Q&R: Describe an Incident of Violence and What You Learned
QUESTION: Describe an Incident of Violence and What You Learned. ANSWERS: Garry Smith MAY FIGHT – Gary Smith PART I PART II PART III
Author: CRGI
Counter Ambush – Rory Miller
More funny than serious. I was at a convention talking to an acquaintance in a busy hallway next to the hotel coffee shop. Suddenly, her eyes shifted to look over my shoulder and they went wide. Without thinking, I drop-stepped backwards at an angle and spun towards the threat with my elbow. My normal counter-assault … [Read more…]
Operant Conditioning (OC) – Rory Miller
There are a bunch of numbers running around: that it takes 300-500 reps to instill a new motor skill, 3000-5000 if you are replacing an old skill. That’s training. How many reps did you need to learn not to touch a hot stove? Once. And you pulled your hand away with perfect body mechanics. That’s … [Read more…]
On Maslow – Rory Miller
MASLOW In 1943 Abraham Maslow published his famous hierarchy of needs. The idea was simple. If you are in danger of dying—starving, thirsty, sick or about to be killed and eaten– that is your highest priority. Until you have taken care of your immediate survival needs you don’t give a damn, and you don’t waste … [Read more…]
Glitches – Rory Miller
The physical skills of self-defense are simple. A gun is a nifty machine that throws rocks in a straight line. The physical skills of aiming and pressing a trigger are neither complicated nor demanding. Knives are made to cut, and with a well-honed blade a child can cut material, flesh and tendon. People have killed … [Read more…]
“Justified” and Self-Defense – Marc MacYoung
Justification: The act by which a party accused shows and maintains a good and legal reason in court, why he did the thing he is called upon to answer. http://www.lectlaw.com/def/j060.htm Oh you can think what you did was ‘justified’ but the responsibility of showing and maintaining a good legal reason is on you and your … [Read more…]
On Using Lethal Force- Marc MacYoung
I often tell people “Self-defense is a small target in a big landscape of violence. It’s very easy to miss and missing has consequences” When it comes to use of lethal force that target gets way, way smaller. And the consequences become, much, much harsher. In many ways we make a serious mistake when we separate … [Read more…]
Building a House – Rory Miller
Conversation the other day about training paradigms. The person was advocating that things are learned best starting with basic technique, then building on that into a system. As near as I can remember one quote, “The first day, sensei showed us a punch. It wasn’t quite right, but he told us to practice and pay … [Read more…]
To Fear or Not to Fear – Erik Kondo
After Earth: Fear is a Choice Fear is a common emotion. Fear of violence is also a common emotion in most people. Fear can be beneficial when it keeps you safe in certain situations. This is Situational Fear. But when fear is ongoing or not based on an actual and current threat is becomes Dispositional … [Read more…]
On Offense and Defense – Erik Kondo
“The best offensive is to eliminate your opponent’s defense.” Offense is the concept of actively forcing an action or event on the Target. Defense is the concept of actively resisting this action or event by the Target. The concepts of Offense and Defense have no attached or intrinsic value judgments of good and bad. When the … [Read more…]