USU Systema Blog

Fear training

This is an establishing post. This blog will serve the Utah State University Systema and Self-Defense Club. Synopsis of training sessions, ect will be posted.

For this initial post, I will discuss two things: breathing and fear. Both have been on my mind since I had a brush with fear. They are interrelated in a way. In fact, fear is a term given to physiological attributes such as increased heart rate, increased, more shallow breathing, and things like that. I emphasize the breathing part.

For our use in Systema, we know that breathing effects muscle movement and general ability to move and flow. Good breathing allows more good movement. Bad breathing does not. Instance? Try doing jumping jacks, or push-ups with hands in varying positions (moving your hands thru-out the ups and downs) with and then without breathing. You will notice tightness and maybe even anxiety, amongst other things. So it is with Systema movement. Our goal is free flowing effectiveness. This can hardly be realized while we are tight.

My experience with fear related earlier actually happened while sparring with a Kung Fu practitioner. He was fast and hard and very good. I let my fear of being hit, ego you can call it, get in the way of good movement. Almost like that was going to save me. Har har har! Mikhail Ryabko said, "Don't like yourself too much". Well, last night I was in love. I have gone against hard fighting, fast opponents before, and have done well, but my movement was free. That was the difference. Breathing stopped here due to my fear. I looked silly. I got beat.

That brings up an interesting point. You know the "Fight or flight" response? Humans can control that. Someone attacks you, you can furiously blast your way out, injure yourself and get away, or you can cooly tend to the situation. Sure it takes practice. For some, getting hit in the stomach is just as terrifying as getting punched in the face. For others, both are fun. What makes the difference? A lot of things, I think. One thing is for sure: familiarity breeds contempt. In other words: practice real, practice well. Allow people to hit you in practice. Become familiar with what it does to your mind and body. Give them that priviledge from the bottom of permission.

Fear approaches us in many forms. Try standing really close to someone, casually, that you know or don't know. See how your breathing (not to mention theirs!) will change, how you or they may tense up. Sink your head and bare your shoulders (like an aggressive dog) and see how it changes further. That is all part of a fear response. Now imagine being in a conflict. That fear response serves you well, but remember to keep it a servant. Regulate your breathing, calm your mind. Work. Do good work.

posted by JakeF @ 11:11 AM