• Leave a Commenton Adrenaline

Most often, when people learn a martial art or self-defence program, there is a vital missing piece of the puzzle. While we spend significant time developing physical skills—which is very important—combat is actually 80% mental and only 20% physical. Without physical skills, you’re truly unprepared, but without mental conditioning (unless you’re a natural “two-percenter”), you won’t be able to use those physical skills effectively.

The Impact of Adrenal Stress:
Imagine facing a 20-stone, beer-drinking individual with “cut here” tattooed across his throat, bearing down on you and threatening to rip your head off. Most people, unaccustomed to interpersonal conflict and aggression, would experience a shock to their system. This is adrenal stress in action.

When adrenaline floods your system, the effects can include:

• Muscle tremors (shaking).
• Hyperventilation, tunnel vision, and auditory exclusion.
• Feelings of weakness and fatigue.
• Loss of control over bodily functions.
• Paralysis due to “hypervigilance.”

The Role of Heart Rate:
Your heart rate (measured in beats per minute, BPM) under stress significantly impacts your performance:

• 115 BPM: Fine motor skills deteriorate (e.g., threading a needle).
• 115–145 BPM: Complex motor skills are at their peak. Most combative techniques at Combat Survival Tactics rely on complex motor skills.
• 145–175 BPM: Complex motor skills start to degrade, leaving you reliant on gross motor skills (basic actions like grabbing, pushing, and running).
• Above 215 BPM: Cognitive function diminishes, and your brain operates on instinct alone, similar to an animal’s behavior.

Understanding and managing these physical and mental responses is crucial for effective self-defence.

Society’s Make-Up:
Research divides society into three groups:

1. 98% Sheep: Most people fear interpersonal conflict and struggle to use violence easily. If they do resort to violence, it can cause psychological distress, such as PTSD.
2. 1% Sheepdogs: These are protectors who step up to defend others.
3. 1% Wolves: Aggressors or predators who exploit others.

For instance, during the 9/11 hijackings, most passengers were paralyzed by fear, controlled by a handful of attackers armed only with box cutters. This inaction illustrates the phobic-level reaction most people have to conflict.

The Role of Mental Conditioning:
At Combat Survival Tactics, we focus on bridging the mental gap. By training to manage fear, adrenaline, and conflict, you can transform from a passive “sheep” into someone prepared to face challenging situations confidently.