Fear: how can you control it?

[phantom]

It can literally be a paralyzing emotion, and it has prevented people from reacting when they should. So how can you keep your fear under control if you are attacked by someone intending to inflict physical harm on you? Thanks in advance.

[EARTH DRAGON]

Extrmely difficult! it is a normal reaction and hard to overcome, even the most experienced fighters get butterflies. Try to stay relaxed, breath and understand why you are scarred.

[DelicateSound]

Experience it more. Medical students get used to the sight of gore and blood by forcing themselves to see it. Same principle.

In class there are some drills you can do. I remember reading how one school used to do drills with black belts where one student was herded into a room and other students silently attacked him. Nothing hard, just slaps to the face etc.

The second time was done rougher with shouts and abuse.

There was no third time, If the student could bring himself to come back the third week to the "session", he had "won"

The fear was between sessions. Of knowing what you had to face.

[jun_erh]

there's a writer. I read one of his books called "3 second fighter" and he's most known for these books he wrote about being a bouncer in London. Geoff thompson?? That could be his name. Anyway, he has a book about conquering fear in this type (martial) arena. I haven't read it, but the stuff I've read by him is good. He's one of these "reality" guys

[Merryprankster]

To conquer fear:

1. Be in good shape; this helps you handle the adrenalin dump.

2. Compete. Find a combat sport and do it. Competitive combat athletes manage adrenalin dump all the time.

3. Work on surprise drills. The last tends to scare off newbies though :)

[David Jamieson]

Conditioned response training is key in allaying ones fear.

You must experience it to understand it. So work with it.

Face your fears at every opportunity you can find to do so. With each success, your fear will be less until you no longer fear that which you once did.

Fear, as an emotion will always live in you, but only manifests itself when you let it.

It is more about understanding and regulating it than attempting to "control" it.

There is a book titled "the gift of fear". I would suggest that you get it and read and start your understanding of what "your" fears are.

Fear is healthy, often times it keeps us safe. To release it entirely from yourself is to wind up in some bad situations that could have been avoided.

It can definitely be regulated and used.

peace

[DelicateSound]

Originally posted by jun_erh
Geoff thompson??

That's the man.

If you know what to expect, and how to react, fear can be your ally, as the adreniline gets you fired up.

[SanHeChuan]

Man f*ck if I know I still get butterflies on the first day of school and I'm a 3rd, or 4th year (who can remember :rolleyes: ) college student.

If you know what to expect, and how to react, fear can be your ally, as the adreniline gets you fired up.

Something you might what to think about is using your fear to say "f*ck this sh*t, if there is a guy hiding in though bushes over there I’m gonna kick hiss @ss". :mad:

But just remember to run when you need too.

Personally I’m more likely to strike out if someone were to up out at me which is something I think I developed as a kid. I would look for monsters under my bed or in my closet, and if I found any I was gonna open up a can of whoop ass.

Today I still kinda look for “monsters”:rolleyes: , to jump out at me from the darkness :eek: , which I believe helps my environmental awareness. I do not avoid scary places out of fear but I do keep alert for any possible danger.

[straight blast]

I would look for monsters under my bed or in my closet, and if I found any I was gonna open up a can of whoop ass.

Wow, and I thought I was the only one.

The best way to deal with fear is to face it as often as possible, and to try and kick it's a$$. I'm terrified of heights (*&^%ed phobia!!!) so I abseil, fly, rock climb, and just do generally anything I can bring myself to do to face and defeat it. I know that if I defeat it today it'll still be there tomorrow, but I can say to myself that if I beat it once, I can beat it again.

It's just like conditioning for MA. It hurts like hell, it never gets any easier or fun, but the more you do it the stronger you become and the less you dread your next full power "shin clash".

Or whatever it is you're afraid of...

[Tigerdragon]

You don't need to "control" fear, just channel it.

Here is an exercise that is really good for getting used to supprise situations. Take several of your classmates (preferably outside somewhere) and have them stand around in different spots a good distance from each other. Have them designate 1 person to actually attack you, but not tell you who. Go from a starting point, and walk past each person untill you get to the last person. Each person should act and look at you differently (but not feign, only the actual attacker should make an aggresive move) to try to "psych you out". This builds up a lot of tention and fear. After all, if you don't react and defend, you will be hit.

If you want you can even designate what strike will be thrown, until you get accustomed to reacting durring the exercise. Then the attacker should just use a random attack.

Just my thoughts

[nospam]

You don't need to "control" fear, just channel it.

I agree with this. And it is easier to do than one might first believe.

Channeling is to direct. To begin to be able to direct, we must first acknowledge a state or sense of being. Fear, Anger, Sadness, all of our emotional states are senses of the mind. When we experience a state, our body emotes or reacts; whether we go stiff with fright or become blinded and deaf from anger or give up out of sadness, it is either by conditioning (how we have always reacted) or an inability to gain our wits about us that directs us or makes us act in certain ways.

