your website is wicked!

Kez xx

[Shotokan-kez]

Oh and just one more thing. With my panic dissorder as it is, and my adreniline problems. I know for a fact that i wouldn't be able to defend myself in the street if i was attacked. All my martial arts training would go out the window and i wouldn't fight, despite my rank.

I mean is that bad? What would be the point of it all?

In the class i'm all bulls raging and work very hard and win lots of points in my kumite but in real life confrontations i'm a big wimp!

Kez xx

[KarateK]

Hi Kez

Your story sounds similar to mine. I started karate at 7 then gave up when I got to purple belt, at about 11. Started back properly about a year ago but I chose to work my way back through the grades. However what with my continuous knee problems I am now out of action again.

I know how hard it can be to restart after so many years so WELL DONE to you for re-starting and sticking to it.

As for the what would happen if you were attacked in the street I think your instincts will come in to play. One of the first things we were taught is simple - run away or scream fire!! It doesnt matter if you are big, small, short or tall - the best of us can get scared at times. Best not to focus on it, hopefully you will never encounter such a situation x

[Dont call me Sir]

No worries Kez.

As for the what would happen if you were attacked in the street I think your instincts will come in to play. One of the first things we were taught is simple - run away or scream fire!!

But that's part of the problem, we still have caveman (woman) instincts, which are to either freeze and do nothing, hoping the Sabre Toothed Tiger didn't see us, or run like the wind, back to the safety of our cave.

In a physical confrontation you don't always get the luxury of being able to run and use our adrenaline dump for which it is meant for. Instead you have to stand and fight, or in most cases, simply freeze, which can be fatal.

DCMS.

[KarateK]

But referring to the panic disorder Kez mentions, thats not something that will allow a person to stand and fight. It can be quite a debilatating illness. Not something to be scoffed at.

Was merely suggesting that if she finds herself in that position, instead of panicking and completely losing it (which could well happen) that she instead may need to focus on simply getting away.

Yes personally if it was me my adrenaline would kick in and I would defend myself, however for some with such issues (and this is men or women) a stress induced attack will paralise all thoughts of your MA study.

[Brandon Fisher]

Kez,

Thanks for the compliment on the website. Not even close to what I would like it to be though.

As far as your feling that you couldn't defend yourself that attitude will put you there. You need to start always believeing you can and thats when you will truly succeed. I have a saying in my dojo there is no such word as can't. I won't accept it as an excuse in or out the dojo. I tell my students to try their best at everything they do and I will be proud of them no matter the outcome.

[Dont call me Sir]

But referring to the panic disorder Kez mentions, thats not something that will allow a person to stand and fight. It can be quite a debilatating illness. Not something to be scoffed at.

I take your point, but can I just say though, I wasn't 'scoffing' at anything.

DCMS.

[KarateK]

Bad choice of words, my apologies

[Dont call me Sir]

Bad choice of words, my apologies

No need to apologise. In re-reading my posts I realise that my comments were a bit short sighted in terms of a Panic Disorder, my apologies to Kez.

DCMS.

[Dont call me Sir]

With reference to my previous comments; the point I was trying to make is that we aren't designed to fight. Our instincts tell us to freeze or run. With the correct approach to training it is possible to overcome the effects of adrenaline and to fight back.

The sort of training that I'm talking about involves training under the influence of the adrenal stress response and in doing so your body will become accustomed to the effects of adrenaline. Without thinking you will automatically go into what we call 'Tactical Breathing', which in turn will lower your heart rate and allow you to fight how you have trained.

In other words, training under the adrenal stress response will de-sensitise you from the effects of adrenaline.

Police officers, Paramedics, Fire-Fighters, etc, experience the effects of adrenaline every day, so their bodies become accustomed to it's effects. Unless we have a brawl everyday of our lives, we will never become accustomed to the effects of adrenaline in a physical confrontation. The only way our bodies can become accustomed to the effects of adrenaline in a physical confrontation is to train like we are in a 'real' fight. This can be done, we do it at my Academy, but it has to be done properly.

I hope all that makes sense.

DCMS.