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Marc MacYoung on training

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sjwsti:
Good little read on self defense training from a guy who has been in a few scrapes. 

Someone asked why so many martial artists 'fall apart' under stress. Here's my reply.
****

A big part of the problem comes from marketing in a world where society has accepted the premise 'violence is bad.'

In order to stay in business one must claim what you're teaching is 'self-defense.' That seriously waters down the understanding of what SD is. Then you have to turn it into a fun game -- a game that is safe, but exciting (sport). Often what is called sparring is pathetic, but even the more macho full contact stuff is still sports. (Watered down for the safety of the participants and to draw it out for the entertainment of the audience.) Once someone is 'in' one of these rugged manly arts, then you can secretly admit it's a 'fighting system.' But then it becomes an esprit de corps and 'I'm such a bad ass for being a secret fighter.'

Yeah right -- as opposed to us assholes out there getting punched as part of our job by people we have to say no to. (Folk who also recognize the two greatest inventions ever are the wetvac and power-washers.)

The nature of the 'sparring' has a lot to do with the problem of falling apart. In the weakest form of 'one step' there's one person who does what I call a 'seminar punch' (stopping six inches away and freezes) Then the other person goes to town with six or seven pulled punches and kicks. This is very common in systems whose mechanics suck. Often such systems then 'go uptown' with point sparring. This kind of sparring teaches crappy habits. Again the light contact doesn't reveal the flaws of the system -- and usually these devolve into kick boxing matches for white middle class folks.

I've also seen 'classic' one step -- which is both an adrenal stress inducer and something that will drive your nose through the back of your skull. You scale it to push the envelop of the person, but you tell them what's coming and they decide which 'technique' they're going to use. Then with no tricks, you come in as hard and fast as they can handle. Failure to perform on their part means they get nailed.

Now you're talking learning to function adrenal stress and ingraining mechanics. But most importantly you're showing the person's Lizard brain that this **** works in a pinch. This is critical because if the Lizard brain doesn't trust it to work, it ain't going to do it! (There's your reverting to flailing.)

Then come's Rory's version of one-step which is just chocked full of yummy goodness about learning to think on your feet and recognize opportunity.

Here's another problem. ****ty mechanics will tell.

That's a book unto itself but there are two main ways this problem manifests. First is the 'We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training.' If you have bad mechanics to start, under adrenaline they go to hell in a handbasket. Now admittedly, even if you have good mechanics the first time you get hit with adrenalin things are going to get ****ed up. But that's a matter of learning how to 'surf' the adrenalin wave. I liken this to learning how to swim in a pool, then getting into ocean, with waves, currents and ****. It's still swimming, but the conditions have changed. If you're a bad swimmer, you're in trouble.

The other problem is the number of people who say the martial arts are crap they don't work in a REAL fight because adrenaline wipes it all out. I consider this like saying 'You don't need to know how to swim because those waves make it useless." Usually people who reject the idea of good mechanics replace it with physical fitness, speed, aggression and some ****ty mechanics from some bad ass 'fighting system.' And then pat themselves on the back about how smart/cool/awesome they are for knowing this 'truth.' Which is fine and dandy until they meet someone who is bigger, stronger, more aggressive or who knows what they are doing.

So you got a confluence of issues coming together. A big problem I see with many groups is that -- while all aspects are necessary for effectiveness -- often people take only one aspect, over-emphasize it, hold it up and say "This is the ONLY thing that matters!"

Well no. All these different elements matter. They especially matter when you're training folks to apply this stuff outside the safety of the school and or sports ring.

Personally I don't let my guys 'spar' in the sports context. Yet every attack in every drill they aim for 'over in three.' The complexity there is that 'three' the dude flying away from you (towards a door or over furniture)? You two have broken contact and are eyeing each other in the 'Awww ****, I done treed myself a bad un'? He's down on the ground and you kneeling on him in a lock? Or is he laying there broken at your feet? Or is he dead at your feet.

I tell you this because the goal of the training largely dictates the outcome. If you train people to 'fight' they will fight. If you train them to engage in spots competition/unrealistic point sparring, that's what they will try to apply in any situation. Personally, I train my guys to end it -- the question is how much force is it going to take to do that?

bullit:
Thus my reason for carrying a gun(s).....

sjwsti:

--- Quote from: bullit on April 24, 2013, 02:35:44 PM ---Thus my reason for carrying a gun(s).....

--- End quote ---

IMO everything he said applies to training with a gun as well. Learn and practice good fundamentals and then learn to apply those fundamentals against a live opponent in high stress force on force scenarios. Scenarios that will activate your fight or flight response, your amygdala, or lizard brain, as Marc calls it. This is how you condition proper responses.

Whether you are fighting with your hands or fighting with a gun, its still fighting. "the goal of the training largely dictates the outcome. If you train people to 'fight' they will fight. If you train them to engage in sports competition/unrealistic point sparring, that's what they will try to apply in any situation."

- Shawn

bullit:

--- Quote from: sjwsti on April 24, 2013, 03:06:07 PM ---IIf you train people to 'fight' they will fight. If you train them to engage in sports competition/unrealistic point sparring, that's what they will try to apply in any situation."[/b]


I'm totally on board with the concept ... have lots of respect for MacYoung and familiar with his work with ACLDN.

Not going to comment on the "sports competition" thingy as it opens too many cans of worms.  Have my opinions on it though..... :)

--- End quote ---

sjwsti:

--- Quote from: bullit on April 24, 2013, 03:39:00 PM --- Not going to comment on the "sports competition" thingy as it opens too many cans of worms.  Have my opinions on it though..... :)

--- End quote ---

Im not interested in a debate either, its been beat to death. Just offering another point of view from someone who has some very unique, and extensive, experience.

- Shawn

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