Speeches and Threats

This martial-arts article was posted on the old KerwinBenson.com web site. I have updated it a bit. Let me know what you think…

No Speeches, No Threats, Just …

Looking For a Fight …
I think it’s my goal in life to help good people get an edge. I want to help martial artists achieve their specific goals, thereby giving them an advantage.

If what I write helps to keep you safe, then I can go to bed at night thinking, “mission accomplished,” or maybe, “It was a good day, today.”

So, I feel obligated to tell you not to go to events like reunions looking for trouble. It wouldn’t be a good idea, if I had attended the kegger with even the thought of, “Well, ‘I’ won’t be the one start anything, but I may be the one to finish it. Hehehe.”

Never go looking for trouble.
Never go with the thought of
“making yourself available” to trouble.

Does this make sense?

No Ego Martial Arts

Let me clue you into the human nature of many good people:

If you ever feel the need to go back and tell your enemies a thing or two, then you haven’t shed your ego. And you aren’t as successful (actualized or enlightened) as you might think.

If you were picked on in school, because you were fat … if you were made fun of because you had big ears … if you ever felt belittled … if someone else caused you to feel bad, then it’s normal and natural to want to make things right, years later. You might want to show them that you have lost your excess weight, or how successful you now are.

Don’t give in to the inner urge.

A Martial Practitioner In Control

First of all, these jerks don’t count. Believe me, you have been thinking about them thousands of times more over the years than they have been thinking about you. I promise.

Secondly, revenge really isn’t all that sweet. I know from experience. Attending the kegger wasn’t necessary.

After all, in reality, you succeeded for you, not for them. Your recollection of the past could have fueled some of the fire, but that’s not why you stuck with your goal over the years. It wasn’t because of some doofus.

If you ever find the need to make a speech to someone or threaten him or her, then I believe your ego is getting in the way. Use your ‘feeling’ of the need to say something as a cue that emotion is taking over.

This is important: Turning a predictable reaction into a cue is a strong way to shape your behavior … on your way to martial-arts competence.

By the way …

If you have to defend yourself, not fighting for revenge, but seriously have to defend yourself, then you don’t need a speech either. I know that in the movies both the enemy and the protagonist feel compelled to explain all, but you need to remember that this is a movie convention.
In a real fight, there is no need to explain or justify.

In fact, don’t respond verbally to your attacker’s taunts. They could be distractions.

Which brings us to a sub topic …

Using The Speech To Your Advantage In a Fight

Speeches and threats warn that our emotions may be getting the better of us. Talking also takes effort in a fight. And it could be used against you as a distraction.

I advise against giving a speech or threatening, unless …

you can use it to your advantage.

Practice hitting mid-sentence. No change of inflection. No warning.

You are just about to start telling him “what’s what” when … BAM! You have hit him, already.

Is this fair? No. Is it legal? Well, you were the one to hit first, so … But is it an effective tactic?

Sure. Just think about it. You are facing an aggressor. You tell him that … BAM! (I got you again.)

I hope the above reprinted martial-arts article was useful to you,

Keith

Tags: ego, hit mid sentence, interrupted timing, martial arts tactics, martial confidence, no speeches, progressive indirect attack, strategy, tactics, timing