What Now?

Most martial arts teach you how to avoid, block, or absorb attacks and get inside the attacker’s defenses. All of them teach you some self-defense techniques to use that they say will be successful. Most martial arts teach you follow-up techniques to use when the initial action is successful. Most martial arts teach you the basic exit plan—run away.

However, while most martial arts teach you to be physically prepared for an attack, most do not teach you how to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for the attack. Most do not teach you what to do when your actions are not successful. Most martial arts do not teach you how to deal with the repercussions that are sure to follow the incident.

It is relatively easy to learn to be proficient in self-defense techniques; all it takes is a lot of repetitious training. However, applying the techniques under actual self-defense conditions is a different story. You must be willing to apply vicious, dangerous, and even deadly techniques without a moment hesitation. You must be able to channel the effects of the fight-or-flight reflex or tachypsychia into useful action rather than allowing them to incapacitate you. It is easy to train to jab your thumbs into an attacker’s eyes, but when the time come to do it, will you be able to do it?