Beyond the Board Break

[bushido_man96]

I think this thread is important in that it addresses just how messy an eye gouge is. I know alot of instructors who don't even bother to teach it to many because they know the person wouldn't have the intestinal fortitude to actually execute the technique.

I agree. I also agree with the approach that tallgeese takes. If you plan to train someone the eye gouge, then training what it may be like is important. I don't think one can just assume that they will gouge the eye, and feel the same about it afterwards as they did before.

It is messy. And it is quite a personal attack, in a sense that you will most likely be crippling someone permanently. A punch may not. This technique WILL. That's why the acting is important. It may seem kind of cheesey to be acting in your MA class like this, but to assume one is ready for it may be setting oneself up for failure.

As for the liklyhood of having to use this technique goes, one can make a case for. But, the same case can be made for the likelyhood that any technique we learn will ever be used in a confrontation. Its just another tool to keep handy.

[hx35543]

I would do the training in hopes that I would never have to use it. I would imagine that most of us here, and those that don't post here, have about the same imagination. You might have heard of a confrontational situation from a friend that went to a local bar or overhear how someone got mugged. Then think or fantasize how you might have dealt with the situation. Very few of us will ever be in that situation. My own instructor has only used his skills twice in the time he has been practicing.(He is a seventh degree BB in TSD) For me, it is only that I am prepared physically and hopefully mentally for what ever situation might arise. And in the instance it does, have the self-control necessary to do just enough to dis-arm, dis-able, and get away from danger, and not go berserk and rip his throat out. You have to possess a certain value for human life, even though your attacker may not care whether you live or die. I would expect that most of us here would have a serious problem sleeping at night if we would happen to gouge an eye of an attacker, even though it might have been warranted. Knowing that this person just lost an eye from my hand would be kind of a nasty thought to run through my mind.

[tallgeese]

I see a couple of votes for the "no" answers.

It'd be interesting to hear any thoughts that are radically different than those we've been discussing, which are variations on a theme. Don't get me wrong, they are important differances, but I'd be curious to hear why someone voted the other way entirely.

[ShoriKid]

Voted with the first option. Like many others here, I feel that the techniques needed at the extreme end of the self defense spectrem, need to be trained as closely as possible to reality. While any sane person hopes they never have to impliment anything so extreme as taking out an eye, I would rather have the training to do so if it meant my life, or that of someone that I had to act on behalf of.

The major critism of many traditional MAist is that they fall back to "eye gouge" and "throat chop" when dealing with real threats. And, that they have never trained these techniques on anything other than empty air. This is a bridge puts some teeth back into these extreme cases of defense.

I'll voice Tallgeese on picking up On Combat. I find it as, if not more, useful for a martial artist, or any defense minded person. Every day that I forget a folding knife(a useful tool in all kinds of situations) I remember to take that deep breath and "B-a-a-hh" just for myself.

[joesteph]

I see a couple of votes for the "no" answers.

It'd be interesting to hear any thoughts that are radically different than those we've been discussing, which are variations on a theme. Don't get me wrong, they are important differances, but I'd be curious to hear why someone voted the other way entirely.

I had to think about this for a couple of days to express myself without being or appearing to be judgmental.

I've chosen to limit the extent of desensitization that I am willing to permit myself to undergo. The line I've drawn for myself falls short of this level of intensity.

[ShoriKid]

Joesteph,

I don't think there i anything wrong with that decision. Not to be argumentative, and I'm not here to guilt you either. However, you can participate in this sort of drill and not be aiming at desensitizing. Exposing yourself to the drill, with full dramatic displays, could help you determine, ahead of time how much violence you are willing to visit on others, or where to draw that line. So, it could be a positive re-enforcement of a decision.

[bushido_man96]

I agree with ShoriKid. One experience likely won't desensitize you. And, even though there may be a limit you want to keep yourself from pushing past, you have to understand that if someone is singling you out as their victim, then they are likely very capable of going to that point, and beyond. At that point, do you want to know if you at least can go to that level?

Along the same train of thought, even if it is something that you do, you don't have to feel good about it. But in the end, if its you are him, even if you feel guilty for doing it, won't you feel better for going home at the end of the day?

Just something to consider.