Avoidance

Hello Everyone,

How does one avoid a physical confrontation? Preparation, training, and opportunity contribute to avoiding hazards. First one must be aware that a situation becomes possible when all its parts work together. An attack only happens, when all the pieces the attacker needs gather together. If the defender remains aware, then avoiding the attack becomes possible. Let's move from theorhetical to practical

What does avoidance mean in a practical sense? Take actions that prevent or divert the possibliltiy of attack. If you walk down an unlit street to get to your car, then choose a parking area that stays lighted. Walk with confidence and remain aware of your surroundings. Do not fumble for keys or look distracted, even though you may be distracted. Try to keep a poker face, when dealing with the outside world.

Remember to always sweat the details, especially when it comes to training.

Awareness

Has anyone ever heard the comment, "keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut?" Some comments provide a short and sweet bumper sticker of what awareness should be. But real awareness is more than just a sound bite. The ability to see, hear, smell, touch, taste, and sense an environment begins to describe awareness. Add to that description the ability to sense individuals and/or groups within that environment. One must be aware of others interactions within that environment. If a tree falls on you in the forest, do you make a sound? The question should be if a tree falls on you in the Forest, then does anyone else hear you.

Awareness includes the ability to determine another individuals' intentions. Simply stated, do they mean to help or harm you. The environment provides an easy challenge, while determining intent requires practice. One must remain aware of subtle cues that may lead to an outcome, being good or bad. If an individual cannot read these cues, then one can rely on the other person's behavior. Using this method gives much less lead time, but remains a far more reliable indicator.

Comfort or discomfort with any given situation also provides information. In other words, learn to trust your gut. If something does not feel right, then do not do it. From a cost benefit analysis perspective, only an experience is lost. Protect what provides the opportunity for experience, life.

One develops awareness through experience and testing. Testing takes many forms and can vary. As you enter a room, just look around and notice the exits. Another test of awareness occurs when a person takes classes with an instructor. The instructor may have targets set up around the room. The student enters the room and is asked to find the targets. Take training outside as well. Look for an area where there exist obstacles, concrete posts, etc. Stay wide of the post or other obstruction, so that seeing reveals any potential difficulty.

There exist many more awareness drills, but learning how to bring awareness into the everyday may make for an easier day.