Training Tip: The Attack You Don’t See

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This article provides a little exercise, no not physically…a mental one. The advice in here is solid and something that we articulate the importance of on boardings and encounters with the public. Remember, no attack on a LEO happens without physical indicators. You can find the original post and several other valuable articles at Close Quarters Combat. This is actually a pretty useful tip. I read an article like this a couple years ago and started doing the tips that are talked about. The result does increase your awareness. Do any of you watch the show PSYCH or The Mentalist? It will make you like that…..kinda.

The Most Dangerous Street Attack?

Quick question for you…

Which threat do you feel is the most dangerous in a real street fight?

• Knife attack?
• Handgun?
• Baseball bat?
• Multiple attackers?

Well, there’s not a one of them that I’d like to face on a Friday night out with my family, but the “trick answer” is…

…The Attack You Don’t See!

When your brain is locked into “ultra-adrenaline” mode, one of the primary limitations you’ll experience is tunnel-vision where your senses don’t pick up on cues outside of the immediate threat you’re dealing with.  Primarily I’m talking about the “pre-fight” stage where you have someone “woofing” on your or threatening you in some way.

Your brain is trying to deal with…

• “Is he going to hit me?”
• “Should I hit him?”
• “What’s he going to do?”
• “Are other people watching me?”
• “Is my wife/kid/companion safe?”

And in this stage of bewilderment and guesswork, you’re not able to see any of that signs of attack that may already be headed your way.

• The unseen hand in the coat pocket that’s feeling for a trigger.
• The unseen clenched fist that’s gearing up for a haymaker.
• The unseen thugs coming up behind you to increase your attacker’s odds.
• The unseen tire iron that was just pulled out of the trunk of the car to the side of you.
• The unseen razor blade hidden in the palm of a hand.

But How Can Your Prepare For An Attack You Can’t See?

It’s not easy. The brain isn’t easily re-programmed after eons of biological programming.

However, here’s a “self defense training exercise” to help you prepare for the “unseen” street attack…

A couple times a day, when you’re out in public and talking to someone (like a store clerk, postal worker, co-worker, etc.), make a mental note of just these 3 things:

1. The number of rings on both their hands
2. The activity that the person to their immediate left and right is doing
3. Any activity happening immediately behind you.

It only takes a few seconds to accomplish all of these tasks and if you do it right, using your peripheral vision and conscious listening, the person you’re talking to won’t even know you’re paying attention to anything other than him or her.

Doing this exercise just a couple times a day will train you to be more aware in one-on-one contact of taking notice of what’s in someone’s hands and the activity in a 360 degree circle around you.

As a practiced skill, this is a truly powerful self defense technique because it helps you make a faster, more effective strike decision while hopefully lessening your chances of being surprised by an unseen attack.