We must first realise we are in a state, this is done by simple cognition of the fact or sense we are experiencing. It is no different than how addicts will state aloud- I am an alcoholic or I am an abuser of whatever. Acknowledgement gives a reference point or a concrete whereby we can begin the necessary development.

When I experience an emotion, I must immediately work on recognizing that I am in a state of anger, sadness, or fear. Because I am in a state, my body will emote that state in a mannner that has been conditioned most likely from childhood or instinct. By simply acknowledging the state mentally, our sense of that state takes form, and it is this form, created through realization, that gives us the first tool we will use to develop a change in direction.

I would suggest working on the first stage, that being simply recognizing when we are taken by an emotion. When you can actually recognize that you are experiencing a state of emotion, then sense the energy that has been created. That feel is the sense of the emotion. And it is that sense we must work to direct, for that sense of anger or the sense of sadness or fear can and must become our reference point or a concrete 'awareness' we will development and shape in to a tool.

Over time the awareness becomes a trigger point. Once we are aware, we can start to direct or channel any sense to a more productive use- ergo control, but really, manipulate is a better word. It's a mental exercise that needs to be practised over-and-over, until our awareness comes easy. You get butterflies before class? Then become aware of the sense. Make it a physical reference point that. Now that you have them, what next? Use imagery. Perhaps think of them as 'butterflies' or round balls of energy and actually think you are grabbing them with your thoughts and begin dissipating or dissolving them in size.

Release their energy slowly from your stomach by thinking (seeing them in your mind) of getting rid of them. Then inhale deeply to replenish their space with new energy..new thoughts. When you are inhaling, think of breathing in positive air and circulate this new or positive energy throughout your body.

nospam.
:cool:

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

there was an awesome thread about controling rage on either the chigung or taichi forum but i guess it got deleted during the move.

too bad, cause this one dude (or chick) posted some realy insightful sh!t that would apply to fear as well as rage.

[Ray Pina]

Fight, fight ,fight and fight ... with training partners.

I started in the point sparring game as a kid, with karate, so it was always competitive with me, I worried about loosing, not getting hurt.

As I got older, and everyone got bigger an dhitting harder as we aged, I got concerned with getting a beating. I looked deeper for better methods that would work on the streets of Newark, because reverse punch wa snot cutting it.

It wasn't until I learned S. Mantis, and faught 3 days a week like clock work, did I over come the fear of going all out with someone. We wore head gear, and broke early, but I still had the room go wousy a few times. After a while, it actually becomes fun, addictive.

Learning internal now, I have not fought with my knew training brothers yet, just full force drills.

I don't have a fear of getting hit or hurt but of loosing, so much time put in, I do not want to disapoint myself, or my sifu. I guess that right there is a fear in itself, and I must learn to let that go as well.

Really, in a fight, don't fear. A true fight can't be avoided. When some drunk guy isb determined to attack you, there is no calling a time out, you react. If you are training well, you'll react well.

Have fun! I love putting the head gear on and abosrbing blasts. Fun. fun. fun.

[Tigerdragon]

It seems a lot of people want to try to control fear, or just get rid of it completely. I strongly dissagree. That is why I said it should be chanelled. The body's fear response is to dump adreanaline into your system and to highten all of your senses. This allows you to see and hear better and move faster and stronger. Some studies have shown that the body's fear response allows the concious mind to tap into the part of the brain that control the subconcious mind. What this does is allows you to more then double the speed at which you can think and proccess information (ever wonder why things seem to move in slow motion durring a traumatic experience?). So I ask, why would you want to eliminate fear when it gives you these great tools.

Also, to "control" an emotion takes effort and energy. Why would you want to throw the effort and energy it takes to contol it when it would be better used in the fight. Fear is an emotion, and emotions are energy waiting to be used. Why not direct that energy to your attacker?

I believe it is a better Idea to condition your mind and body to function in the presence of fear. If you can function without hesitation or getting tense while you are scared beyond belief, you can become more devistating then you would ever think possible.

Just my thoughts.

[Ray Pina]

Put yourself in the situation you fear and become aquainted with it: its most likely the unknown that you fear.

If its fighting, put gear on and start light. Get used to having first coming at you. Pick up the intensity with time. I love fighting now. I know its bad, but I'm not scared of being hit, I'm scared of being beat by someone I should beat.

Getting hit isn't so bad, ESPECIALY if you have gear on, then don't worry about it. YOu get knocked around but it makes ya tough.

