The What-If Game

Anyone who goes out to give any kind of demonstration of any aspect of a martial art is liable to run into this-

The What If Game!

In itself it is not such a bad thing- as this video shows, by playing the What If Game you at least get the chance to train yourself to block knife attacks in a manner that does not result in you getting your wrists slit...

What I hate, however, is that person who refuses to come up with any solution, but who is very quick at finding reasons to fail. 

Well- experience in martial arts in many cases include experience with these people.

As a student- you can simply refrain from demonstrating anything outside the dojo. Instructors and assistant instructors, however, HAVE to stick their necks out and expose themselves to the risk of getting a question or comment from someone skilled in the What If Game. 

So: I have decided to share with you some responses that have served me well thus far:

1. "Becoming the Enemy"  

This one comes from The Book of Five Rings. You know- that book written by 16th Century Sword Master Miyamoto Musashi?

What it comes down to is that it is easy to fall into thinking that your opponent has all the solutions and that it is only you that have the problems, but the truth is- your opponent also has much to worry about.

2. Attacking with the intention to land the attack and attacking to escape the counter are two different things altogether.

This applies to demonstrations of responses to attacks. All ippon kumite drills that I have seen are made for dealing with single committed attacks. Also- all of them can be made to look ridiculous by someone making a light attack with the intention of switching to another attack as soon as the response comes.

What that means to you is that the first attack is now no longer a threat and a new attack now deserves your attention.  Easier said than done, but possible if you learn to fight without assuming or anticipating. 

Now- to those who come with the standard what-if-he-then-does-this-or-that-

Either one of these answers apply:

a) He can't do that if he is seriously attacking; or

b) Then I adapt and do something else.

I have had people grab my wrist only to quickly have then let go the moment they see me start a response. That just defeats the whole purpose of attacking me, doesn't it? Why should I then bother with you grabbing my wrist if you let go by yourself? :D

Likewise you will find a lot of very fast punches, but almost always these punches that are too fast to block end up not having enough power to be of any concern. Don't get me wrong, though- there are people with impeccable technique whose fists you do not see coming AND who can hit very hard when those punches land. Still- worrying about them during a fight will not do you any good.

3. Fighting involves risk- Accept it

Go to town and look around you. Just about every shop you see open, every business owner selling some service or the other and even the bank is there because somebody went out and took a risk. Yes- not just fighting is a risky business. Life itself is full of risks. It is all good if you are good at talking yourself out of taking risks, but keep that to yourself then, because if your condition spreads it can actually destroy civilisation!

 Fighting is that course of action to which you resort when doing nothing is 100% guaranteed to get you killed or badly hurt. Thing is- there are many people who survived a fight by just doing what they could under the circumstances without any worry about what others would have to say about it.

Sure- you see lots of beautiful gun disarm demonstrations by trained martial artists, but what would they say if they saw someone doing what the guy in the white shirt did in this Youtube video? 

https://youtu.be/lIYj0sHYoRo

You think he would have been better off doing nothing?

While you have time to train and prepare it is a good idea to consider all contingencies and devise plans to deal with them. You won't become a skilled fighter by talking yourself out of practicing any technique at all though.

There simply is no room for negativity in martial arts.