Posted by: Gavin
The Hunters Mindset - 10/25/06 09:38 AM
“You don’t do that do you?” said my Instructor as I parried off an attack from my training partner and then countered with a strike to his face.
“What do you mean “I don’t do that?”? I just done it didn’t I?” I respond very confused.
“On the Door when you’re working. You don’t do this!” he replied cheekily mimicking my “tappy tappy” parries.
“Well… erm… I was avoiding the punch and setting up the counter!” I explain.
“Throw an attack!” he commanded.
Before I managed to raise my fist just above the waist level and shift my weight forward to deliver the power he was on me. His fist was occupying the space my stomach had previously happily sat in and my body was spinning into a heap on the floor.
“Does that resemble something closer to what you would do on the Door? Would you generally let someone try to hit you before doing something?” he smiled.
“When you put it like that… “ I ponder.
“… then why train something you don’t do?” he interjects.
“Errr… “
“You’ve been there, you’ve done it and you know what works! You preach pre-emptive watch-a-ma-callits all the time yet you don’t train the right mindset to be pre-emptive! You’re training yourself to be a victim!”
“Training myself to be a victim???” I bleat whilst trying to process the bombshell I’ve just taken straight on the noggin’.
“It’s a mindset thing. You’ve got the tools and drill them, but you don’t drill the mindset needed to use them. Let’s take your stereotypical self defence application. I throw a big haymaker… in fact let’s even make it a ‘reality’ based one and stick a big stonking boxing glove on so I can hit you really hard… so I swing at you with total spite and venom. What d’ya do?”
“Well… I’d jam the arm up and go for the throat, eyes or something vital to take you out quickly!”
“So you’d wait for me to throw a huge swing at you before you took me out of the game?” he asks.
“Well… “
“You’re a victim! He’s got control of the situation and forcing you to react! That’s not pre-emptive! That’s training your body to become a victim!!!!” he interrupts.
He gives me a few seconds for this to sink in.
“You see we have to become the Hunter not the prey! You know what the definition of prey is, don’t you?” He grins.
“The one who’s being hunted?” I reply.
“No… the one who is eaten! At the beginning of combat there is a split second where the fight can be taken. There is a unique window of opportunity where your opponent switches into ‘Fight mode’ just prior to an attack. That’s where 99% of fights are won and lost. It’s that window that we hunt. In combat it is the only thing we are concerned about. We become predators and that unique window is our prey!”
“When I train I’m not the prey though… especially when we go hard!” I proclaim in defence of my own training.
“Really?”
“Well, I think so?” as I feel my faith start slipping.
“You train to respond once your opponent has attacked you. The mindset of your training is set up to respond and work off attacks. Sound about right?”
“Well, yes. I guess.” I sheepishly answer.
“Then your training to fight off the back toe aren’t you?” he says softly.
“Yeah, well… I never really thought of it like that before!”
“We should train to control the conflict, not respond to it. A predator hunts his prey and the prey responds. The ball is in the predator’s court. You see all this talk of pre-emptive striking is fine, but few train the intention and mindset to do it. They’re lambs pretending to be wolves. The hunter will act swiftly, cleanly and decisively when taking out its prey. The prey, well… gets eaten!” he laughs.
“OK, I think I understand but can you ‘Hunt’ when the adrenaline is kicking and you’re totally crapping yourself?” I ask as his cheery expression changes to one of quiet consideration.
“Well… “ he pauses, “You’ve got to understand what causes you to ‘totally crap yourself’ as you put it!”
“Which is?”
“The unknown. Not knowing what’s coming next. If you’re busy thinking about every possible thing that they could throw at you then of course you’re gonna be scared. When I hunt someone I don’t worry about these things as I already know the outcome!”
“And that would be?” I ask the obvious question.
“They get eaten! The only thing in my mind is taking them out. I pick my target and take it. There is no thought or hesitation, I just take it. With that simple and powerful thought in my mind nothing else matters. I don’t give a damn what they say or what they do, I just hunt!”
“And what happens if they don’t need taking out?”
“They don’t get eaten!” he chuckles.
“OK, how do you know whether they need eating or not?”
“You’ll know! Train hard and train your Hunters mindset. As you become a better Hunter your confidence will improve. You’ll no longer be governed be your fear and anger, but instead by clarity and confidence. Most people lash out uncontrollably out of fear or anger. The Hunters actions on the other hand are purposeful and controlled…. “ he pauses as my eyes start glazing over.
“Perhaps we should just concentrate on teaching you to hunt for now. I’ll leave the deeper stuff once your ears have stopped smoking so much!”
