Self Defense Tip #19
Freezing up when physically threatened

by Dariusz Nowicki, the top East European sports psychologist, and the author of Gold Medal Mental Workout.

To read the previous installment click here.

Mental toughness is more important in self-defense than in sports. The price of “freezing up” is much higher outside the competitive arena than inside it.

Here are two questions from martial artists on mental toughness training and the answer from Mr. Dariusz Nowicki, author of Gold Medal Mental Workout.

First question: I am seeking a way to help people have more faith in their martial arts when it comes to applying them to self-defense situations. I am curious about mental toughness training. Can it be applied to real life self-defense situations or is it only for sports?

Second question: I read your testimonials and found them encouraging. However, I am curious as to whether or not you provide the same mental training for streetfighting. In my time I've heard from friends and read in magazines how martial artists “freeze up” when actually confronted with a real-life threat.

Mr. Nowicki, the author of Gold Medal Mental Workout and the chief coordinator of psychological preparation for all Polish Olympic teams training for the Sydney Olympics in 2000, answers:

What you will achieve with Gold Medal Mental Workout depends on what goal you set for yourself. The exercises of Gold Medal Mental Workout can be adapted to any goal.

Even though Gold Medal Mental Workout is designed for sports, the mental abilities you can develop using it are the same as those needed in self-defense. These abilities are: self-assurance, concentration, and skills of relaxing and of mobilizing energy.

It is enough to substitute for images of sports competition your images of self-defense in the mental exercises of Gold Medal Mental Workout to prepare yourself for the unexpected situations of self-defense.

“Freezing up” may be caused by learning unrealistic techniques and by irrational training. Learning usable self-defense skills is covered in the Self-Defense Tip in Stadion News of Fall 1998.

To read the next tip click here.

This article is based on the video Basic Instincts of Self-Defense.
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