KerwinBenson.com Hidden Gems of Martial Arts

Standing In a Crowd -- Speed Reaction Exercise

Do you like having your hands in your pockets?

You already know that it may take you a second longer to start punching, if attacked while your hands are getting warm, hidden from view.

Picture yourself standing in a crowd. Your hands are in your pockets, when suddenly, someone nearby attacks ...

And thus we have the beginnings of a new exercise.

You get three, four, five, or more practitioners to stand around you -- all are pretty close to you -- within a distance to reach you with one quick step.

Suddenly, a random person attacks.

You have to deal with the surprise movement toward you. If you can get your hands out of your pockets in time, to use them, great -- go ahead. But if your opponent's punch or kick would reach you before you could use your hands, then you have to respond with an alternative to punching or traditional forearm blocking.

I'll let you work out the particulars of the response.

(Hint: Use this article.)

What we need to talk about is the way to make the attack random. My suggestion is that all attackers are handed a 3 x 5 card or a slip of paper.

The papers would have different letters in each spot (although, I do make some the same -- I'll tell you why in a minute). They would look something like this:

All the attackers look at number one on the card. Each person memorizes his or her letter. Then when the teacher calls out the letter, the person with that letter can surprise attack the person with his (or her) hands pocketed. The attacker could attack right when the letter is called out, or could wait silently for a second or two and then suddenly spring.

Waiting, adds another element of surprise.

Conclusion

For example, two cards might have the letter "e" by number four. So, when I call out "4 -- e," can you guess what happens? Yes, chuckle chuckle, two bad guys attack at just about the same time. Both people think they are the letter "e." When one see the other start to attack, then he or she joins in immediately. Surprise!

Make up a bunch of cards. Keep them in sets, so you don't have a time when nobody attacks and all are waiting forever. And you don't want too many occasions where everyone attacks.

Why?

Because that would be a different article.

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