“Cheers!” I smirk just as my brain starts approaching critical mass!
“What do you mean “I don’t do that?”? I just done it didn’t I?” I respond very confused.
“On the Door when you’re working. You don’t do this!” he replied cheekily mimicking my “tappy tappy” parries.
“Well… erm… I was avoiding the punch and setting up the counter!” I explain.
“Throw an attack!” he commanded.
Before I managed to raise my fist just above the waist level and shift my weight forward to deliver the power he was on me. His fist was occupying the space my stomach had previously happily sat in and my body was spinning into a heap on the floor.
“Does that resemble something closer to what you would do on the Door? Would you generally let someone try to hit you before doing something?” he smiled.
“When you put it like that… “ I ponder.
“… then why train something you don’t do?” he interjects.
“Errr… “
“You’ve been there, you’ve done it and you know what works! You preach pre-emptive watch-a-ma-callits all the time yet you don’t train the right mindset to be pre-emptive! You’re training yourself to be a victim!”
“Training myself to be a victim???” I bleat whilst trying to process the bombshell I’ve just taken straight on the noggin’.
“It’s a mindset thing. You’ve got the tools and drill them, but you don’t drill the mindset needed to use them. Let’s take your stereotypical self defence application. I throw a big haymaker… in fact let’s even make it a ‘reality’ based one and stick a big stonking boxing glove on so I can hit you really hard… so I swing at you with total spite and venom. What d’ya do?”
“Well… I’d jam the arm up and go for the throat, eyes or something vital to take you out quickly!”
“So you’d wait for me to throw a huge swing at you before you took me out of the game?” he asks.
“Well… “
“You’re a victim! He’s got control of the situation and forcing you to react! That’s not pre-emptive! That’s training your body to become a victim!!!!” he interrupts.
He gives me a few seconds for this to sink in.
“You see we have to become the Hunter not the prey! You know what the definition of prey is, don’t you?” He grins.
“The one who’s being hunted?” I reply.
“No… the one who is eaten! At the beginning of combat there is a split second where the fight can be taken. There is a unique window of opportunity where your opponent switches into ‘Fight mode’ just prior to an attack. That’s where 99% of fights are won and lost. It’s that window that we hunt. In combat it is the only thing we are concerned about. We become predators and that unique window is our prey!”
“When I train I’m not the prey though… especially when we go hard!” I proclaim in defence of my own training.
“Really?”
“Well, I think so?” as I feel my faith start slipping.
“You train to respond once your opponent has attacked you. The mindset of your training is set up to respond and work off attacks. Sound about right?”
“Well, yes. I guess.” I sheepishly answer.
“Then your training to fight off the back toe aren’t you?” he says softly.
“Yeah, well… I never really thought of it like that before!”
“We should train to control the conflict, not respond to it. A predator hunts his prey and the prey responds. The ball is in the predator’s court. You see all this talk of pre-emptive striking is fine, but few train the intention and mindset to do it. They’re lambs pretending to be wolves. The hunter will act swiftly, cleanly and decisively when taking out its prey. The prey, well… gets eaten!” he laughs.
“OK, I think I understand but can you ‘Hunt’ when the adrenaline is kicking and you’re totally crapping yourself?” I ask as his cheery expression changes to one of quiet consideration.
“Well… “ he pauses, “You’ve got to understand what causes you to ‘totally crap yourself’ as you put it!”
“Which is?”
“The unknown. Not knowing what’s coming next. If you’re busy thinking about every possible thing that they could throw at you then of course you’re gonna be scared. When I hunt someone I don’t worry about these things as I already know the outcome!”
“And that would be?” I ask the obvious question.
“They get eaten! The only thing in my mind is taking them out. I pick my target and take it. There is no thought or hesitation, I just take it. With that simple and powerful thought in my mind nothing else matters. I don’t give a damn what they say or what they do, I just hunt!”
“And what happens if they don’t need taking out?”
“They don’t get eaten!” he chuckles.
“OK, how do you know whether they need eating or not?”
“You’ll know! Train hard and train your Hunters mindset. As you become a better Hunter your confidence will improve. You’ll no longer be governed be your fear and anger, but instead by clarity and confidence. Most people lash out uncontrollably out of fear or anger. The Hunters actions on the other hand are purposeful and controlled…. “ he pauses as my eyes start glazing over.
“Perhaps we should just concentrate on teaching you to hunt for now. I’ll leave the deeper stuff once your ears have stopped smoking so much!”
“Cheers!” I smirk just as my brain starts approaching critical mass!