[Leonidas]

I've dealed with fear successfully by practicing Mushin(No Mind) . You know that thing that Samurai do before fighting. Total acceptance of death and what might happen to you. I know its gory and all but it works. Just accept and then handle the situation. It seems contradictory but that can actual save your life. It calms you down unbelievably too. If you practice enough adrenaline wont even be an issue. Some of you IMA can relate. Being calm in a situation is your best chance of surviving it. You think way more clearly . I know some of you might say " I have a lot to live for or a family to take care of" but its not giving up a fight. Its just a method of relaxation. If anything it'll keep you from crapping your pants. Remember seeing those old Samurai films or those old Westerns where the hero doesn't even break a sweat, before cleaning off like 100 enemies and then just cleans off his sword or reholsters his gun and goes back to whatever they were doing before it all happened.

Thats my advice. Take it for whats its worth, but it's sure worked for me. Make peace with your god(s) and handle the situation.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Leonidas]

Uh........ sounds alittle complicated guohuen. :D

[Leonidas]

Hahaha..... Whatever works right. :D

I actually had to read that a couple times to understand. :D

[GreyMystik]

from my (extremely limited) understanding, fear is felt by everyone at some time or another, but the 'zanshin' mind , or the chinese equivalent (wu something...the rest escapes me) is the ideal for combat, especially in the 'internal' type arts. adrenaline increases your heart rate, decreases blood flow to the brain, restricts vision, tightens muscle groups... increases tension... these are all things ideally that should be avoided if one is using the mindset of combat for internal arts which is to sink/relax (this doesn't mean go "limp" necessarily), let everything flow smoothly (chi/energy etc), and keep awareness extremely high so that you can act/react almost without conscious thought. understanding at the head level is of course is not the same as practicing in reality :)

[Leonidas]

Is it Mushin or Zanshin? I always get Asian words confused. Anyways the best thing about it is you dont have to have special training, classes or even a training partner. You can use it on the spot, automatically. It would take some time to perfect but its worth it.

[LEGEND]

Everyone is afraid...but know this...u can only fight or flight...what happens to me is usually I get so mad it overcomes the fear...anger can overcome fear...when that happens watchout...and that goes to everyone here...anyone that gets angry can turn it up a knotch.

[Leonidas]

Thats a good method too. I guess it really depends on your personality though. What do you do if your like me and slow to anger? You can pick a style that teaches aggresion but again its how you think.

[sanchezero]

I find that humming the theme to Dragonball Z totally banishes my fear and allows me to truly enjoy dumping whoopass all over the place.

[JOHNNY]

DO WHAT I DID AND GO TO MARINE CORPS BOOT CAMP.:D
Best thing is to condition your mind to not be scared of death and the rest comes naturally.;)
JOHNNY@MARTIALARTSMART.COM SEMPER FIDELIS :D

[Leonidas]

See now i'm official. Even the Marines do it. :D

[red_fists]

FEAR.

Use it or channel it.

I believe that you CANNOT fear the unknown.
And that with the things you understand/know you don't need to fear them as you see them clearly for what they are.

Example:
I am up against a XXX stylist I have no knowledge of that style, therefor I am uncertain in how to deal with him. And this uncertainty can develop into paralyzing fear.

Or as one Conversation one went between me and my Instructor.:
Sifu: "This is a Monks Spade, how will you defend yourself against it."
Me: "I don't know I have never used it."
Sifu: "Right, before you can fight against a weapon or Opponent you first need to know it's capabilities and how it is applied. Watch it eing used and than you tell me how to defend against it."


It is a mindset of being prepared to deal with anything unknown and analyze it/make it known as soon as you can.

Yes, many MA spend hours working out and tring to punch harder and faster. But that is the phsyical delopment, there is also a mental side to the game.

I watch other Students/Styles/Weapons and analyze them to try and get gain a better understanding.

Phsyical = Yang, Mental = Yin
They need to balance and be in harmony to allow you to perform at your peek.
Just some random thoughts.

[red_fists]

Hi quick clarification.

"You cannot fear the unknown."

Why, is that??

How can you be afraid of something if you do not know that it holds a threat or danger for you.

I like the saying I read once in a Book.
"You have a Room with a Cat inside.
How do you know if the cat is alive or dead.
By looking inside the Room."

The same with the unknown, you don't know if it is dangerous until you have investigated/researched it and compared it to your references/skills.
And once you have realised that the "now known" holds a threat/danger you can work to counter/eliminate the
threat/danger.

Fear like all emotions are simply indicators/warnings/preparations for you to do something about a certain situation.

How you react depends on your mindset to solving those situations.

Time to jump of that soapbox.

[LEGEND]

Leo...here's a link that can help u...

www.tonyblauer.com

[Boris]

Fear becomes Anger.

Anger becomes Rage.

Rage makes you become completely insane psychopath.

Works everytime.

[joedoe]

No No No. Didn't you listen to Yoda in Phantom Menace?

"Fear is the path of the Dark side
Fear leads to anger
Anger leads to hatred
Hatred leads to suffering"

:D

[Nexus]

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadeqate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talnted and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be. You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we give others the permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

-Nelson Mandela

- Nexus

[joedoe]

Love that quote.